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Last updated
29 October 2026

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Standard 2.6

The wellbeing needs of the VET student cohort are identified and strategies are put in place to support these needs.

Performance indicators

An NVR registered training organisation demonstrates:

  1. it identifies, by reference to the training product content, the wellbeing needs of the VET student cohort and appropriate wellbeing support services; and
  2. it advises the VET student cohort of the availability of wellbeing support services, and any organisation students can contact, or additional action students can take to support their wellbeing.  

  • You have systems in place to identify the wellbeing support services that may be needed by your student cohort, relevant to the training products you offer.
  • You ensure that students are informed if artificial intelligence (AI) tools are to be used to monitor engagement for wellbeing processes, including what data is collected, how it will be used, what actions may follow and how human oversight is applied in decisions arising from those systems
  • You can demonstrate that any AI systems used for wellbeing monitoring are regularly reviewed to ensure they remain appropriate, equitable and respect cultural contexts, including First Nations students and other diverse cohorts.
  • You have documented strategies to protect student wellbeing that are appropriate to the characteristics of the student cohort, training products offered and size of your operations, including in third party environments.
  • You can show how your trainers and assessors apply the organisation’s student wellbeing strategies in practice and can demonstrate how your staff are trained and supported to offer appropriate wellbeing support services to students.
  • You can demonstrate how the student cohort is made aware of actions they can take, organisations they can contact and services that are available to support their wellbeing and progression through training and assessment. For example, you might inform students about:
    • study skills support (e.g. time management; help-seeking; coping with assessment-related anxiety)
    • financial wellbeing support
    • counselling and mental health resources
    • culture-specific or demographic-specific supports in their local community (e.g. youth support networks)
    • support available if they are experiencing abuse, harassment or violence.
  • You have documented strategies for continuous improvement in relation to student wellbeing – for example, by seeking feedback from students, or by researching and leveraging established student wellbeing frameworks and resources to improve your approach.

  • Not having tailored strategies in place to support the wellbeing of your student cohort/s.
  • Only determining the student cohort’s wellbeing needs at the time of enrolment or not having a system that enables students to discuss their wellbeing needs through their entire training and assessment journey.
  • Having student wellbeing strategies and support options that are not known or understood by staff.
  • Not upholding the privacy of students, even if well intentioned, by taking action to address their wellbeing issues without their consent.
  • Using AI tools to collect sensitive wellbeing information without adequate consent or security controls.
  • Neglecting to appropriately assess third party environments that could negatively impact student wellbeing – for example work placements and supervisory arrangements.
  • Not having procedures in place to prevent and address instances of abuse, harassment, discrimination or violence amongst your student cohort.
  • Providing students with AI-generated wellbeing advice in place of appropriate wellbeing support services.

Self-assurance questions

  1. What systems and processes do you have in place to identify the wellbeing support services that might be needed by the student cohorts you deliver training to? If you have third party agreements in place, how do you ensure your systems and processes are being followed by them?
  2. How do you identify which wellbeing services are most appropriate to support your student cohort?
  3. Have you confirmed that any AI-powered wellbeing resources (e.g. chatbots) are accurate, confidential and include escalation to human support?
  4. How do your staff ensure students are made aware of the available supports?
  5. How do you seek feedback from students about your wellbeing support strategies?
  6. What strategies do you have in place for preventing abuse, harassment or violence between or amongst students, and for dealing with such issues should they arise?
  7. Have you implemented safeguards to protect sensitive wellbeing-related data, including data collected by AI systems?

Case studies

Supporting student wellbeing during high-stress training

LLL Training Pty Ltd (LLL) is a small training provider delivering health and community services qualifications. LLL has identified support services that build resilience and wellbeing for its student cohort that are undertaking particularly high-stress training (e.g. social work and mental health courses).  

Information about student wellbeing supports is published on LLL’s website for both prospective and current students alike. As part of their enrolment pack, students receive a digital and printed Student Support and Wellbeing Guide that explains internal supports, flexible learning arrangements, and self-referral options for external services in the community that students may wish to avail themselves of.  

To further reinforce this information, LLL’s Learning Management System features a prominent “Wellbeing Hub” tile containing contact details, self-help resources, and links to external organisations such as Lifeline and Beyond Blue. Trainers also include a standard wellbeing slide in the first session of each unit, forewarning students of potentially confronting content and reminding them of available supports, if needed. Trainers also regularly check in with students and proactively remind cohorts about available support services, especially during assessment periods and work placements.  

Through consistent communication across several channels, LLL ensures students are aware of available wellbeing services, and practical steps they can take to support their own wellbeing.  

 

Understanding the limits of student wellbeing support

A student of a large provider had not attended training or submitted assessment work for several weeks, falling significantly behind in their studies. Concerned about the student's progress, the trainer attempted to make contact several times by phone and email but received no response.  

Wanting to demonstrate care for the student's wellbeing, the provider sent a further email advising that, if the student was experiencing personal difficulties, they could seek support from an organisation such as Lifeline or Beyond Blue.  

The student later lodged a complaint, stating that they felt the provider had assumed they were experiencing mental health issues without any evidence and considered the email to be intrusive. While the provider's intention was to support the student, the communication had not been received as intended.  

Following a review of the complaint, the provider reflected on its approach to student wellbeing and support. Staff recognised that their role was not to diagnose, speculate about, or make assumptions regarding a student's personal circumstances. Instead, the focus should be on maintaining clear communication and outlining available options, including a link to their general ‘Student Supports’ page on their website, as well as the consequences for ongoing non-attendance.  

This experience helped the provider strike the right balance as they strived to meet the intent of the 2025 Standards for RTOs, by demonstrating a student-centred approach that supports student wellbeing while maintaining appropriate roles and communication practices.  

  1. How far do providers need to go in providing wellbeing assistance to VET students?

    Providers are expected to be aware of potential risks to students’ wellbeing and put strategies in place to protect and uphold the safety and wellbeing of their student cohort. Providers are not required to deliver wellbeing support services directly, but they must advise students of available supports, which could be supports external to the provider, and guide them on how to access these supports as appropriate. The extent of wellbeing support provided to students will vary according to factors such as the nature of the training product, duration of the student’s enrolment, characteristics of the student cohort and size of the provider.

  2. How do providers ensure student wellbeing during work placements? Can we rely on the supports provided by employers?

    Providers should consider the suitability of the work placement in the context of student wellbeing, including work health safety obligations. Where an employer offers employee support systems, providers may seek to coordinate access to these supports with the consent of the employer and student, as one example of how they have considered wellbeing for students from a work placement perspective.