External support
If you need more support during this COVID-19 crisis. We can help in the following areas:
- emergency crisis support
- emergency food relief
- legal help
- emergency housing support.
For financial support, explore our comprehensive financial resources support page.
For free university wellbeing support, explore our wellbeing services.
In an emergency, always call: 000
Mental health/ suicide risk
- Life Line: 131 114
- Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
- Suicide Line: 1300 651 251
- Kids Help Line (5–25yrs): 1800 55 1800
- Maternal and Child Health (24 hour, 7 days a week service): 13 22 29
- QLife - telephone and online counselling for LGBTIQ people, by LGBTIQ people. Call :1800 184 527 (3.00 pm–12.00 am every day).
Sexual assault
- 1800 RESPECT - 24/7 online and telephone counselling, information and support on: 1800 737 732.
- Victorian Centres Against Sexual Assault (CASA) - provide a crises response where sexual assault has occurred in the last two weeks. To contact the CASA closest to you call: 1800 806 292.
- Sexual Assault Crisis Line Victoria (SACL) - After-hours telephone crises counselling service on 1800 806 292. 5pm–9am weekdays, weekends and public holidays.
- Sexual offences and child abuse investigation team - Regional local contacts. Bendigo (MDC*): (03) 5444 6752 Mildura (MDC*): (03) 5023 5980 Shepparton: (03) 5820 5878 Wodonga: (02) 6049 2671. *MDC – Multi-disciplinary Centre
Intimate partner and family violence
- 1800 RESPECT - 24/7 online and telephone counselling, information and support on 1800 737 732.
- Safe Steps: family violence response centre - 24/7 telephone counselling, information and support on: 1800 015 188.
- Mensline Australia - support and information service for Australian men. 24/7 telephone, text or video counselling on: 1300 78 99 78.
- Domestic Violence Victoria - COVID-19 and Family Violence Resources
After-hours counselling/ crisis support
Crisis Line – Out of hours mental health and wellbeing support
Call: 1300 146 307 or Text: 0488 884 100
5.00 pm–9 am weekdays, 24 hours weekends, and public holidays.
Psychiatric triage (or crisis assessment and treatment teams)
Information, assessment and triage for direct and prompt response and assessment of individuals where there is a serious concern for welfare and safety of an individual available 24/7.
Contact numbers varies by region. Find your specific region number on the Victorian Government Health Information website.
Some quick suburb links below:
- Bundoora:
Psychiatric Triage – North East (Phone: 1300 859 789)
- Bendigo:
Psychiatric Triage – Loddon Campaspe/Southern Mallee (Phone:1300 363 788)
- Shepparton:
Psychiatric Triage – Goulburn & Southern (Phone:1300 369 005)
- Albury/Wodonga:
Psychiatric Triage – North/Eastern Hume (Phone: 1300 881 104)
- Mildura:
Psychiatric Triage – Northern Mallee (Phone: 1300 366 375)
- Victoria Legal Aid
Urgent Legal Advice (Call: 1300 792 387)
- Consumer Action Law Centre
General advice line (Call: 9629 6300)
- Consumer Affairs Victoria
General Information Line - (Call: 1300 558 181)
- Study Melbourne
International Students Support
Call: 1800 825 955.
This number is the statewide phone number in VIC for ALL Homelessness access points. The call will divert to the local homelessness access point, pending wherever a person is calling from.
Assists with informing you of eligibility to what service.
Access point for people experiencing homelessness and housing related issues including housing information and advocacy, assessment of Housing and Support needs, referral to crisis accommodation and specialist support services, limited financial assistance to establish or maintain rental tenancies.
Available assistance includes access to secure, affordable and appropriate housing for older people. Appointments preferred.
Contact: 1300 765 178 (Monday to Friday, 10.00 am–4 pm).
Help options available:
Call: 13 72 58
Foodbank International Student Pop-Up Store
Open Monday, Wednesday and Friday's (excluding public holidays). Foodbank with their partners have been busy hitting the streets of Melbourne to bring FREE and culturally diverse food and pantry items to international students via their new International Student Pop-Up Store.
AskIzzy is a free website that connects you with emergency services including food. Type in your suburb and it will show you list of food support services in your area.
Two Birds One Scone at Melbourne (Bundoora) Campus
Located in the Agora 3.00 pm–6 pm weekdays, Two Birds One Scone club are offering free frozen meals from SecondBite to La Trobe students in need.
Domestic students are be able to collect free meals by presenting their student card in conjunction with a health care card at their initial collection. International students can receive free meals for one week and can seek one of La Trobe’s support services to approve continual support.
A cooler bag is recommended upon collection.
Turbans 4 Australia is running Covid Crisis relief for people in need in Melbourne, including International students. It is generously providing free grocery hampers, non perishable and fresh produce free of charge to students, Tuesday - Thursday and Saturdays including contact-less free delivery.
Fill out the Crisis Help for COVID-19 form to register or contact turbans4australia@gmail.com for more information.
Bendigo Food Support by Victory Young Adults (VYA)
Bendigo VYA are offering ‘Food Help’, dry assorted food bags of a random assortment of dry packaged goods, for students in need. There are a limited number of food bags and are distributed on a case by case basis.
If you need a food bag or would like more information, please email vyainfo@victorycc.com.au or direct message their VYA Facebook or VYA Instagram
Delivering free food to people in need during self-isolation in South Eastern suburbs.
Provide providing food for international students in dire need.
A comprehensive list of suburbs and organisations providing free meals in Melbourne's northern suburbs
Available assistance includes food parcels, food vouchers, Telstra vouchers, help sourcing furniture and household items, referral to other services such as No Interest Loans financial counselling and rent assistance
Call 1800 305 330, 10.00 am–3.00 pm.
Available assistance includes food vouchers, material aid and utility aid.
You must be Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or must have Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander children in your care.
Call: 1800 993 783 for appointments.
Food and emergency relief. Phone 03 8470 8269 to speak with a community development officer.
Indian care aims to promote the welfare and wellbeing of Victoria’s South Asian International Students from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. Contact Indian Care for more information and support services
Location in South Bank, Empower help with fresh, frozen and pantry staples
City of Melbourne Community Food Guide
The City of Melbourne have also developed an extensive Community Food Guide about community meals, including free and cheap meals.
Heidelberg West and surrounding suburbs
Prioritising these postcodes: 3079, 3081, 3084, 3085 for emergency food relief.
Call: 9459 5959 (Monday - Friday 10.00 am–3.00 pm).
City of Whittlesea
Financial assistance to residents of Whittlesea in crisis re: bills, housing, food, transport, medical expenses.
Call: 9401 6644 (Monday to Friday).
City of Darebin
Providing a number of support options for people in the community, including financial hardship, support for international students and free legal advice and assistance.
Need more information?: Call Northern Community CareWorks on: 9484 4788
Albury Wodonga
Salvation Army
International and domestic students in need, you can call them on: (02) 6024 2886 between 9.00 am and 2.00 pm, Wednesday to Friday. They can offer food parcels, supermarket vouchers, and case management.
La Trobe Student Association (LTSA) - all campuses (Albury/Wodonga, Bendigo, City, Melbourne (Bundoora), Mildura and Shepparton)
LTSA Legal Service - The service offers free and confidential advice from qualified and experienced lawyers on a number of issues.
LTSA Financial Support Service - free financial counselling for students
Advocacy
Your local Student Association Advocates can help with all kinds of issues including problems on placements, assessment failure, misconduct allegations, and more. They can help you work out what you need to get through life's challenges, whether that's at University or at home. They can also make referrals, talk to people on your behalf, link you in with local community support and just generally be there for you.
- WorkVentures provide access, digital support, digital skills and financial support to those who need access to anything digital. Contact them to find out about eligibility.
If you know of any great resources we may have missed or would like to provide any feedback. Please let us know. Email us at: student.wellbeing@latrobe.edu.au.