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A quick guide to UC for Rainbow, Takatāpui and Gender-Diverse Students
A big welcome to our Rainbow, Takatāpui and Gender-Diverse Community.
We’re stoked you chose UC and we want your time here to be the best it can be.
To help you settle in, here are some things to know and people to meet.
Rainbow Room
This cosy space on campus is a common room where you can hang out, study, and use the microwave for lunch.
Physical resources are also available in the building, including a phone and computer to access support systems and information.
Find it in the Logie Building, Room 107.
QCanterbury
This student-led social club provides friendly, fun, and safe social spaces for rainbow and gender-diverse people. Keep an eye out for fun events throughout the year.
“Starting University as a rainbow or gender diverse student isn’t easy for anyone no matter the services available. We want incoming or newly ‘out’ students to know we’re all with you along the way, we’ve been through it, and are here to help us all thrive at UC. ”
– QCanterbury
You can find the club online through Insta and Facebook, or email them on qcanterburyuc@gmail.com
Gender-neutral toilets
If you’re looking for a restroom on campus, head to:
- Haere-roa (26 in total, with at least 10 accessible during the day)
- Rehua on levels 2 and 7 (11 total)
- Elsie Locke on levels 3 and 6 (3 total)
- Puaka-James Hight on level 3 (2 total)
- UC RecCentre (2 total)
- The Postgrad Living Room Space (3 total)
- Pasifika Students’ House 45 Creyke Road (1 total)
- Dovedale campus in Kotuku (3 total)
Key people
UC Rainbow Advisor: Ari can help you settle into Uni life, and provide advice if you’ve got any questions or concerns. Find out more.
Ari Nicholson, Rainbow Advisor
Te Ao Mārama Room 101A
Phone: +6433691071
Internal Phone: 91071
ari.nicholson@canterbury.ac.nz
UC Student Care: Friendly student advisors who offer free and confidential support and advice on a heap of issues. Visit their webpage.
QCanterbury Exec: The Team are here for a chat, social support or to help you in seeking advocacy.
UCSA Advocacy and Welfare: Our independent, free service offering advice and support on Uni issues and welfare. You can call (03) 369 0555 or email help@ucsa.org.nz
UCSA’s Equity and Wellbeing Rep: An elected student representative who works to build a more equal and inclusive campus.
Te Akatoki Māori Students’ Association: Te Akatoki supports takatāpuhi students through holistic services, a welcoming physical space at their whare akonga (129 Ilam road) and advocacy across all spaces with an equity and diversity lens. Find them on Insta and Facebook.
Preferred names
If you’d like your preferred name to appear on your Student ID card, you can! Just have a chat with UC’s Rainbow Advisor.
They can also support you if staff need to be made aware of your preferred name, with the IT changes that UC can make, and other support.
Pronoun use
At UC, it’s common for people (especially staff) to include their pronouns in their email signatures. Using someone’s correct personal pronouns is a way to respect them.
If you need support in regards to pronouns, please contact UC’s Rainbow Advisor.
Tip: Safe, supportive staff will often wear rainbow lanyards around UC.
UC Health Centre
The Team say they’re committed to working with rainbow and gender diverse students, and recently upskilled to better understand their primary health care needs.
They also work closely with UC’s Rainbow Advisor and providers such as 298 Health and Qtopia.
They welcome new students and look forward to working alongside you!
Find them on Facebook or on UC’s website.
So that’s the quick guide! We hope you found it useful and we can’t wait to see you around campus.
