Supporting Student-Mothers

A Work-Life Intervention Program

Xi Wen (Carys) Chan is a Research Fellow in Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources at the Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing in Griffith University, Brisbane. Her research interests are primarily in the work–life interface, specifically exploring the link between personal resources (e.g., self-efficacy and personal humor) and various work- and non-work-related demands, resources, and outcomes.

Recently, Carys has been successful in receiving a grant from the Queensland Government’s “Investing in Queensland Women” program. This program provides one-off grants for one-off events and projects that address the unique issues faced by women and girls.

“Investing in Queensland Women” program workshops

This grant has allowed her to developed a series of workshops for student mothers in how to develop healthy work-life boundaries, support for personal health and well-being, productivity tools and career planning to achieve their learning and career goals.

Dr Xi Wen (Carys) Chan’s grant project involves two aspects:

  1. A series of 5-6 short one-hour workshops on various aspects of work life: job crafting, work-family boundary management, negotiations, etc.
  2. Data collection before, during and after the workshops (three time points) on anticipated work-life conflict.

The “Supporting Student-Mothers” project is now live! If you are a student-mother or mother-to-be, and would like to learn how you can manage your work, studies and life better, we invite you to attend five online workshops taking place from March to June, 11am to 12pm.

Friday, 18 March –

  • Work-Family Boundary Management (by Prof. Paula Brough)
  • Register here.

Thursday, 31 March –

  • Job Crafting Towards Strengths and Interests (by Dr. Fangfang Zhang)
  • Register here.

Tuesday, 3 May –

  • Time Management, Goal-Setting, and Prioritisation in a Remote/Hybrid Context (by Mrs. Afrouz Shoghi)
  • Register here.

Wednesday, 18 May –

Thursday, 2 June –

  • Mindfulness, Self-Compassion & Coping Humour (by Therese Lardner)
  • Register here.

Accompanying the workshops is a three-part survey which participants can do at their own time – Find out more here. There are ten potential $50 Woolworths gift vouchers to be won for participants.

#investingInQLDWoman #StudentMothersProject #WOWGriffith


Despite positive changes to women’s status and roles, gender inequality persists in our community, restricting women’s full participation in the social, economic and cultural opportunities that Queensland offers.

The grant program brings together the previous Queensland Women’s Week, Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month and Sexual Violence Awareness Month grant programs, thereby encouraging better connection between previously separate women’s events and providing an easier application process, consistency in grant amounts, and greater flexibility to deliver at a time that better suits the community.

If you want any further information concerning this project, you can contact the lead investigator of this project.

  • Name: Dr. Xi Wen (Carys) Chan
  • Position: Research Fellow, Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing, Griffith University
  • E-mail: carys.chan@griffith.edu.au

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