Complaints & Appeals

How to raise a concern or challenge a decision. The process is free, confidential where practicable, and you will not be disadvantaged for using it.

Complaints and Appeals Policy

Complaints

Urban Skin Academy supports a student’s right to lodge a complaint if they feel they have been treated unfairly. The organisation is committed to providing quality training and assessment services by fostering a fair, supporting and transparent environment where complaints are effectively managed. Complaints are welcomed as a means of ensuring that the organisation identifies and overcomes problems faced by students and provides an opportunity to improve the business and the delivery of its training programs.

1. Before lodging a complaint, students are all encouraged to first attempt to resolve their issues informally. This can often lead to a quicker and more satisfactory resolution.
2. If you have a concern, please talk to your trainer or contact Student Services at 0435 506 978 or via admin@urbanskinacademy.com.au. They will work with you to try and resolve the issue promptly and informally.
3. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the informal resolution process, you have the right to lodge a formal complaint.
4. Formal complaints must be submitted in writing and lodged through the Complaints Lodgement Form. You can access the form through the website or our staff.
5. Upon receipt of your formal complaint, the RTO will acknowledge it in writing with an email response within 5 working days. This will confirm that the RTO has received your formal complaint, and the Students Services & Complaints Officer will outline the next steps in the resolution process.
6. The Complaints Officer will initiate a transparent and participative process to resolve your complaint. This may involve discussions with relevant parties, review of documentation, and other necessary steps to address the issue fairly.
7. Urban Skin Academy is committed to resolving formal complaints within 30 calendar days, where possible. You will be kept informed throughout the process and notified by the Complaints Officer in writing of the outcome via email.

Where the student remains unsatisfied with the outcome:

• The student has the right to request a review of the formal complaint by an independent party.
• The student will be responsible for the costs of the independent review.
• The organisation will cooperate fully with the independent review.
• The organisation will provide information about external escalation options, such as the National Training Complaints Hotline or the Training Ombudsman.
• Confidentiality is maintained throughout the process and complainants’ data is periodically reviewed to identify trends and improvements.

Urban Skin Academy will aim to complete this complaints process as quickly as possible. Where a complaint takes more than 60 days to be resolved, the Complaints Officer will advise and inform the complainant in writing through email and provide regular updates.

Appeals

Urban Skin Academy support the rights of a student to lodge an appeal against any decision made by Urban Skin Academy and will not impair that right in any way. The organisation ensures all appeals are handled impartially by individuals who are not directly involved in the issue, ensuring procedural fairness.

Any student wishing to appeal a decision made by Urban Skin Academy should follow the steps outlined below.

1. Before lodging an appeal, students are encouraged to first attempt to resolve it informally by contacting the Complaints Officer at 0435 506 978 or admin@urbanskinacademy.com.au. This initial contact provides an opportunity to discuss the decision made by Urban Skin Academy, clarify any misunderstandings, and present any supporting evidence.
2. The student should clearly explain why they believe the decision made by Urban Skin Academy is incorrect and should provide evidence that supports their claim. The Complaints Officer will review the information and attempt to resolve the appeal informally.
3. If the student is still not satisfied with the outcome of the informal resolution process, they may submit a formal appeal in writing using our Appeals Lodgement Form on the website or to relevant staff.
4. Upon receipt of the formal appeal, our Complaints Officer will acknowledge the appeal within 5 working days in writing through an email response. The acknowledgment will confirm receipt of the appeal, provide a summary, and outline the next steps in the appeals process.
5. The Complaints Officer will initiate a fair and transparent process to review the formal appeal. This may involve:
   1. Re-examining Urban Skin Academy’s original decision and the evidence provided by the student.
   2. Consulting with relevant staff who were involved in the original decision made by Urban Skin Academy.
   3. If necessary, engaging an independent and impartial reviewer to ensure fairness and objectivity.
6. The organisation is committed to resolving formal appeals within 30 working days where possible. The Complaints Officer will ensure that each step in the review process is conducted promptly and efficiently.
7. Once the review has been completed, the student will be advised by the Complaints Officer in writing of the outcome of their formal appeal. The written notification emailed to the student will include:
   1. The final decision regarding the formal appeal.
   2. The reasons for the decision, including reference to the evidence and criteria used in Urban Skin Academy’s decision-making process.
   3. If applicable, information on any further actions to be taken.

If the student is still not satisfied with the outcome of the formal appeal, they can follow the process below:

• The student has the right to request a review of the appeal by an independent party.
• The student will be responsible for the costs of the independent review.
• Urban Skin Academy will cooperate fully with the independent review.
• Urban Skin Academy will provide information on external appeal options, such as relevant regulatory bodies.

Urban Skin Academy will aim to complete this appeal process as quickly as possible. Where an appeal will take more than 60 days to be resolved, the RTO will advise and inform the appellant in writing. The organisation will also periodically review appeals data to identify trends and make necessary improvements.

See the Complaints and Appeals Policy and Procedure for more details.

Getting help outside Urban Skin Academy

See also: Student Information  ·  Fees and Refunds  ·  Student Handbook