Consultancy Services

Learning Consent provides specialist consultancy to education providers, student accommodation and other organisations working to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.

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What We Offer

  • Specialist services to strengthen organisational approaches to preventing and responding to gender-based violence.

    We support organisations to identify gaps, review existing approaches and develop evidence-informed strategies tailored to their context, people and priorities.

  • Independent review and development of policies, procedures and practice guidance relating to gender-based violence, consent and respectful relationships education, handling of disclosures, reports and organisational responses to harm.

    We help translate evidence, legislation and regulatory requirements into clear and practical processes.

  • Specialist support for higher education and student accommodation providers implementing the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence.

    This can include gap analysis, review of existing procedures and practical guidance to strengthen organisational implementation and compliance.

  • External specialist consultation for teams managing complex cases involving harm, including gender-based violence, student wellbeing concerns and/or misconduct.

    Support can include confidential case consultation and professional mentoring to strengthen practice while considering the psychosocial risks for staff managing complex matters.

  • Engaging expert perspectives on consent and respectful relationships education for the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, including the social and cultural issues shaping how young people understand and experience relationships, sexuality and consent.

    Learning Consent’s CEO and Founder, Dr Joy Townsend, delivers keynote presentations, conference sessions, panels, executive briefings, facilitated conversations and expert media commentary.

Tailored to your organisation

Our consultancy engagements are shaped around your needs. We work with you to understand the challenge, identify gaps and determine the specialist support that will have the greatest impact.

Depending on the project, this may include a one-off advisory engagement, independent review, ongoing consultancy, specialist mentoring, research project or organisation-wide body of work

Meet our Consultants

Dr Kate Thomson (she/her) is a consultant specialising in responses to gender-based violence across secondary and tertiary education. She is a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and holds a PhD in gender-based violence.

Kate has extensive experience supporting people who have experienced and caused harm across community, education, residential, legal and secure settings.

Kate developed procedural guidance for responding to harm in student accommodation in line with the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence 2025, and has trained accommodation staff to translate legislation into practice. She is an experienced trainer and speaker in gender-based violence, mental health and wellbeing, and trauma-informed practice.

Grounded in practical counselling and case management experience, Kate brings together clinical expertise, procedural knowledge and academic rigour.

Kate’s expertise includes:

  • National Higher Education Code implementation, specifically within residential settings

  • Responding to disclosures and reports of harm

  • Student accommodation responses to harm

  • Gender-based violence

  • Complex case consultation

  • Professional mentoring and support

  • Staff psychosocial risk associated with complex case management

  • Trauma-informed practice

  • Mental health and wellbeing

  • Development of tailored gender-based violence and wellbeing initiatives

Work with Kate

Dr Kate Thomson

Gender-Based Violence Response & Practice Specialist

Dr Joy Townsend is a renowned Australian sociologist and consent educator, featured in national media and an adviser to universities, corporates and policy bodies. She brings specialist expertise in the social and cultural dimensions of consent, relationships, sexuality and gender-based violence.

Joy is known for translating research, emerging evidence and complex social issues into engaging and accessible education initiatives and public conversation.

Joy’s expertise includes:

  • Keynote speaking and conference presentations

  • Panels, executive briefings and facilitated conversations

  • Media commentary and expert communication

  • Consent, relationships and sexual cultures

  • Strategic advice on creating cultures of safety within workplaces and education communities

  • Gender-based violence prevention

  • Emerging social and cultural issues affecting young people, sexuality and relationships

  • Translating research and evidence for public and organisational audiences

  • Strategic advice on consent and respectful relationships

  • Social and cultural research and analysis

Work with Joy

Dr Joy Townsend

Sociologist, Consent Educator, Adviser & Speaker

How it Works

  1. Initial Consolation
    60 minute video call, where we meet with you to understand your organisation, the challenge(s) and what you are hoping to achieve.

    The initial consultation is charged at $280 per hour (ex GST), with an invoice issued following the meeting.

  2. Scope the Work
    We identify key gaps, priorities and potential approaches, then provide a tailored scope of work.

    There is no additional cost for preparing the initial scope of work. If you choose to proceed, we’ll provide a separate quote outlining the proposed work and fees.

  3. Consultancy Engagement
    Our consultants work alongside your organisation to deliver the agreed advice, review, research or specialist support.

    Consultancy fees are based on the agreed scope of work and will be clearly outlined in a quote before the engagement begins.