We’re all grown ups here… How to approach student support issues as part of the university community

The Plan  A quick talk about experiences, barriers and strategies  Option A – what support there is at UoB and who does what  Option B – where to access information as you need it  Option C – Some case studies

Your experiences  What are your “headlines”?  What changes have you seen in the past 5 years?  What changes do you expect in the next 5 years?

The strategy bit  The best thing you can do as a member of staff is to know where to send students if they experience difficulties and to feel comfortable, confident and competent in referring  We need to give you the tools to do that!

Our service barriers  Support departments set away from the academic setting  We rely on students being aware of us, or being referred to us  It’s not always obvious who does what, particularly to those unfamiliar with HE  Sometimes we’re viewed as “worst case scenario” services, rather than proactive  A lot of our information is fairly “dry” or people assume that they already know it!

Course mate, fellow student friend Parent, family, partner Dept. staff or course leader Personal Tutor or SSGT Student Services Careers Centre Chaplaincy Counselling Disability and Dyslexia Medical Centres Nurseries Welfare & Finance Student experiencing difficulty or looking for extra support

Our key messages  Making contact is key and the earlier the better but it’s rarely too late  Making contact is EASY!  Great Expectations – we can’t do everything, and we can’t do it instantly… but we will try to help  Student inductions are REALLY important  Even if we can’t help, we often know someone who can

Option A Who does what?!

Sources of university support The Student Student ServicesAccommodation Friends and coursemates! Registry & Finance Student Union Student Support and Guidance Tutors School staff (academics and non-academics) Personal Tutors

Student Services Student Services We have 7 Services: –Career Centres –Chaplaincy –Childcare –Counselling –Disability & Dyslexia Team –Medical Centres –Welfare and Finance Service

Student Services Services at each site Manor House, Moulsecoomb Grand Parade Main Building Trevin Towers Student Centre, Eastbourne Uckfield House, Falmer University Centre Hastings Partner Colleges – Plumpton, City College, Sussex Downs (Lewes & Eastbourne), Sussex Coast College

Student Services Other work we do Equal opportunities and diversity –Harassment policy –Drug and Alcohol policy –Disability Discrimination Act –Student Mental Health Policy

Student Services Our strategy Imbedding pastoral support within the curriculum Closer liaison with schools Issue-based not department based Key referral points – staff! Feedback

Registry and Finance Departments  Enrolment & Student Records  Fee payments & Student Loans  Bursaries and Scholarships  Council Tax Forms  Academic Standards  University Rules and Regulations  Library Fines, University Debtors

Study Support  Coordinated by Centre for Learning and Teaching  Study Support Sessions each term  Brighton University Good Study Guide (BUGS) on StudentCentral

Accommodation Service  University Managed Housing, Halls, Net-Let  Community Liaison  House-hunting events  Residential advisers living within halls

Student Support and Guidance Tutors  Part of retention project  In-house pastoral care for schools  “Super Tutors” but often with specific remits – First years, monitoring attendance

Students’ Union Student Voice & “Representation” Social stuff – clubs, societies

Student Advice Academic rules and regulations – not essay writing – complaints, appeals, disciplinaries and plagiarism Private Sector Housing Financial Advice Community Legal Service partnerships for referral

Option B  Where to access information as you need it Student Life on Student Central

Option C Case Studies

Ideas for further training…  Dyslexia Awareness Training Dates tba – end May/start June at all sites Call Vangee on x2888  Mental Health Awareness Training Monday 12 May 3-5pm Grand Parade Tuesday 10 June Mithras House Call Chris x2895  Introduction to Student Services Tuesday 10 June, pm Mithras House Call Annie x2462  Or just