1. Students & Mitigation Evidence: A Way Forward
Sarah Wilmer
Student Adviser
Leeds Beckett Students Union Advice Service

2. Leeds Beckett Student Union Advice Service
We are a team comprising of six Student Advisers and an Advice Service Manager.
We offer practical advice to students on internal university procedures, housing (we are a CAB for students).
We are open on a daily basis for students to drop in but students can also access our services via telephone and .
We undertake training internally within the university and externally with Shelter/NHAS, Advice UK/CPAG.

3. The Student Population in Leeds
There are 60,000 students in higher education across Leeds:
Leeds University
Leeds Beckett University
Leeds Trinity University
Leeds Arts University
Leeds Music College
The Northern School of Contemporary Dance
Leeds City College
Leeds has one dedicated student medical practice in the city centre and seven other practices within the main student areas of Leeds.

4. Leeds Beckett University Mitigation Process
A Fit To Sit Policy was implemented in September 2013 after a consultation with university staff and the Students Union
Students mitigate before handing in an assessment to seek an extension or to defer assessment before sitting an exam
Information is available to students on the university website/ through academic and admin staff/support staff
Also via the student union website and advice service
The university’s four faculties have now been divided into 13 academic schools and mitigation panels sit on a monthly basis

5. Evidence
Students are asked to provide evidence of their mitigating circumstances
Health issues: evidence from a GP. This can be expensive 10.00/ and not immediately available.
For mental health related issues: Evidence from university counselling or, GP or other specialist agency.
For other personal issues i.e. Bereavement. A death certificate is required to be shown. However should a student have to provide other evidence of how this issue may be affecting them?

6. Work that Student Advisers have undertaken.
Sat in as observers on mitigation panels
Contacted 9 GP surgeries in the main student areas of Leeds
Met with three GP practices and spoke with GP’s/practice managers and other specialist support staff within the surgeries
We found different opening hours/different ways of accessing appointments/charges for supporting evidence
The main feedback from GP’s was that they are under pressure. Their main function is seeing patients & patient referrals. Letters for university mitigation is not part of their core work and is therefore a service that carries a charge.

7. Other issues: Does your university consider these circumstances for student mitigation?
Separation & Divorce
Bereavement
Homelessness
Domestic Violence
Caring Responsibilities
Eviction /Repossession
Arranged Marriage & Honour Based Violence
Assault
Family Breakdown
Illness of partner/family member
Court Process
Redundancy

8. Mitigation Evidence: A Way Forward
Self certification for short term illness
Fit note from GP
From academic staff
Student Services
Other external support services

9. Leeds Health and Wellbeing Partnership meeting for post-16 education
Established in 2014
What is it? – A meeting that takes place 3 times in an academic year, bringing together all the providers of post-16 education in the city to discuss student health related issues.
The 3 themes we look at each year – mental health, drugs and alcohol and sexual health.
We invite Leeds based agencies to talk about the services they can provide to students. We aim this year to feed back to the Leeds Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
At the present time, mental health issues are the most prevalent.

10. Moving Forward
Our service will feed into any review of the university mitigation process in the 2019/2020 academic year
Part of our feedback will concentrate on issues surrounding mitigation evidence
As part of our ongoing outreach, we will revisit contact with the 9 GP surgeries within the main student areas of Leeds
Our outreach work with university staff teams continues
Our team will also look at innovate ways in promoting the university mitigation procedure to all of our students