Question 1. What is your role in college?
Answer- I see the councilors role is to provide emotional support to both students and staff if wanted.
Question 2. What sort of problems do students come to you with?
Answer- Mainly relationship issues boyfriends and girlfriends. Workload issues especially around the college can i cope? can i get my qualifications?. It can be a bit of a step up from school at times they struggle with that. There are some other difficulties but they are now coping. People come in with self harm issues, eating disorders, low self-esteem that really does make a difference to a person and how they engage with others.
Question 3. What additional help is available for students?
Answer- Well after seeing the students if we think that there's specific help needed we might refer them to external agencies. We also have Karen mayfield who is the welfare officer who's very active within the college, who's very knowledgeable on additional help.
Question 4. Roughly how many students come to see you in a week?
Answer- It varies on a weekly basis. 20 sessions available a week shared out by three of the councilors, half of theses sessions are reguarly used. During peak times its almost like theres no spaces.
Question 5. What would you say to a student who wanted to come talk to you but felt too embarrassed?
Councilors aren't here to judge you and that we as human beings all have moments where we feel inadequate and struggle and by sharing those feelings within the safety of the counseling environment.
Question 6. Is there anything you would like us to use to promote your services in our video?
A dance troop.
Question 7. What do you enjoy most about your job?
For me it would be watching a person emotionally develop and take direction in their lives. Taking the reins of life but they dont become a victim of it. The biggest challenge is to live life and not be worn down by it.
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Monday, 5 January 2009
My interview with Janet Waters
What is your role in college?
“I have two roles; I’m a learning support assistant and also a literacy support tutor.”
What sort of help is available for students?
“I can help students with their spelling, handwriting, give them tips about taking notes, help them to get organised. I usually only see a student half an hour a week; so I help them to help their selves, give them strategies for practicing at home.”
On average how many students do you see a week?
“It varies but, usually I have about 25 come to me, not all attend. Some might be ill some might forget, some might even pretend to forget, *laughs*. But if they get stuck during the week sometimes they email there coursework to me, and I can check it through. But in total about 30 because I sometimes put students in the same group.”
Do you think there are students who need help but don’t ask for it?
“Lots, I think there are a lot of students who need help and don’t ask for it. For example a student could simply try to avoid doing things they find difficult.”
Do you have advice for students who may be too worried to see a member of additional support?
“Well, don’t be worried because I’m friendly and approachable, and not scary. Some students could feel intimidated by staff and were certainly not here to judge people, support means your doing the work with a bit of back up. And besides everything is confidential, parents don’t even have to know.”
What do you like about your job?
“I enjoy listening to students, and when students come to me I usually get to know them. It’s good to see students grow confidence.”
“I have two roles; I’m a learning support assistant and also a literacy support tutor.”
What sort of help is available for students?
“I can help students with their spelling, handwriting, give them tips about taking notes, help them to get organised. I usually only see a student half an hour a week; so I help them to help their selves, give them strategies for practicing at home.”
On average how many students do you see a week?
“It varies but, usually I have about 25 come to me, not all attend. Some might be ill some might forget, some might even pretend to forget, *laughs*. But if they get stuck during the week sometimes they email there coursework to me, and I can check it through. But in total about 30 because I sometimes put students in the same group.”
Do you think there are students who need help but don’t ask for it?
“Lots, I think there are a lot of students who need help and don’t ask for it. For example a student could simply try to avoid doing things they find difficult.”
Do you have advice for students who may be too worried to see a member of additional support?
“Well, don’t be worried because I’m friendly and approachable, and not scary. Some students could feel intimidated by staff and were certainly not here to judge people, support means your doing the work with a bit of back up. And besides everything is confidential, parents don’t even have to know.”
What do you like about your job?
“I enjoy listening to students, and when students come to me I usually get to know them. It’s good to see students grow confidence.”
Jess's interview with Oz Osbourne
1. What exactly do you do in college?
I work on the additional support team and my role is to help students with emotional help & well being.
2. What sort of help do you offer students?
When it comes to people's emotional health it can cover anything but effectively if a student is having any kind of difficulties that perhaps are not neccesarily learning related it might be due to the stress & pressure of work, it might be to do with family life or friends but anything that's causing them to be in less than good emotional help & well being. They can come along & it's just for an informal chat & we take it from there.
3. What sort of problems do students come to you about?
It really is a completely wide range. It might be that someone is struggling with their work load, but obviously tutors & personal tutors can help with those things as well so it tends to be when it's having a greater than usual effect on how they're thinking & feeling about things & their general experience of things. So I think it's fair to say that all students at times, particularly with exams, work load & coursework, can struggle with some things but I think it's when it becomes almost unmanagable that they might come along & start off with a informal chat then we see what route they can go from there to get more help & support.
4. What would you want to say to a student who wanted to talk to you but felt too embarrassed?
I think it would probably be that it's, in the time that I've been in college, it's the number of students & the range of students that come to see me, it's certainly no embarrassment to say that everybody, at some point in our lifes, however well we appear to coping to other people it's ok every now & again to ask for help. And it's certainly not a weakness & infact by asking for help you can deal with things more quickly than if you let them run on then perhaps that's a sign of strength & there wouldnt be people in the college like myself & other student support officers if a lot of students didn't need the help & support that we offer.
5. What do you enjoy about your job?
I think it's certainly the range of challenges that we have, but I guess it's just knowing that sometimes a student will come to see myself or one of the other additional support members & perhaps go on & achieve a little bit more than they thought they were able to because they were able to deal with some of the problems & barriers that may have prevented them from achieving that way.
6. How many students do you see a week?
That varies, I'm only in for about six hours a week & sometimes I'll have appointments all day so that would be a maximum of 5 or 6 students. Some weeks there's only 1 or 2, sometimes there are students I see over a long term & will see every week, sometimes students will just drop when they need help. On top of one to one sessions I also have offered work shops around exam stress so in those weeks it might be that I've run a couple of work shops & they've been attended by 8-10 people in those weeks it could be up to 20 students. But generally it's 4-5 a week on average.
7. Is there anything you would like us to use to promote you in the video?
The space we see people in because we try to make it a neautral space & things, is probably quite good. I hope that students can see that any of the additional support team look reasonably normal & welcoming.
8. Do you think there’s any way of improving the support service in college?
I think that it'd be naive to think that there werent ways of improving & I guess things like additional resources but we all know that there's so many things that colleges need to pay for & have resources for. So I think that we're all grateful & hopefully some of the students are that we're here. I think what you're doing is a good thing & lots of students dont know that we're here, the more ways to promote is good.
I work on the additional support team and my role is to help students with emotional help & well being.
2. What sort of help do you offer students?
When it comes to people's emotional health it can cover anything but effectively if a student is having any kind of difficulties that perhaps are not neccesarily learning related it might be due to the stress & pressure of work, it might be to do with family life or friends but anything that's causing them to be in less than good emotional help & well being. They can come along & it's just for an informal chat & we take it from there.
3. What sort of problems do students come to you about?
It really is a completely wide range. It might be that someone is struggling with their work load, but obviously tutors & personal tutors can help with those things as well so it tends to be when it's having a greater than usual effect on how they're thinking & feeling about things & their general experience of things. So I think it's fair to say that all students at times, particularly with exams, work load & coursework, can struggle with some things but I think it's when it becomes almost unmanagable that they might come along & start off with a informal chat then we see what route they can go from there to get more help & support.
4. What would you want to say to a student who wanted to talk to you but felt too embarrassed?
I think it would probably be that it's, in the time that I've been in college, it's the number of students & the range of students that come to see me, it's certainly no embarrassment to say that everybody, at some point in our lifes, however well we appear to coping to other people it's ok every now & again to ask for help. And it's certainly not a weakness & infact by asking for help you can deal with things more quickly than if you let them run on then perhaps that's a sign of strength & there wouldnt be people in the college like myself & other student support officers if a lot of students didn't need the help & support that we offer.
5. What do you enjoy about your job?
I think it's certainly the range of challenges that we have, but I guess it's just knowing that sometimes a student will come to see myself or one of the other additional support members & perhaps go on & achieve a little bit more than they thought they were able to because they were able to deal with some of the problems & barriers that may have prevented them from achieving that way.
6. How many students do you see a week?
That varies, I'm only in for about six hours a week & sometimes I'll have appointments all day so that would be a maximum of 5 or 6 students. Some weeks there's only 1 or 2, sometimes there are students I see over a long term & will see every week, sometimes students will just drop when they need help. On top of one to one sessions I also have offered work shops around exam stress so in those weeks it might be that I've run a couple of work shops & they've been attended by 8-10 people in those weeks it could be up to 20 students. But generally it's 4-5 a week on average.
7. Is there anything you would like us to use to promote you in the video?
The space we see people in because we try to make it a neautral space & things, is probably quite good. I hope that students can see that any of the additional support team look reasonably normal & welcoming.
8. Do you think there’s any way of improving the support service in college?
I think that it'd be naive to think that there werent ways of improving & I guess things like additional resources but we all know that there's so many things that colleges need to pay for & have resources for. So I think that we're all grateful & hopefully some of the students are that we're here. I think what you're doing is a good thing & lots of students dont know that we're here, the more ways to promote is good.
Liam's interview with Vivienne Ridpath
Questions:
1. What is your role in college?
2. What help do you provide to students?
3. What sort of problems do students come to you about?
4. What do you enjoy about your job?
5. How many students do you see a week?
6. What would you want to say to encourage students to see you?
7. Is there anything that you would like to see in the video?
Answers:
1.) My role is to support students with their studies, to support anybody with a disability and students with specific learning difficulties, indeed students who are struggling anyway with their studies. If a disabled student applies to the college then they can declare their disability and we can get everything organised for them, whatever their needs are whether it is wheelchair access or visual impairment hearing impairment we can organise supportive technology and or extra support staff
2.) When students come to see me I talk to them about how they find their studies and ask them how they think I can help them. Very often extra time in exams is helpful takes a lot of stress away. I also direct them to one-to-one support if they need it and generally we discuss their barriers to learning accessing the curriculum and talk through ways of helping them.
3.) Usually students are reffered to by a member of staff, a few students come on their own. Usually it is about reading and writing, very often it is about being behind in their assignments, very often the student might have a lack of organisation, thats one thing that comes about. Very often some induviduals just feel like they are dyslexic but nobody has ever told them they just feel like they are so again, come with any problem we will talk it through and find sollutions to it.
4.) I really enjoy meeting the students and liaison with the staff.
5.) I see between four and seven, seven would be a good week
6.) If you feel that you are struggling at all with your studies or having trouble with your curriculum come and see me or tell someone do not suffer in silence.
7.) No answer
8.) I think more time aloud to support students would be helpful.
1. What is your role in college?
2. What help do you provide to students?
3. What sort of problems do students come to you about?
4. What do you enjoy about your job?
5. How many students do you see a week?
6. What would you want to say to encourage students to see you?
7. Is there anything that you would like to see in the video?
Answers:
1.) My role is to support students with their studies, to support anybody with a disability and students with specific learning difficulties, indeed students who are struggling anyway with their studies. If a disabled student applies to the college then they can declare their disability and we can get everything organised for them, whatever their needs are whether it is wheelchair access or visual impairment hearing impairment we can organise supportive technology and or extra support staff
2.) When students come to see me I talk to them about how they find their studies and ask them how they think I can help them. Very often extra time in exams is helpful takes a lot of stress away. I also direct them to one-to-one support if they need it and generally we discuss their barriers to learning accessing the curriculum and talk through ways of helping them.
3.) Usually students are reffered to by a member of staff, a few students come on their own. Usually it is about reading and writing, very often it is about being behind in their assignments, very often the student might have a lack of organisation, thats one thing that comes about. Very often some induviduals just feel like they are dyslexic but nobody has ever told them they just feel like they are so again, come with any problem we will talk it through and find sollutions to it.
4.) I really enjoy meeting the students and liaison with the staff.
5.) I see between four and seven, seven would be a good week
6.) If you feel that you are struggling at all with your studies or having trouble with your curriculum come and see me or tell someone do not suffer in silence.
7.) No answer
8.) I think more time aloud to support students would be helpful.
Jonjo's interview with karen Mayfeild
This is a summary of the main points made by Karen Mayfield Student support officer in my interview with her on Friday 5th December
What role do you play in the Colleges support Services ?
my role in the college is to support students emotionally, point them in the right direction,
give them Counceling.
What sort of problems do people come to you with ?
its varied majority financial, students left home living on there own, people also come to me with relationship problems, sometimes they have no money, sometimes they feel they've picked the wrong courses.
so what financial help is available for students ?
Acces fund which is run through the college gives people money for trips and equipment. E.M.A some people are not aware they are able to get e.m.a. And Emergency fund for students who are in desperate needs.
what housing help can you offer for students ?
conexion officers speak to them people. And we sometimes take them to Burgh council if the situation is urgent and they need housing that day.
how would you commonly handle a situation such as a student becoming homeless ?
If its there choice its difficult because sometimes the state wont back them up. If they decided they don't want to live at home because of an argument theres not much they can do unless they have money to rent somewere. It really depends on the circumstances.
do you have any advice for students with problems, who are afraid to approach a member of the support service ?
My advice would be, I know sometimes it can be difficult we are seen as figures of authority sometimes. talk to your tutors and they can always come along with you to meet any of the support team and once they get through the door they will see we are only here to support.
do you believe in anyway the additional support service in college could be improved?
I do believe it could be improved, I think more money is required to get some additional members of staff to help the students as much as possible.
What role do you play in the Colleges support Services ?
my role in the college is to support students emotionally, point them in the right direction,
give them Counceling.
What sort of problems do people come to you with ?
its varied majority financial, students left home living on there own, people also come to me with relationship problems, sometimes they have no money, sometimes they feel they've picked the wrong courses.
so what financial help is available for students ?
Acces fund which is run through the college gives people money for trips and equipment. E.M.A some people are not aware they are able to get e.m.a. And Emergency fund for students who are in desperate needs.
what housing help can you offer for students ?
conexion officers speak to them people. And we sometimes take them to Burgh council if the situation is urgent and they need housing that day.
how would you commonly handle a situation such as a student becoming homeless ?
If its there choice its difficult because sometimes the state wont back them up. If they decided they don't want to live at home because of an argument theres not much they can do unless they have money to rent somewere. It really depends on the circumstances.
do you have any advice for students with problems, who are afraid to approach a member of the support service ?
My advice would be, I know sometimes it can be difficult we are seen as figures of authority sometimes. talk to your tutors and they can always come along with you to meet any of the support team and once they get through the door they will see we are only here to support.
do you believe in anyway the additional support service in college could be improved?
I do believe it could be improved, I think more money is required to get some additional members of staff to help the students as much as possible.
Survey results
When 50 students around college are asked various questions about student support, here are the results.
Monday, 1 December 2008
Questions to ask Janet Waters
1. What is you’re role in college?
2. What sort of help do cover?
3. How many students do you help out a week?
4. How many students so you think need help but don’t ask for any?
5. Do you have advice for people who are worried to see a member of the additional support?
6. What do you like about your job?
2. What sort of help do cover?
3. How many students do you help out a week?
4. How many students so you think need help but don’t ask for any?
5. Do you have advice for people who are worried to see a member of the additional support?
6. What do you like about your job?
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