hello all
As I suspect we are the University Dave maybe referring to, it all
sounds very coincidental!. I would like to clarify that the support
we offer is mentor support sessions not a buddy system. Mentors
offer appropriate study skills support - and have experience of
working with people with mental health problems, hence the
professional pay rates and requirement they have monthly case
supervision ( not counselling). Currently around 18 LEA's are
paying for this via the DSA, now that the initial problems have been
ironed out.
I do not know what a study buddy is-sounds more like informal
peer support - maybe the person who made the recommendation
can clarify?
regards
mary
Priority: normal
Date sent: Wed, 7 Jan 2004 13:43:53 -0000
Send reply to: "Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff." <[log in to unmask]>
From: David Laycock <[log in to unmask]>
Organization: University of Westminster
Subject: Re: 'Study buddies'
To: [log in to unmask]
> Buddies have become an accepted strategy for students with mental
> health conditions and can be charged against the DSAs under the
> NMH fund in the usual way. One case I was drawn into concerns who
> does the buddying, what qualifications they require and what charges
> should be made.
>
> The university involved was keen to use substantially qualified people
> whom they employed as they would any other counsellor. This meant
> they had to respect the usual terms of employment of such specialists
> and give them their own session, once a month, with another
> counsellor. As this had a cost implication, the university offered two
> choices: to make all charges transparent, including this one, or roll up
> the cost in a flat fee or hourly rate based only on the hours of service
> delivered. The LEA's reaction was to refuse to pay either way. I admit
> the rolled up rates being requested did seem high when put against
> those for a note-taker or even dyslexia tutor.
>
> But the LEA was finally persuaded that the role required suitably
> qualified people, and they were being asked to pay for their normal
> professional requirements. They were not drawn from full-time staff
> and were employed only to meet the buddy requirement, hence no
> associated costs were ones the HEI could normally expect to have to
> cover.
>
> One swallow doesn't down a pint, as they say, so I suspect this
> particular fight would have to be repeated each time at arose. I put it
> past the DfES who accepted the argument, but were hardly what I'd
> call ecstatic.
>
> Dave Laycock
>
> Head of CCPD
> Chair of NADO
> Computer Centre for People with Disabilities
> University of Westminster
> 72 Great Portland Street
> London W1N 5AL
>
> tel. 020 7911-5161
> fax. 020 7911-5162
> WWW home page: http://www.wmin.ac.uk/ccpd/
M.Norowzian
Disability Coordinator/Counsellor
Kingston University
email [log in to unmask]
020 8547 8858
|