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Dear Tony Slightly tangential response. Interested to hear that you are doing this. As an Ed. Psych I do a lot of work with students with ME/CFS. I find that rather than a mentor it can be useful to provide a post grad student for undergrads with CFS/ME. Many students with this condition already know how to manage themselves, but find it difficult to keep up with the work, and if they miss lectures can often miss crucial learning components. So in addition to Blackboard/audio or MP3/podcasts, a more learned study buddy can be key to progress. Some will need a mentor to help plan/organise/manage illness, but that can often be a waste of vital energy ..engaging in meaningless meetings. So if you haven't thought of buddies for this do th ink about it. Point 2..where students with CFS/ME need to engage in group work.......lateral study buddies could also be key, or lateral buddies with the post grad. Of course where the group work is practical there will be additional considerations...but presentations can be filmed etc. And yes, I would provide a relatively detailed JD for the buddy and buddied, and also some support training and mentoring for that buddy. I don't think learning support is a natural innate.....we all know that teachers/mentors/support workers/befrienders learn and improve through training. Happy to work through this some more if interested. Naomi Burgess EP From: Tony Catt [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 10 December 2009 19:30 Subject: Definition of a study buddy Dear list members, At University of Chester we have increasing amount of students being funded for study Buddy's. We are interested to hear from other Higher Education Institutions in respect to the role of a study buddy. We currently find that this role can include a wide range of support and can be funded for a wide range of hours. We would be interested to find out the following; 1. What is your definition of a study buddy? 2. Do you use a detailed job description for the study buddy role? 3. Do you use the details within the students' needs assessment to tailor the role for a particular student? 4. From experience do you find that students and those who are providing this understand the role of a study buddy and its boundaries ie: the role overlapping other NMH provision? Look forward to hearing your responses. Kind regards and best wishes Mr Tony Catt, BA (Hons), HND, MNADP Disability Support Officer University of Chester Parkgate Road Chester CH1 4BJ E: [log in to unmask] Monday @ Warrington located in room WMA007 T: 01925 534286 Tuesday to Friday @ Chester located in room CBK113 T: 01244 511550 EFQM Recognised for Excellence 5 Star