Dear Penny

It is a fairly wide term but I am uncomfortable with the concept of
responsibility for a vulnerable adult; it feels a little like the old
deficiency model for working with students with information processing
difficulties. 

I prefer seeing myself as a tool or resource for the student to use at a
pace and at a level which they are comfortable with, and so help them
achieve what they want to get - a sense of achievement, a good essay, a
not too panicky exam - and a degree.  

This looks like an interesting debate; I agree that we have to be clear
about the role or range of roles and remit before we put guidelines
together. 

What does anyone else think? 

Regards Pat 

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Penny Georgiou
Sent: 14 October 2005 08:18
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Mentor - handbook

Dear Pat,
 
I think you have answered your own question in a way:
 
There are many different types of tasks that might fall into the role of
'mentor', depending on the student's needs, and some careful thinking
about the remit is important. However, more careful thought needs to be
the level of appointing the right person with the right skills for the
job, not in terms of their CV, but their capacity to deliver what the
student needs. 
 
Doesn't the term 'mentor' indicate the dimension of taking
responsibility in relation to a 'vulnerable adult', rather than the
particular output tasks that the mentor will be required to support?
 
Penny Georgiou
 
 

	-----Original Message----- 
	From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support
staff. on behalf of Patricia Parkinson 
	Sent: Fri 14/10/2005 08:03 
	To: [log in to unmask] 
	Cc: 
	Subject: Re: Mentor - handbook
	
	

	Perhaps we need to define mentor - I have looked at the
excellent
	handbook on peer support for staff and students but this is not
what I
	mean by mentoring when recommended in an assessment of needs. We
have
	excellent counsellors and mental health workers to provide the
other
	type of support.
	
	I mean practical help/strategies/ assistive technology at a
level
	determined by the student which focuses on the work they have to
do for
	their degree - analogous to the support provided for students
with
	dyslexia or to the mentoring provided in employment.
	
	Am I alone in this definition? 
	
	Pat
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support
staff.
	[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Imogen Bowers
	Sent: 13 October 2005 14:17
	To: [log in to unmask]
	Subject: Re: Mentor - handbook
	
	As Tina suggests the Peer Support Programme has been resurrected
- if in
	a slightly different format. The programme aims to support all
students
	with issues of mental well being - in the most general sense. So
it is
	not wholly focused on students with existing diagnosed mental
health
	needs, although students such as these are able to get involved,
but
	rather attempts to make the programme, and the importance of
protecting
	your mental well being, relevant and useful to all.
	We run a Peer support training programme and new initiatives,
such as
	targeting the involvement of "vulnerable" groups (to mental
distress)
	such as International students have been included for this year.
If you
	would like any more info on this then feel free to contact me
(on or off
	list).
	
	Regards
	
	Imogen
	
	Imogen Bowers
	Senior Mental Health Adviser
	The University of Salford
	Equality and Diversity Office
	Humphrey Booth House
	The Crescent
	Salford
	Greater Manchester
	M5 4WT
	Tel: 0161 295 9000
	Fax: 0161 295 2018
	email: [log in to unmask]
	
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support
staff.
	[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tina Elliott
	Sent: 13 October 2005 12:17
	To: [log in to unmask]
	Subject: Re: Mentor - handbook
	
	A few suggestions for further help ...
	
	You might find something on the National Aimhigher Mentoring
site see
	http://www.hementornet.org/
	
	The University of Salford ran a peer mentoring scheme for
students with
	mental health difficulties some time ago which I was involved in
at the
	initial set up stage. I am not sure that they are still doing
this. Try
	contacting the disability service there, I think they are called
the
	Equality Unit.
	Direct Tel: 0161 295 4609
	Minicom: 0161 295 2467
	Fax: 0161 295 2018
	Email: [log in to unmask]
	
	
	The University of Manchester run an employability mentoring
scheme for
	disabled students (and for black and ethnic minority students)
	
http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/recruit/profile/mentoring/interact/
	Project Manager, Chris Hughes Tel 0161 275 2828.
	
	Staffordshire University also ran a careers mentoring scheme see
	Student Supprt Mentoring Project (for Students with a
Disability)
	Jill Allen    [log in to unmask]
	
	http://www.staffs.ac.uk/institutes/access/init/inits2.html
	
	Hope this is of some assistance
	Tina
	
	Tina Elliott
	National Co-ordinator
	National Disability Team
	Tel 0161 955 6933
	Mob 07919478558
	Email [log in to unmask]