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Support WorkerAnd

Electronic Note TakerHandbook – Part 2

2014/15

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SUPPORTING STUDENTS............................................................................................................................... 3

CONFIDENTIALITY FRAMEWORK................................................................................................................................3RELATIONSHIPS.....................................................................................................................................................4NOISE LEVELS IN LECTURES......................................................................................................................................4STUDENT SLEEPING/OBVIOUS LACK OF ATTENTION IN LECTURES......................................................................................4NOTE TAKING (SW AND ENT)................................................................................................................................5FIELD COURSES OR PLACEMENTS..............................................................................................................................7EXAM SUPPORT....................................................................................................................................................8STUDY DIFFICULTIES...............................................................................................................................................9ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS.....................................................................................................................12

STAFF INFORMATION.................................................................................................................................. 13

INCLEMENT WEATHER (SNOW/FLOODS)..................................................................................................................13PHOTOCOPYING..................................................................................................................................................13TRAVEL AND OTHER EXPENSE CLAIMS (SW AND ENT)...............................................................................................13STATUTORY SICK PAY (SSP)..................................................................................................................................14EMAIL ACCOUNT.................................................................................................................................................14UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES........................................................................................14STAFF LIBRARY CARDS..........................................................................................................................................14WORKING OUTSIDE YOUR CONTRACT......................................................................................................................15PARKING............................................................................................................................................................15STAFF DEVELOPMENT...........................................................................................................................................15

OTHER INFORMATION................................................................................................................................ 16

DEPARTMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY...........................................................................................................16FIRST AID, ACCIDENTS AND FIRE PRECAUTIONS.........................................................................................................17HEALTH CENTRE..................................................................................................................................................17OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE...........................................................................................................................17COUNSELLING.....................................................................................................................................................18PERSONAL GIFTS.................................................................................................................................................18KITCHEN FACILITIES..............................................................................................................................................18

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Supporting Students

Confidentiality Framework Confidentiality is about respecting information that has been disclosed by a student. Maintaining confidentiality is vital for the provision of an appropriate service and for developing and sustaining trust within the context of a professional relationship with the students’ you support.

The following principles of confidentiality apply to all staff throughout student support, of which you are a part. Disabled students are informed of the departmental code during their first interaction with the service. At this time they are also requested to sign a Data Consent agreement which indicates their explicit agreement to necessary information relating to their circumstances being shared with appropriate individuals within, and external to, the University. The Departmental Confidentiality Code states:

All information, whether in the form of paper files or on databases, held within the Department is confidential except in the most extreme circumstances which are:

1) When a student is putting themselves at some serious risk.

2) When a student’s behaviour is adversely affecting the legal rights of others.

3) When staff are being placed in a position where their professional integrity is compromised.

4) When disclosure is required by law.

In such instances, staff would seek to discuss the situation with the student before breaching confidentiality. In all cases, a decision to breach confidentiality will be taken by a senior member of the department after discussions which preserve anonymity in the first instance.

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Relationships In line with the University’s code of conduct on personal relationships between staff and students, you are requested to declare any personal relationships with any students or staff. Declaring any existing relationships will allow appropriate measures to be taken to protect the professional integrity of you and the service.

Noise Levels in lectures Occasionally there may be situations where the noise level in a lecture makes it difficult for a note taker to concentrate and take notes to the best of their ability. The DDS would not recommend that note takers draw attention to this in any way during the lecture, due to the possibility of causing embarrassment to the student who is receiving support.

You should explain to the student that there are likely to be notes missing as there were times when you were unable to hear the lecturer clearly due to background noise.

These are some suggestions of action which could be taken, depending on the circumstances

The issue could be raised with the student, to find out if it is causing problems for them and whether they would raise it with the lecturer themselves.

The issue could be raised discreetly with the lecturer at the end of the session if the note taker feels comfortable doing this

Raise the issue with support office for us to follow up with the lecturer concerned.

Student sleeping/obvious lack of attention in lectures If a student that you are taking notes for is sleeping or obviously not paying attention to the lecture, this should not be ignored but you should continue to take notes and then inform the support office. A student who is having notes taken for them should be giving their attention to the lecture while notes are being taken; having a note taker is not a substitute.

If appropriate, the note taker should get the student’s attention i.e. wake them up, explain that notes cannot be taken while they are asleep or doing other work/on their phone etc. this is likely to only work if you are sitting beside the student.

If this is not an option during the lecture, speaking to the student after a lecture is another alternative.

If you are not comfortable addressing this with the student directly then you should report it back to the support office who will speak to the student.

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Note Taking (SW and ENT) During the Lecture

Please ensure you include the following in any notes:

o Exam dateso Cancelled or additional lectureso Room changeso Make a note if there are any notes on blackboard or any handouts accompanying the

lecture content

Here are some key points to consider during lectures:

o Use clear handwritingo Write in full sentences where possibleo Listen for key wordso Devise abbreviations where possible for repeated terms, names and concepts. Make

sure the abbreviations are notedo Indicate when you are not sure of a spelling (?) or (sp)o Highlight key points (highlighted, place in a box or use symbols such as a star)o When taking notes for a student there is scope for students to make special

requests, such as the use of coloured pens for certain text (provided by the student). If this is the case, the student’s request should be honoured as it is likely to enhance learning.

Remember the notes are for other people. Complete sentences hold meaning and are much easier to understand later on. The student may be looking at the notes months later for revision. Use complete sentences and phrases as much as possible especially for deaf students. It is difficult to write in full sentences if the lecture is being delivered at speed. The note taker will need to use their summarising skills at the same time as writing in full sentences.

Layout and styleLayout is extremely important and can enhance meaning, it can indicate:

o Key pointso Essential points for study or assessmento Important concepts and vocabularyo Structure of ideaso Hierarchies of importanceo Cause and effecto Lists of exampleso Areas for further study

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Choose appropriate layout styles and colours for your student’s needs. Negotiate this with the student.

Layout can be enhanced through:

Headings:o Indentedo Underlinedo In uppercaseo Boxed or highlighted

Hierarchy of ideas can be indicated with:

o Numbering of points with roman numerals or numberso Indentso Bulleted pointso Arrows

White space can be used effectively with:

o Wide marginso Gaps between paragraphso Space around diagrams and headings

Different styles of notes can be used:

o Diagrammatic noteso Spider gramso Sketcheso Skeleton notes

Taking notes on offensive or disturbing material in lectures.Note taking in lectures is extremely varied. While people tend to find this an enjoyable aspect of the job, you may find yourself in a lecture where the subject matter causes offence or upsets you. This could be because of the nature or subject of a discussion or lecture, or because of graphic images or descriptions in a film or discussion. We obviously have no control over the content of lectures and no way of knowing in advance what is going to take place in a lecture.

While we would expect you to continue to take notes for a student in a lecture; at the same time we want to respect your feelings and views. Therefore, if you are unable to tolerate a situation or you become upset or distressed, you should remove yourself discreetly and professionally. In such circumstances, you should contact the support office; we will endeavour to listen and respect your views and treat the matter sensitively and confidentially.

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New or difficult vocabularyUse the language of the lecture as far as possible. Check with the student about how far you can rephrase information or write a glossary. Some students may wish difficult new vocabulary to be amplified while still retaining the original technical language.

Comments from the class, jokes and asidesThere may be times during lectures when a lecturer will speak about things which may not seem to be relevant to the subject or topic e.g. tell anecdotes, jokes etc. If possible, these should still be contained in the notes, as even though you may not consider them to be relevant, they could act as a memory jog, or put the lecture into context for the student.

Film shown in lecture Keep the following in mind: Ensure the notes are not a personal interpretation of what's being shown; Try and ask the lecturer beforehand why the film is being shown and what they would advise

you to note down; Take as much information down about the film itself so that students can reference this and

refer back to film if necessary.

If you are unsure about what to include in the notes, it is better to include lecture content than to leave it out.

Field Courses or Placements If a student’s academic study involves field courses or placements for which they require support they will discuss all arrangements with a Disability Adviser as early as possible. Faculty involvement will also be sought, following which you may be contacted regarding providing the support.

Prior to each field course or placement the DDS will provide you with the following:

o An outline of the field course or placement (provided by the faculty and student being supported) including destination, how long the course will last, mode of transportation, and so on.

o The name and telephone number of the Faculty Group Leader.o The name and telephone number of the student being supported.o The maximum hours to be worked each day.o What type of support the student will require.o Guidance of when an issue/concern should be taken to the Group Leader of the field course

or placement.o The contact emergency telephone number for the student attending the course (if

appropriate).o Information on how you can claim expenses for the period and how much you can claim

(depending on the duration of the field course etc), discussing the potential of cash payment upfront.

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o Any medical or medication information relevant to the student being supported;o A copy of any relevant risk assessments (if applicable).

During the Field Course or Placement

1. You will be required to take with you the mobile phone you normally use to contact the Support Office to ensure that you are contactable and you can contact the Support Office if necessary.

2. You will be expected to conduct yourself in a professional manner.3. If a student requests further support or to change the agreed support, you need to contact

the Support Office (within normal office hours) to discuss these proposed changes.4. The nominated Group Leader on the field course will have overall responsibility for all

students and staff.5. The Group Leader will also be responsible, in the event they have knowledge of a medical

emergency, for getting the student to an emergency care provider, and if the student is incapable of providing consent, to make reasonable efforts to contact the person designated as the emergency medical contact.

6. It is the responsibility of the Faculty and subsequently the Group Leader to carry out risk assessments for each field course if required.

Please note: You will be requested to provide feedback to the DDS after the field course, alongside an opportunity to discuss the feedback.

Exam Support The University employs invigilators, scribes and readers to work with students during exam times (May and August). During the year you may be timetabled to support a student during an exam or class test. See below for guidelines on how best to support students during exam conditions:

Being a reader for an examIf you have been scheduled to be a reader for an exam it is important that you are aware of the following:

o You are present to read all the written instructions and questions at an appropriate speed and as many times as required.

o You should allow as much time as required for the student to digest the information you have read to them.

o You should not place any emphasis on words that you perceive to be important.o No explanation of the questions or words should be given. They should just be read word for

word from the exam paper. o You should not give your opinion on the student’s work under any circumstance.

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Being a scribe for an exam

If you have been scheduled to be a scribe or a reader for an exam it is important that you are aware of the following:

o If requested, you are permitted to fill out the front of the answer sheet.

o You should write the answers as they are dictated to you by the student.

o You are allowed to write out a plan as dictated to you by the student if requested.

o You are not expected to place punctuation into sentences unless it is dictated to you by the student.

o You may be expected to read your answers back to the student once they are written.

o You are not expected to be able to spell all words, if you come across a difficult, unfamiliar word – ask the student how they would spell it. Students should have dispensation in the marking for spelling and grammar if they have problems.

In summary, if you are a scribe you are there to act as the students ‘pen’ and not contribute any of your ideas or thoughts. Also, you are not present to act as a reader unless this is an exam recommendation for the student. You should be made aware of this before the exam

Study Difficulties Below are lists of the kinds of difficulties that students might have with their studies. Knowing what to expect might help you to carry out your duties to the best of your ability:.

Students with dyslexia might:

o Read slowly, or read things over and over to understand them.o Misread familiar words, or struggle to read unfamiliar words.o Add or miss words.o Find it difficult to focus on the page.o Write slowly.o Write letters and/or numbers back to front.o Spell words the way they sound.o Struggle to find the right words and/or confuse words.o Copy notes slowly and/or inaccurately.o Struggle to structure ideas.o Not understand writing when reading it back.o Find mental arithmetic hard.o Confuse left and right.o Forget appointments and be disorganised.

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Students with visual impairments might:

o Not be able to access written text.o Read slowly.o Find it difficult to focus on the page.o Be affected by lighting conditions.o Have poor spelling.o Experience difficulty in accessing facilities and study materials.

Students with hearing impairments might:

o Misunderstand verbal instructions.o Be unable to take notes while trying to lip read.o Be sensitive to lighting conditions and environmental distractions, affecting

concentration.o Have poor spelling.o Have limited vocabulary.o Experience difficulty in accessing study materials (e.g. videos).

Students with mental wellbeing problems might:

o Forget appointments and be disorganisedo Have poor concentration (maybe as a result of medication; this can be a particular

problem in early morning meetings)o Be affected by anxiety & stress o Find group work problematico Have low levels of confidence and/or self-esteem

You may not know the details of a student’s mental health difficulty; but we will provide information that they have agreed to and/or that it is important for you to know. We respect their right to decide about how much further information they provide to you. Some students may wish you to know more about them and their diagnosis. Each student is an individual and a diagnosis does not mean that the student will experience the exact same symptoms as another student with that diagnosis. Further training is offered through the Mental Wellbeing Advisers, including the Welsh Government endorsed Mental Health First Aid course.

Students with physical impairments might:

o Have poor concentration (as the result of medication or pain).o Be unable to sit for long periods. o Have difficulties with typing and/or writing.

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o Experience difficulty with accessing facilities and study materials (e.g. LRC).

Students with ADHD might:-

o Find it difficult to attend to tasks, being disorganised, forgetful and easily distracted (inattention),

o Fidget, find it difficult to sit still, and always be 'on the go' (hyperactivity) o Have trouble interacting quietly, says or does things without thinking, interrupts

others (impulsivity)o Find it difficult to complete activities associated with acquiring information necessary

for completing tasks,o Find it difficult participating in discussions with their tutors and peerso Find it difficult to empathise with otherso Have problems with information processing

It is important to note that ADHD commonly co-exists with other conditions such as dyslexia and dyspraxia.

Not every person with ADHD displays all of the behaviours above, nor does every person with ADHD experience the symptoms of ADHD to the same level of severity or impairment.

Associated strengths: Some of the characteristics associated with ADHD can also be seen as positive attributes; these can include:

o An ability to see the big picture; o Good attention to detail; o Creativity and inventiveness; o Risk-taking that can produce important discoveries; o An ability to process information and make broader observations; o High levels of energy; (although this is sometimes limited to short periods of time) o Good negotiation skills; o Intuitiveness and speedy reactivity; o Ability to hyper-focus.

Aspergers SyndromeAsperger’s syndrome is a pervasive developmental disorder on the autism spectrum. Approximately one person in every 300 has this condition, which is much more prevalent in males than in females. Although the condition is not new, it has been relatively recently identified, and it is only in the last 15 to 20 years that diagnoses have been regularly made in Britain. People with Asperger’s syndrome are of normal intelligence and many are academically gifted. Asperger’s syndrome is characterised by difficulties in the following three areas:

Social Interactiono Severe impairment in reciprocal social interaction.o Desire to make friends but difficulty achieving this.

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o Difficulty seeing things from another’s perspective.o Difficulty interpreting people’s intentions.

Language and Communicationo Unusual style of speech and language.o Literal interpretation of language.o Unusual eye contact and other non-verbal communication.o Difficulty describing feelings and emotions.

Rigidity and Inflexibilityo All-absorbing narrow interests and/or obsessions.o Imposition of rituals, routines and interests, on self and others.o Resistance to change.

Additional Support for Students For general study support, and a wide range of written study aids for both English and mathematics, all students can use the Education Drop-in Centre facility (EDiC). Information can be accessed here http://edic.southwales.ac.uk/

Students with dyslexia or other learning difficulties who need extra help with their studies may also be able to access study skills tutorial support through the DDS.

For academic faculty-related matters, students should be referred to their personal or course tutors, or to the Faculty Advice ShopsStudents who have problems with using their IT equipment and assistive software should be referred to the DDS

See student support website for information relating to the Health Centre, Counselling, Student Money Service and Careers.

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Staff InformationInclement Weather (Snow/Floods) In the event of severe weather impeding travel to the University, you are expected to attempt to travel ONLY if it is safe to do so. You may wish to check the university websites for any announcements which may be posted about University closure before you set out. If the University is remaining open, please keep in touch with the support office with information about whether you are able to reach work or not. The support office will make every effort to make contact with staff directly.

If when you arrive at a scheduled lecture it is running, please proceed to take notes regardless of the students’ attendance. However, if the lecture you are scheduled to attend is cancelled, please contact the support office as you may be requested to cover another session.

When the University is closed with less than 24 hours notice, all staff for who are timetabled to work, other than those who would have been absent (through previous cancellations, sickness or maternity leave, for example) will be paid their timetabled hours for that day.

Over 24 hours notice, staff will not be able to claim.

Staff should follow local news and, if available to them, the University’s internet site, for details of decisions regarding subsequent days.

Photocopying Your University user account will permit you to access the Pharos photocopiers around the University (e.g. in the Student Centre).

As part of your with the DDS, it is accepted that you may use the photocopier for taking copies of any expenses forms and receipts.

The DDS will receive reports of the use of photocopying at the end of each term, itemised by username. If there are unexpected costs in relation to your account the support office will contact you and you may be asked to make a contribution or cover the cost of unauthorised use.

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Travel and Other Expense Claims (SW and ENT) You may be entitled to reimbursement for additional expenses which you incur as part of your role. Please discuss the likelihood of incurring expenses with the support office prior to supporting a student to ensure reimbursement is possible.

In order to claim travel and subsistence expenses you will need to fill out an expenses form which is available from the Support Office. You will need to attach associated receipts. You should take a photocopy of the form for your own records. Any incurred expenses will be paid into your bank along with your monthly salary.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

SSP is paid to employees on payroll who are unable to work because of sickness. SSP is paid by the employer for up to a maximum of 28 weeks.

In order to be entitled to SSP you must be:

o Sick for at least four or more days in a row (including weekends and bank holidays).

o Earn, before tax and National Insurance, an average of £90.00 a week. This is called the Lower Earnings Limit for National Insurance Contributions (NIC).

To calculate SSP, your earnings are averaged over an eight week period before the sickness began. This period may vary slightly depending on whether you are paid weekly or monthly.

SSP is a daily payment and is usually paid for the days that you would normally work. The days that you would normally work are known as Qualifying Days. SSP is not paid for the first three Qualifying Days. For the standard weekly rate of SSP please speak to the support office.

Email Account You will be issued with a staff e-mail account. In order to set it up you need to go to ssaa.southwales.ac.uk. The support office can provide you with your username. You will also need to access this link if you forget your password.

If you choose to access your university account using a mobile device – you need to make yourself familiar with the University’s policy on this. It can be found here: http://directorate.southwales.ac.uk/documents/download/256/

University Regulations and Disciplinary Procedures As a member of staff at the University of South Wales you are subject to all University regulations such as probation, disciplinary and dignity at work/study policies. All documents can be found on Stafflife: http://stafflife.glam.ac.uk.

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Staff Library Cards As members of staff you are entitled to have a staff library card. There are some benefits to this, such as being able to borrow up to 20 items and no charges for inter-library loans,)which could be helpful if you are also a student.Please inform the support office if you would like a card so it can be arranged.

Working Outside your Contract If you will be undertaking work, either on a self-employed basis or with another employer alongside your University contract as a Support Worker/ENT, please inform the Support Office.

If you will be advertising services you offer on a self employed basis within the University, for example, transcription services for non-disabled students please ensure that it is clearly stated that this service is not related to Student Services.

Parking Parking space at Treforest campus is at a premium and in order to bring your car onto campus you must purchase a staff permit. These can be obtained from Q-Park at the Gatehouse , and is payable as a one-off payment of £180 or twelve instalments of £15. You are also able to use the student car park which at present costs £1 for the first 5 hours and £2 thereafter.

For parking at the atrium, prior to your visit email atriumsecurity@southwales.ac.uk to arrange a parking space. Alternatively, there is an NCP opposite the Atrium

Staff Development

For more information on staff development, please see the following web page:

https://thehub.southwales.ac.uk/Interact/Pages/Content/Document.aspx?id=1448

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Other InformationDepartmental Health and Safety Policy The Department acknowledges that all staff have a legal and a moral responsibility to ensure that the Department in particular and the University in general, is a safe working and living environment and is committed to improving its health and safety provision wherever possible. The Department seeks to promote an awareness of, and positive attitude towards, health and safety issues amongst its members and recognises that different areas of the Department will have differing requirements which will need to be carefully documented and updated by the Service Managers concerned.

The Department’s Health and Safety Policy Document should be read in conjunction with all other University Health and Safety Policies/Procedures, copies of which are kept in each separate Service area and in the DDS Departmental Office. It will be reviewed annually and revised as necessary. Any comments or observations from staff will be welcomed by the Director of the Department, Departmental Safety Officer or secretary to the University’s Health and Safety Committee.

Statement of intentIn accordance with the University’s Health and Safety Policy, the Department of Student Support will:

1. Embrace the importance of a healthy and safe working environment and promote such issues through its management processes.

2. Seek to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all staff, students and others for which the Department is responsible to a level at which requirements in line with the Health & Safety at Work Act (1999) are met or exceeded.

3. Seek to ensure that all work undertaken by staff of the Department will be carried out in such a way that the health and safety of others is not at risk.

4. Devise an annual Health and Safety Management Plan to set objectives to be evaluated at the end of the year.

5. Where appropriate, establish performance standards and set and evaluate procedures to meet the set standards.

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This will be achieved by ensuring that staff are provided at all times and as far as is reasonably practicable with:

1. Such information, instruction, training and supervision that is necessary to ensure the health and safety of employees, students, contractors and visitors to the department.

2. Adequate welfare facilities.3. A safe working environment without risk to health.4. Premises, plant, equipment and systems of work that are safe and do not involve

risks to health.5 Appropriate facilities, equipment and clothing, for the safe storage, handling of

transport, disposal of articles and substances.

First Aid, Accidents and Fire Precautions In the event of an accident causing injury, besides summoning assistance, it is necessary to ensure an Accident Report Form is filled out. Please inform the support office

Fire drills are held several times a year and you should familiarise yourself with the location of fire exits and the appropriate assembly point, which will be displayed on the fire notices around the buildings.

Health Centre The University Health Service, located in the Health Centre, provides a nurse-led walk in service offering a wide range of help and advice with all types of problems. This service is a supplement to that provided by your GP.

The Ashgrove Surgery holds GP surgeries on Mon/Wed/Thurs/Fri during term time for staff who are registered with them.

The Health Centre can be contacted on 01443 482081.

Occupational Health Service As a staff members of the University, you can access the Occupational Health Service should you require it.

The Occupational Health Service is involved in the following areas:

o Pre-employment screening (prior to taking up employment).o Health surveillance (health checks on those exposed to hazards in their jobs).o Sickness and absence (support to staff that are ill).o Sick visiting and home visits (of a supporting nature).o Rehabilitation (to help people back into work).

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Occupational Health are also involved in authorising eye tests, paid for by the University, for staff who are required to use VDU equipment as part of their job.

Counselling Kerry Barnes is the staff counsellor in the University. To make an appointment to see Kerry, call Student Support on 01443 483282 or call into Student Support reception in C Block.

For anyone who prefers to seek help outside the University, counsellors will be able to help with information about external agencies and individuals.

If you are a student, you would need to make an appointment to see one of the student counsellors.

Personal Gifts Details of any gifts received by you in your professional capacity should be reported to the Support Office.

Kitchen Facilities There is a staff room and kitchen in Ferndale building for you to use when you are working on the Treforest campus. The kitchen includes a fridge freezer, microwave, kettle and toaster. If you use the kitchen and staff room you are responsible to keep on top of the housekeeping duties and bring your own supplies.