AccessAbility & Wellbeing

1. AccessAbility & Wellbeing Support for students with Specific Learning Difficulties, mental health difficulties, other disabilities/health conditions

2. Aims of session • Overview of support • Finding out about support before and during application • Financial help – in advance • Getting support when here • Top tips and useful resources

3. Who we are Part of Student Services Provide support to students to have equal access to their studies AccessAbility Wellbeing ↓ ↓ Specific Learning Difficulties Counselling requirements Physical disabilities Mental health conditions Long-term health conditions

4. AccessAbility: The Forum, Streatham Campus. Also offer sessions at St.Lukes campus. Wellbeing: Reed Mews, Streatham Campus Also offer sessions in the forum. Where we are

5. Snapshot of what we do • Provide advice, guidance, signposting to other services • Advisers, Study Skills Tutors, Wellbeing counsellors & mental health practitioners • Every College has an AccessAbility Liaison Contact as well

6. Snapshot of what we do • Advice on support for studies • Study skills tuition, Mentoring, Counselling • Dyslexia screenings • Readers and scribes for exams, note takers for lecturers • Support workers for labs or the library • Arranging sign language interpreters

7. Snapshot of what we do • Advice and help on accessing text • Exams support (eg. extra time) • Accommodation support – including hearing alert equipment in rooms and evacuation plans • Advice on disability-related funding

8. Before and during application • How to contact us: • Indicate disability on UCAS form (generates our contact to you) • Telephone or email – contact details via university website • Visit and meet an adviser/member of staff • Web pages – valuable sources of information

9. Before and during application • What to consider and tell the university about: • Previous support requirements at school/college • (these won’t transfer across automatically) • Additional requirements for higher education • (accommodation/independent living/independent study/types of teaching)

10. Before and during application • Disclosure and confidentiality: • UCAS disclosure – allows university to contact you about support • Data Protection Act – • Personal information is only shared • with the student’s consent • on a “need to know” basis

11. Financial help – up front • Disabled Students Allowance: • Grant to help meet the extra course costs faced because of a disability • Paid on top of the standard student finance package, or on its own. • Don’t have to pay it back • For UK students • Apply online March before course starts (Directgov website)

12. Financial help – up front • Disabled Students Allowance: • Examples of what it can provide… • Specialist equipment (eg. computer software ) • Non-medical helpers (eg. a note-taker or reader) • Extra travel costs • Extra accommodation costs • Misc. costs such as photocopying or printer cartridges

13. Financial help – up front • Disability Living Allowance: • Helps with extra costs due to a disability • Eligibility: • You have a physical or mental health disability, or both • Your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or you have walking difficulties, or both • You are under 65 when you claim • Can provide housing benefit to help with accommodation

14. Financial help – up front • Charitable Trusts • Snowdon Award • Helpful for non-UK students

15. Financial help – on arrival • Access to Learning Fund: • Managed by Student Guild • Assists students who need extra financial support (disabled students prioritised) • UK students • Helps top up DSA

16. You’re here – Getting Support • Reasonable Adjustments: • Equality Act 2010: • Prevents and addresses disability discrimination and disability related harassment. • Duty of universities to provide reasonable adjustments.

17. You’re here – Getting Support Reasonable Adjustments – Examples: UCAS Guide for students with disabilities – video: UCAS - guide for students with disabilities - UCAStv - YouTube

18. You’re here – Getting Support • The role of the AccessAbility Adviser: • 1:1 sessions • Set up tailored learning plans • Provide support for course related issues • Assistance with accessing support from other departments within the university • Providing information about community based support which is available

19. You’re here – Getting Support • The role of the Wellbeing Practitioner: • Counseling support and mental health mentoring sessions • Set up tailored learning plans • Provide support for course related issues • Assistance with accessing support from other departments within the university • Providing information about community based support which is available

20. You’re here – Getting Support • Other Services: • Student Guild • Personal Tutors within the subject department • College AccessAbility Liaison staff • Student Information Desk

21. You’re here – Getting Support • Accessible Accommodation: • Somewhere quieter • Enhanced access (for mobility) • Fridge for medication • Hearing alert equipment

22. Top Tips & Useful Resources AccessAbility website: http://www.exeter.ac.uk/accessability/ Wellbeing website: http://www.exeter.ac.uk/wellbeing/

23. Top Tips & Useful Resources • Plan as far in advance as possible • Find out who to contact • Pass on requirements • Funding for extra costs • Don’t be afraid to ask

24. Top Tips & Useful Resources • Disability Rights UK: • http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/disabledstudents.htm • Provide advice to disabled students in post-16 education • Benefits advice • Email advice service • Publications

25. Top Tips & Useful Resources • Directgov: • http://www.direct.gov.uk • Education and learning link • Student finance • HEI and course information • Graduate careers • Postgraduate study

26. ANY QUESTIONS? Contact us: AccessAbility@ex.ac.uk wellbeing@ex.ac.uk 01392 723880 01392 724381