Enhancing Support Practices Through Reflective Group Sessions

1. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Reflective Practice in Action: supporting the supporters Penelope Aspinall Senior Counsellor Student Counselling Centre

2. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds What is Reflective practice? How and why might it be helpful? Advantages of doing it with others?

3. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds This is a great time/space for really sharing experiences and thoughts and sometimes feelings too. This ensures that for staff in a student support role (which at times is a very difficult role) you really understand that you're not alone in doing what you're doing and also that you can communicate about it with others who understand. I have found the group really useful for discussing specific cases troubling myself or others, and to share practices across the university. Above all it helps you to see issues or events form another point of view and gives you more ideas on how to handle future situations, as well as helping you to find ways to manage how specific events have affected you as an individual too. Feedback survey 2013

4. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds • Background: • Widely used in healthcare and educational settings • Reflective Practice Groups used in several other HE institutions for student support staff (and others) • How I came to introduce Reflective Practice Groups for SSOs in Leeds • …and why

5. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds • Provide an opportunity to share ideas and good practice. • Create a supportive environment to talk confidentially about any difficult or problematic cases and benefit from the knowledge, experience and ideas from others doing similar work. • Safe practice; SSOs carry a lot of responsibility and potential pressure. Having formalised support in place protects both them and the students. • Cascade expertise and experience • Ensure a consistent, ‘one university’ approach across all faculties.

6. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Reflective Practice Groups: What goes on? How do they work? Some theory Awareness of feelings and thoughts Critical analysis of the situation Development of new perspectives Atkins & Murphy (1993)

7. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds • Gibbs' suggestions are often cited as Gibbs' reflective cycle or Gibbs' model of reflection (1988), and simplified into the following six distinct stages: • Description • Feelings • Evaluation • Analysis • Conclusions • Action plan

8. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Adapted from Rolfe 2001

9. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds • Supporting the supporters: • Closed group, maximum of 12 members from across the institution, 8 – 9 usually attend • Confidentiality essential • Facilitated by member of Student Counselling Centre • Working at ‘high end’ of student support • Meet for an hour a month, year round • A second group started this term

10. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds In groups of three or four, one of you describe a recent event at work. Reflect on this with your partners.

11. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds It has been most useful to share practice with staff from a variety of roles and Schools

12. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds Any questions?

13. SEC3 2014 Engaging Leeds How else might this model beused? Penny Aspinall p.c.aspinall@leeds.ac.uk 0113 34 34159