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The Student Advice Service
Bulletin Trinity 2015
NEWSLETTER
IN THIS ISSUE:
DISABILITY
MASTERS FORUMS
SEXUAL HEALTH
MENTAL HEALTH
HERE TO MAKE
A DIFFERENCE
The Student Advice Service is the only
professional advice, information and
advocacy service exclusively available to
Oxford University Students. The Student
Advice Service is independent of the
Colleges, Departments and the Central
University and so the services it offers
are impartial and objective. Our services
The Student Advice Service is part
of Oxford University Student Union,
(OUSU). As part of OUSU, the Student
Advice Service works closely with the
and so is student-driven and studentfocused. Experience gathered from the
work of the Student Advice Service is
University policies and procedures that
affect student welfare.
What We do
Advisors offer short-term
information and advice and
engage in long-term casework and
advocacy.
Work in partnership with internal
and external stakeholders to
facilitate a range of support groups
for students.
Work in partnership with Student
workshop programmes and
information sessions for students.
Sophie Swan, Lisa Stokes King and Cate Hemingway
Advisors have experience dealing with
the following issues:
Accommodation
Academic concerns
Academic Appeals
Disability
Drugs and Alcohol
Eating Disorders
Harassment and Abuse
Health Physical/Mental/Sexual
Homesickness
Student parents
Relationships
Safety
successful resolution to whatever issues
they may face.
Who We are
We are a team of three permanent
Cate hemingWay, adviCe ServiCe
manager
Cate’s role is to manage and co-ordinate
the work of the Student Advice Service.
She studied at Keele, Cambridge,
London and Oxford, was an assistant
junior dean and MCR President at
Oxford and Cambridge and a lecturer at
Oxford Brookes and London University.
For over twenty years, Cate has worked
in advice services in the public, private,
independent and university sectors
worker and psychologist.
LiSa StokeS-king, adviSor
Lisa has been a part-time Advisor
since 2009. She has been an Oxford
undergraduate, an international
graduate student, a mature student,
experienced being a student parent and
expertise include Academic concerns,
Harassment, Relationship Abuse,
Housing and Accommodation, and
Graduate issues. She is however happy
to speak with you about anything that is
troubling you.
Sophie SWain, adviSor
Sophie Swain is a part-time Advisor
who joined the Service in 2014. She
completed her undergraduate degree at
Lancaster University and was a member
of her college’s JCR welfare team.
She has worked in a variety of roles in
the public, charity, arts and education
sectors. She has lived in the UK and
Spain. Her specialisms include issues
around Academic concerns, Sexuality/
Sexual Health, Mental Health and Sexual
Abuse but she is happy to help with
anything that is troubling you.
The Student Advice Service
Bulletin Trinity 2015
STUDENT
ADVICE
SERVICE
185%
increase in cases
Students Seen:
increase of 66%
401
April 2014 to April 2015
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
The disabled students who approach the Student Advice Service are a
diverse group, reflecting the broad spectrum of chronic physical, mental and
emotional conditions defined as disabilities in current legislation.
Some have arrived at Oxford with a
clear diagnosis and understanding
of their needs, and come to us for
advice on how to interpret and engage
with the University Regulations, or
with their College’s attempts to put
in place reasonable adjustments. In
these cases, we encourage students
to work closely with the Disability
Advisory Service, but many students
appreciate the independent status of
the Advice Service, and our ability to
look objectively at the suitability of the
arrangements made. This enables us
to support students as they mediate
communication between medical
particularly when negotiating College
rules around Fitness to Study alongside
the requirement for HEIs to comply with
Disability Legislation.
For some students, however, their
diagnosis with a chronic condition can
follow a period of time during which the
impact of their health on their academic
achievement has not been recognised:
this is particularly problematic when
the student has already been placed
on academic probation, or has failed to
reach required graduate milestones.
In these cases, the Student Advice
Service can guide the student through
the process of informing all relevant
parties, and negotiating retrospective
recognition of their status as a
disabled student. We have also found
this role to be of key importance
for students whose diagnosis has
changed: for example when it
transpires that they are suffering from
a more rare illness than had been
initially understood, and have more
complex requirements than those
already put in place.
THE YEAR SO FAR
Long-term Casework: 223
Short-term Information
Requests: 178
90% of students said the advice
they were given had impact thir
decision to stay at Oxford.
90% of students recommended
using the service to other
students.
95% of students rated the service
Good/Very Good.
Ultimately, if students feel that the
adjustments made for their disability
have not resulted in them being
85% of students said that it was
very easy to get the advice they
were looking for.
students, our independent status
means that we are able to guide them
through any dispute that they wish to
raise with the Collegiate University.
Time responding to initial enquiry:
98.7% responded within two
working days (Service Standard
Agreement).
This year mental health was
a factor in 64% and physical
disability a factor in 24% of cases
and enquiries seen by the Service.
Time taken to see an Advisor:
95.4% seen within four
working days (Service Standard
Agreement).
The Student Advice Service
Bulletin Trinity 2015
MASTERS FORUMS
This term the Student Advice
Service will be working with College
Common Room officers and Academic
representatives in a programme of
events designed to tackle
exam stress.
Traditionally aimed at Finalists, in a new
initiative this year, we will be extending
these workshops to include “Masters
Forums” for graduate students on
courses with an exam component.
Working collaboratively with Academic
and Administrative staff, Advisors will
form part of a panel to give general
advice about exam stress and self
care. Advisors will also be available
take place on Monday of 1st week at
St John’s College 530-630 in the Larkin
Room). A full programme can be found
at www.ousu.org/advice.
SEXUAL HEALTH AWARENESS WORKSHOPS
In Trinity Term the Student Advice Service will again be co-facilitating a sexual
health training/testing workshop together with Sexual Health Oxfordshire.
This is the second year the workshops
have been offered free of charge to
all Oxford University students. With
last year’s event attended by over 300
students it is hoped that once again
students will proactively engage in a
service designed to keep them safe.
The Service will once again be working
collaboratively with nursing and
counselling staff from NHS Oxfordshire
Trust GUM clinic, student Common
MINDFULNESS
Oxford Mindfulness Centre at
the Department of Psychiatry
has been instrumental in
developing the framework and
Oxford University Counselling
Service has pioneered
Mindfulness as an effective
approach in helping students
deal with the stresses of
academic life.
WWW.OXFORDMINDFULNESS.ORG
Vice President Welfare and Equal
Opportunities.
This year’s event was hosted by St
John’s College on Tuesday 1st week in
the Garden Quad Reception Room. The
facility is accessible and offers gender
neutral toilet facilities.
The workshops will offer students
information and advice about protecting
their sexual health. In addition students
will be able to be tested and receive
an immediate result for a number of
sexually transmitted diseases including
chlamydia, and HIV. Throughout the
event, trained counsellors will be
on hand to support students who
have particular concerns. In addition,
students will be able to speak with an
Advisor from the Student Advice Service
who will signpost students to specialist
services.
CHECK
YOURSELF FOR
SEXUALLY
TRANSMITTED
INFECTIONS
Your student union is working together with Sexual
Health Oxfordshire to offer FREE accessible testing for all
students.
WHERE: GARDEN QUAD RECEPTION ROOM IN ST
JOHN’S COLLEGE
WHEN:TUESDAY THE 28TH OF APRIL (1ST WEEK)
FROM 10:30AM TO 2:30PM
STUDENT
ADVICE
SERVICE
www.ousu.org
DID YOU KNOW?
Chlamydia is the most
common bacterial STI in
the UK. 50% of men and
70% of women infected
get no symptoms at all.
The Student Advice Service
Bulletin April 2015
MENTAL HEALTH CHARTER
The Student Advice Service is working on a Mental Health Charter that will set out
best practice guidelines for supporting students with mental health problems.
The Student Advice Service has been
working with the OUSU Vice President
for Welfare and Equal Opportunities,
Chris Pike, and Georgina Aisbitt, from
independent student mental health
organisation, Oxford Student Minds,
to create a Mental Health Charter
for Colleges. The Charter will set out
best practice guidelines about how to
support students experiencing mental
health problems.
64% of students who approached the
Student Advice Service in 2014/15
disclosed mental health issues.
The Charter has been driven by
the experiences of SAS clients and
additional student feedback responses
drawn from an anonymous consultation.
At its core, the Charter’s aim is to
make all colleges safe and supportive
environments. Students should feel
able to be open about any mental
and expect to be treated with respect
and without discrimination. They should
also have access to straightforward
information about the processes to
follow to get help and support within
recommendations around matters such
as mental health disclosure, provision
of comprehensive and compassionate
support, and the need for a distinction
between academic disciplinary matters
and health problems - in the case of
the latter, the two matters are often
to students who are experiencing
mental illness, making them feel as
though they are being punished for
their condition.
relation to mental health, with many
already providing exemplary support.
Therefore, it is hoped that the Charter
will bring standards at all colleges in
line with the best ones, which will make
for a better student experience as well
as ensure that all colleges are meeting
their responsibilities to their students.
Students have reported varying
levels of knowledge, understanding
and acceptance across colleges in
STUDENT
ADVICE
SERVICE
We are here for you when you need us!
Visit us at:
2 Worcester Street
Oxford, OX1 2BX
Drop-in Sessions (term-time)
Mondays 10−12
Wednesdays 12−2
Fridays 2–4
65% of the Students contacting
the Student Advice Service
experienced Mental
Health Issues.
The Student Advice Service is the
only advice, information and advocacy
service exclusively available to Oxford
University students. Part of OUSU, the
Student Advice Service is independent
of the Colleges or Departments and the
Central University, so the services we
offer are impartial and objective. Our
services are free and confidential.
Email: advice@ousu.ox.ac.uk
Call Us: 01865 288 466
Published: By Oxford University Student Union 2015. Photography: Theo Sundh, and Shutterstock.