1 / 12

Barbara Waters, Independent Chair SLC Disabled Students Stakeholder Group (DSSG) England

8 th International conference on higher education and disability Improving outcomes for disabled students through engaging a wide range of stakeholders. Barbara Waters, Independent Chair SLC Disabled Students Stakeholder Group (DSSG) England bwatersconsult@gmail.com.

kele
Télécharger la présentation

Barbara Waters, Independent Chair SLC Disabled Students Stakeholder Group (DSSG) England

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. 8th International conference on higher education and disabilityImproving outcomes for disabled students through engaging a wide range of stakeholders. Barbara Waters, Independent Chair SLC Disabled Students Stakeholder Group (DSSG) England bwatersconsult@gmail.com

  2. How Student Loans Company works with us as stakeholders • National review identified need for more transparency stakeholder engagement • High level strategic forum • Working groups including for Disabled Students and Vulnerable Students • Link to Information Advice and Guidance and customer feedback

  3. Disabled Students Allowances • Funded by government on a national basis to support students to meet their higher educational studies • Individual students apply to a national processing centre in England • Students must have a needs assessment from a regulated centre • Evidence of disability requirement

  4. DSSG terms of reference 1 • Review and monitor application processing for the service to disabled students at key points in annual cycle • Bring insights and experience to identifying and resolving issues • Support SLC through joined up communications to students • Raise concerns and challenge process

  5. DSSG terms of reference 2 • Specialist input to IAG on DSA • Review changes and improvements to DSA service and give expert advice and input of stakeholders • Chair +11 members plus quality control and ministry observer/advisor, SLC support • Communication through SLC Bulletin so clear messages sent at same time to all stakeholders

  6. How do stakeholders contribute? • Attending four meetings a year, suggesting agenda items and following up • Raising issues and contributing written papers or comments • Responding to requests from Anthony Hill, Manager of DSA Services • Providing information for BIS – assessors views on the guidance; QA in the DSA journey; • Sitting on subject specific groups eg Assistive Technology sub group with TechDis

  7. Membership • National Union of Students • Student finance advisors • NGO for students with dyslexia • University mental health advisors • University heads of student services • Disability officers/head of disability services • Organisation of access centres providing DSA assessment • Organisation of assessors • Teachers of students with dyslexia in higher education • Open University (distance learning)

  8. Outcomes • DSA service improvements monitored through regular updates from SLC manager • Communication of DSA Message more widely so students more aware • Mental health pro forma to simplify evidence • Addressing issues of quality and value for money in non-medical helper (personal support) procurement through research and short life working group • Stakeholder (including students) training of DSA staff • Standing sub group on Assistive Technology with JISC/Techdis review for example provision of Mac computers; use of freeware software; mobile apps

  9. Customer Insight • Permanent customer feedback mechanism • Includes increasing number of disabled students • DSSG can request specific questions to inform its work

  10. Examples from Customer Insight • Consultation with students on changing name of needs assessment – only 4.8% unhappy with the term • Questions to students on their experiences of non-medical helper support • Annual survey of DSA Stakeholders

  11. Stakeholder values and perspective • Respect • Reflective practice • Analysis and problem solving • Relate reflection to practical context • Communicating complex ideas • Empathy, self awareness

  12. What’s next? • SLC Forum governance review – change to main provider of finance to HEIs as well as students • Linking with changes in Wales • FE disabled student support • SLC to implement non-medical helper procurement plans • BIS quality agenda

More Related