Educational Support Workers’

Information Session

Wednesday, 11th September 2013, 2pm

O’Rahilly Building Room 123

An Educational Support Worker (ESW) provides individual assistance to students with disabilities in order to enhance their learning experience and help them to fulfil their academic potential

What is an Educational Support Worker?

Notetaker Educational Assistant Academic Tutor Personal Assistant Exam Scribe/Invigilator Proofreader/Alternative Formatting

Examples of ESWs

Notetaker - €15 per hour Educational Assistant - €12.50 per hour Academic Tutor - €20 per hour Personal Assistant - €12.50 per hour Exam Scribe/Invigilator - €15.98/€12.79 p.h Proofreader/Alt. Formatting - €12.50 p.h.

All rates are set by the National Access Office

Rates of Pay

Application to DSS to be an ESW – placed on ESW register

Please note, a position on this register does not guarantee employment

Disability Support Service assesses students’ needs and matches ESW’s according to those needs

A contract of employment will be provided by the DSS once an ESW has been matched to a student/given employment

Registering as an ESW- Placement on ESW Register

A notetaker may document the lecture/presentation on a laptop and email content to student(s) or

A notetaker may record written notes in the lecture, type them up and email them to the student(s)

Notes must be emailed to the student(s) within 48 hours of the lecture

Quality of notes will be monitored on an ongoing basis

Subject knowledge will be required in some instances

Role of a Notetaker

An Educational Assistant will assist a student with a disability with educational support requirements that the student cannot complete independently

Assistance with mobility around the college/to and from lectures, carrying personal belongings, books, folders, materials for the student

Assistance with educational tasks, sourcing library books, photocopying et.

Assistance with assignments – essay techniques, paragraph structure, appropriate referencing, etc.

Role of Educational Assistant

Tutors instruct students on a one-to-one basis in order to enhance the student’s understanding of material covered in a specific class or course

The tutor will have knowledge of the subject area and module content

Prior to the commencement of support, the tutor should meet with the student to identify the student’s needs and individual requirements

The amount of hours of tuition required will be decided by the Disability Advisor. Tutors are not to go over this amount unless instructed by the Disability Advisor to do so.

Role of Academic Tutor

A very specific role carried out by professionals with qualifications/previous experience

A PA will assist a student with their personal needs

Assistance at home in the mornings/evenings or during meal times

Role of a Personal Assistant

An invigilator will supervise a student during an exam – this is usually on a one-to-one basis

A scribe will record a student’s dictated answers in an exam. This is done in a separate venue.

Role of Exam Scribe/Invigilator

Register with the DSS Contract must be signed in advance of first

payment PAYPATH form must be completed and returned to

either the DSS or the Payroll office directly. This ensures payment directly to your bank account.

Hours must be submitted to DSS on the relevant forms by the 10th of every month. A reminder email will be sent to all ESW’s prior to this

PPS number must be submitted on the forms All ESW’s are entitled to 8% holiday pay which will

be paid in July/August

Payment of an ESW

Further Information/Training sessions will be held through out the year. Details of these will be forwarded once details have been confirmed.

It is imperative that you attend these briefing sessions

Details will also be put up on our website which will be emailed to all ESW’s regularly

If you are working with a student and are not sure of the impact of their disability, please do not hesitate to contact the DSS or the student’s Disability Advisor for further information and clarification

ESW Training

Reception: ◦ Phone: 021-4902985◦ Email: dssinfo@ucc.ie

Madeline:◦ Office: 021-4903425◦ Mobile: 087-6307340◦ Email: m.jennings@ucc.ie

Website: www.ucc.ie/dss

DSS Contact details