Resourcing mentoring University of Westminster Mentoring for Students with Mental Health Issues Wednesday 30th November 2005 Sue Meads; Head of Mentor Service; University of Southampton

Focus of this presentation: Financial aspects of running a Mentor Service

Background to the Mentor Service at Southampton Started by ‘accident’ rather than design in % students with mental health issues, 20% chronic medical conditions Rapid growth to 300 students by the end of Began within Disability Service and ‘promoted’ to sister service in May 2004 Now 3.5 FTE Mentors and 8 self employed Mentors – 1:1 support usually one hour per week, more or less than that according to needs

The Mentoring Model at Southampton 1:1‘specialist support, for students with mental health difficulties and chronic medical conditions, with organisation and planning, motivation and morale, study skills and strategies’ Help to manage course whilst also managing a condition, or whilst having treatment

The Mentoring Model at Southampton cont.. Academic support informed by counselling and psychological understanding or other relevant training Mentors – academically well qualified, experience of teaching in FE or HE, qualified and experienced counsellor or psychologist – or close

Sources of Funding Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) – non medical helpers allowances HE Access to Learning Fund Other institutional funds for disabled students

Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) From LEA, NHS Student Grants Unit, Research Councils - depending where students’ funding comes from Available to UK students studying full time or at least 50% part time Cannot be used for generic services available to all students in the Institution eg Counselling Service or Mentor Scheme open to all Cannot be used for services which should be provided by NHS eg Counselling or Psychotherapy

DSAs Can be used for mentoring and learning support for students with mental health difficulties as long as a Needs Assessment has made the recommendation.

HE Access to Learning Fund Disability is a priority category May be able to apply to ALF for funds to pay for mentoring Eligibility similar to DSA, but more restricted for post graduates

Other Institutional Funds Unique to each institution May be hardship funds May be a fund for support of International or other unfunded students

Financial management Fundamentally important but least liked aspect of providing Support Services Myths about money Paying support workers Record keeping and systems for financial administration Charging funding providers e.g. of DSAs

Myths about money That Finance Departments can or will do it all for us Phrases like ‘income generation’ and ‘self funding’ are misleading. Services for students with mental health issues are involved in ‘cost recovery’. We invoice for a ‘contribution to costs’. That somehow, dealing with the money is ‘not nice’. That ‘they’ should fund all support without requiring cost recovery

Paying mentors 1 Introduce student to self employed mentor and leave them to it? Can choose degree of involvement in vetting and quality assuring work, No financial processes to deal with Mentor invoices funding provider or student Student bears burden of financial management, not currently seen as good practice Support worker bears all risks and provides for own holiday, sick and retirement pay, plus training and development. Less likely to get space and equipment from Institution

Paying mentors 2 o Self employed mentors Mentor needs to be paid a rate which reflects professional standing, costs and risks Mentor not usually involved in admin and running of service, self employed mentors concentrate on the 1:1 support Mentors bear all the financial risk, need to fund own sick pay, holiday pay, pension, equipment, materials, training and professional development etc Easiest way to start service at professional and intermediate level Institution doesn’t have to provide space/rooms

Paying mentors 3 o Hourly paid mentors with a contract to pay for hours worked plus holiday pay. Essentially support worker is still carrying much of the risk – little or no security, no sick pay, probably no pension scheme Some institutions reluctant to pay appropriate rate Very economical for Service, only paid for hours worked Mentors make little contribution to administration or development of Service Can be very seasonal - advantage and disadvantage Service usually bears more training and development costs Institution more likely to provide space/rooms, and may need to provide staff office space

Paying mentors 4 Mentors employed on permanent contract Mentors are staff who contribute to the running and development of the service Work together as a team to support each other and provide cover and continuity for students The most expensive staffing option because staff have contracts which cover holiday, sick and retirement pay, may be all year or term time only Provide basis for strong service identity within organisation Service bears more training and development costs

‘Cost recovery’ Fees we charge are a contribution to costs, no question of profits. Costs can be divided into: direct money costs of employing the support worker Salary plus Employers National Insurance Contributions and Employer’s Contribution to Pension usually approx salary plus 16% - depending on method of employment indirect costs including use of room, furniture, telephone, computer hardware and software and maintenance etc paper, photocopying, telephone, books training costs, meetings other people’s time - recruitment, induction, training, supervision, clinical supervision, administration and management

3 Illustrations of money cost of each hour of mentoring A. Permanent full time staff B. Hourly paid staff C. Self employed mentors

A. Permanent full time staff: Cost of providing each hour of mentoring Workload 600 hrs mentoring Total hours per year SalarySalary + %16 Cost per hour of mentoring 20hrs mentoring per week; 30 week academic year 600£28000£32400£ hrs mentoring per week; 30 week academic year 600£24000£27840£46.40

B. Hourly paid staff: Cost of each hour of mentoring Workload 600 hrs mentoring Hourly rate Hourly rate + 16% (cost) Hours paid per year Total cost Cost per hour mentoring 20 hrs per week mentoring + 2 hrs meetings/training - 30 week academic year £35£ £26796£ hrs per week mentoring + 2 hrs meetings/training - 30 week academic year £30£ £22968£ hrs per week mentoring + 2 hrs meetings/training - 30 week academic year £25£29660£19140£31.90

C. Self employed mentors: Cost of each hour of mentoring Workload 600 hrs mentoring Hourly rate Hourly cost Hours paid per year Total cost Cost per hour mentoring 20 hrs per week mentoring + 2 hrs meetings/training - 30 week academic year £35 660£23100£ hrs per week mentoring + 2 hrs meetings/training - 30 week academic year £30 660£19800£33 20 hrs per week mentoring + 2 hrs meetings/training - 30 week academic year £25 660£16500£27.50

Comparing the 3 illustrations Only in A does the mentor do any admin! Only in A is there scope for the mentor to play a role in institution No admin staff time costed in to any of them No computers, space costs, telephones, paper etc in any of them None allow for possibility that some of these students don’t have funding

Charging Charge should be in line with level of qualifications and expertise required for the work Work with the Funding providers Contact before first invoice Provide clear information for their audit purposes Take responsibility for the quality of invoices All relevant information Accurate Timely

Keeping Financial Records Your service will be audited one day! Keep: all financial records for 6 years (Statute of Limitations) a full set of copies of all orders, invoices and other payments you have made invoices and other requests for payments you have sent out a clear record of all transactions for each student, with copies of all paperwork in the student’s file Analyse costs and ‘income generation’. These can be used to back up requests for staff.