Student support and e-learning: parallel

universes?

Donald Lush

Director of Student Support

WAES

Who am I?

Senior manager in ACL Fifteen years in student support Worked in FE, sixth form colleges, adult

education London convenor of NAMSS (National

Association of Managers of Student Services)

Why is what I do important?

Budget of £1.7 million Premises Staff Resources Facilities Training Inspection

Why is what I do important?

Willy Russell

“I wrote the play (Educating Rita) only a few years after having had to really go through a struggle to get back in to mainstream education myself. I’d left school without doing O-levels or A-levels or anything like that. And when I tried to get back in, I just met a stonewall of absolute resistance.”

Why is what I do important?

Mina’s story

Why it’s important - values

Equality Access Transformation Excellence Service

What is it like to be me? The Robin Hood scenario.

Sole practitioner Unique viewpoint Senior buy-in? Peer support at college? A “cost” Lonely (sometimes) Loved by the learners (ahem!)

SolutionsThe merry men and women

NAMSS - history and function No external funding, no staff, no premises Executive, regional groups, JISC mail list,

website, annual conference http://www.namss.ac.uk

NAMSS - purpose

NAMSS aims to provide members with a forum for developing quality services that promote and enhance the learning offered by colleges by:

* Providing information to members

* Developing and promoting quality standards of student services' practice

* Representing the needs of students and student support services

NAMSS - mission

NAMSS aims to provide support and professional development for managers of services that support learners in post 16 education and training.

NAMSS - Strategy

To develop and implement strategies for enhancing the support NAMSS offers to its members to develop and implement strategies to support regional activities

To develop and strengthen alliances with other organisations

To review and develop the management of the association's resources, processes and procedures

To develop strategies to enable NAMSS to influence policy and practice on issues relevant to members

To develop strategies to market and publicise the association's activities

NAMSS - why is it successful?

Clear vision, mission and strategy Meets real needs Credibility/integrity Self-help is an organising principle - ownership! Achieves results Mutual understanding and support Excellent communication (some through ICT) Valued and supported by members