Transcript Slide 1

Information, Advice and Guidance
(IAG)
Target Support Working Group
24 June 2008
David Barrett
Our Aim:
To provide high quality information, advice and guidance to meet customers’ needs, in the most
cost effective way.
Our Commitment:
To ensure that no-one is deterred from entering HE for lack of being able to access the help they
need to understand what they are entitled to and how to apply for it.
Our Objectives:
Provide coherent and consistent IAG to address the issues identified in the end to end review:
the confusion of information sources, and the patchy availability and inconsistent quality of local
IAG currently offered by local authorities.
Provide an IAG service which is flexible enough to meet the varied and changing needs and
growing expectation of our customers.
Ensure that the loss of local authority student finance team does not create real gaps in service
for customers.
Provide a service that meets customers’ needs in the most efficient and effective way.
Customer Engagement
•
Research was required among three vulnerable groups to recommend:
–
–
•
The three key groups were identified as:
–
–
–
•
The timing, type and amount of assistance that each group needs before, during and after application
for student finance
How the application process could be simplified for each group
Students claiming Disabled Students Allowance (referred to as DSAs)
Students in lower income families (under £37.5k household income pa) with parents who have
difficulties understanding written English (referred to as SNESPs)
Students claiming Childcare Grant (referred to as CCGs)
Specifically the research was designed to:
–
–
–
–
Understand and evaluate the range of sources for information and for support
Understand when these sources and support were used
Explore the barriers or difficulties experienced throughout the student finance application cycle and
how they were overcome
Assess the impact of student finance applications having to be made by telephone or online
Information and Support Before Applying
RECOMMENDATIONS
ISSUE
DSA
Information source
Information content
Face-to-face support
CCG
SNESP
ALL
Support agencies
From university before and
during enrolment
Share information with
UCAS
From university before and
during enrolment
Accessible internet
information
Peer group important
Website
Smaller guides and shorter
notes
Schools and colleges
Social networking
How the application process
works is more important
Reconsider language used
Targeted at more mature
students
Guide about likely award
amount before applying
Local language guides about
parental role
Application process
Being provided by schools,
colleges, support agencies
and universities
Knowledgeable telephone
line probably enough
Being provided by schools,
colleges and peers
Not essential
How to apply
RECOMMENDATIONS
ISSUE
DSA
CCG
SNESP
ALL
DSA at the same time as
other finance (if system
efficient) but could be any
time
Want to know about
entitlements by June/ July
CCG at same time as other
finance
Supporting booklets for
parents explaining why they
need to apply and what they
need to supply
Swift response
Application method
As streamlined as possible
but online good
Some concerns but online
OK
Some concerns but online
OK for students.
Access to a PC a small
concern but accept online
Generally more convenient
for them
Completing online
Ensure web application
accessible
Needs good back-up
support
Some parents very reluctant
so will want to complete their
bit on paper or the student to
do it for them
Show that it can save time
and is secure
Have clearer help, tutorials,
option to call/ chat
Reassure about query
resolution
Review usability
Many would be OK with
good telephone support
Highly desirable for a few
and particularly for those on
benefits
Some local language
sessions but local language
telephone support for
parents likely to be enough
Application timing
Face-to-face support
Information and Support after the Application
RECOMMENDATIONS
ISSUE
DSA
Emphasise confidentiality
Explain that not about
checking their credit
Mature students need more
persuasion
Particularly interested in
next steps of their
application
Very helpful to see how
award is broken down
Need to know more about
progress and approx timings
Appear to suffer most
problems and need to be
resolved much more quickly
Use face-to-face support
through universities and
carers
Students previously on
income support need more
help but tend to have fewer
problems
Sharing details
Information content
Resolving problems
CCG
SNESP
Parents need greater
reassurance
ALL
Speeding up the application
process is attractive
Authorisation needs clear
info on usage
Knowing how much they will
get and when is the key info
Clearer information on
repayment
Parental evidence section
needs to be clearer
Needs to be quicker and a
lot more efficient
IAG Central Service
The new central student finance service will:
•
Reduce the need for IAG services
–
–
•
Provide a trusted authoritative central IAG service
–
–
–
•
Controlling both the spread and quality of the student finance information
Much improved help on the web
Single authoritative telephone help-line
Provide a high level of support to local IAG services
–
•
By making the whole process simpler, smoother and easier for customers.
Application forms will be simplified and therefore less complex to complete
Student finance messaging will be delivered through increased collaborative working with established
partner organisations
Provide face to face support
–
Develop and put in a delivery structure to meet customers needs
Access and Extra Support
•
The majority of customer, including those regarded as having special needs, will have their
requirements met by the web and telephone service.
•
Evidence shows that only 19% of students and 11% of parents seek any face to face
assistance.
•
We do however, anticipate that a small minority will continue to need additional face to face
help particularly from the following sub groups: disabled students; those who have
parents/sponsors for whom English is a second language; people with caring responsibilities;
access difficulties; lower income background
HIGH
Traditional HE students and sponsors
LOW
LEVEL 1
Non-traditional students
and sponsors
Number of
Students
Employed and mature
students
Scale of
Needs
LEVEL 2
Targeted support
DSA/CCG
Looked
Particular
after
children
needs
LOW
LEVEL 3
HIGH
Integrated Delivery Structure
•
For most students any support needs will be delivered by the central processing unit.
–
–
•
General queries
More specialised queries and named adviser support
Recognition that there will be a need for face to face support although there will be local
variations in both needs and demands.
–
–
–
Already established partner organisation will continue to provide face to face support and will be
supplied with relevant material to do so.
Partner organisations will have telephone support from the central unit specifically for them.
12 regional consultants will be established to work with the partner organisations and provide fact
face support when all other avenues have been exhausted
Contact Operations
Head of
Customer Contact
Head of
Processing Services
Contact Centre
Manager
Darlington
Work Reception
Resolution
Services
Contact Centre
Team
Contact Centre
Manager
Glasgow
Contact Centre
Manager
Wales
Contact Centre
Team
Contact Centre
Team
ICR Resolution
Core Processing
Targeted Support
Third Level
Support
Assessment &
Specialist Support
Query Team
Practitioner
Support Team
}
Second Level
Support
Website
•
Will be WAI W3C compliant to the highest level attainable
•
Full approval will be awarded by a third party
•
–
Customer can navigate site in manner suited to them
–
Site structured to assist in use of screen reader if required (incl ability to skip repeated content on
each page)
–
All graphics described in words, to allow screen readers or other asstive technologies to convey the
same information
–
All fonts scalable by user
–
Where possible large areas of information chopped into smaller sections
Accessible pdf forms and booklets
Paper Offering
•
Promotional Characters – Jenny & Carla
•
Targeted Support Guidance Books
–
–
•
All material available in alternative formats
–
–
–
•
Bridging The Gap
Childcare Grant & Other Support for Full-Time Student Parents
Braille
Large print
Audio
New, easier to complete application forms
Face-to-face support for applications - DSA
•
Face-to-face support to fill in the application is considered very important and all
have had some face-to-face support from parents, the university disability service,
other friends, Student Finance.
•
Emotional or moral support is important as the student may be coming to terms with
the disability and anxious about it. They may need reassurance that they are
entitled to it and that it won’t affect their academic and employment prospects.
•
They also need help with completing the applications:
– The process can seem very complex and the questionnaire very long, so they want
someone to help them through it.
– The questions can seem very unclear, eg. those with medical or mental health conditions
say their symptoms can vary widely from one day to the next
– They appear to have many more problems with their applications
The Benefits
•
The central service will provide a single trusted and authoritative source of student finance
information and advice
•
Schools and colleges will receive a more consistent level of help and support
•
Co-ordination of local services with the central unit
•
Local IAG services will be intensively supported by the central service
•
Establishment of the regional consultants
•
Availability of a referrals service for customers
•
Multiple entry points for customer
QUESTIONS
&
WORKSHOP