Support Worker Service

Once your support needs have been agreed, the DDSS is able to offer recommended support through our dedicated Support Worker Service.

This service is managed within the DDSS and employs a pool of skilled workers who will enable you to access your learning whilst at The University of Sheffield.

The support that is available varies and you may have questions about whether this type of support would be useful for you. You can talk over the different roles and what might be helpful for you with your Disability Adviser or Needs Assessor.

The Support Worker Service currently includes the following Support Worker roles:

• Note taker: Note taking supports students with a range of needs. This service ensures that all students have access to good quality notes from their classes
• Reader: Reading support is currently provided to some of our students enabling them to have access to written resources in a preferred format.
• Library/Scanning Support Worker: This is provided to those students who need support to access the library and the resources within the library.
• Personal Assistant: This includes mobility assistance, and support in any circumstance where a disabled student might need “an extra pair of hands”, such as in the laboratory. This might be particularly helpful during the Induction period when new students need added support but continues for some throughout their time at university.
• Support and Guidance Mentor: This is a service that provides regular support to some students. Students are able to meet with a mentor regularly and receive help and advice with organisation and planning skills to enable them to focus and achieve in their academic studies.
• Proof reader: Proof reading support may be given to some students with a specific learning difficulty or other disability.
• Study Support Key Worker: A study support key worker can help a disabled student to focus on their studies, organise and manage their workload and ask questions arising from their area of study. This might be useful support to students with a specific learning difficulty or any other disability which impacts on their ability to maximise their study skills.

For further information about support work or about becoming a support worker, please email supportwork@sheffield.ac.uk