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Current issues

Submit an issue (and vote on others) which you would like the Student Leadership Team to discuss at their next meeting.

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  • -1 score
    3 voters

    The Lack of Continuity of Information being Provided

    Submitted 3 months ago by Danielle Alldritt
    Current
      1comment
      I am coming to the end of my first year and due to ADHD are in receipt of DSA and have also been able to apply for the OU's Study Related Costs Funding. I have found communicating with the student disability support and student fees quite challenging and not a friendly system for those who find making phone calls and keeping up to date on emails difficult for various reasons. Studying is already difficult and our energy shouldn't be wasted having to constantly chase things up or have to re explain everything to a new advisor every time. My experience is that information given about support available has differed depending on whom the phone connects to at student fees, it has become confusing and causing delays in accessing the support needed. For example - Originally I got told you could apply for the following as separate categories which gave them their own budget of funding available: General study costs £200 (printer, stationary, headphones etc), internet costs £20pm, study device £250 (laptop, tablet). However, the most recent advisor at student fees I spoke to about this said the you only get £200 for the whole year so if you had already been reimbursed for internet for example which would be £180 for the year then you only can use the remaining £20 for any other category. Even the terms and conditions of the study related costs funding give students the impression that each category is separate. My point is you will send an email giving the information you wish to get answers to and get told one things or over the phone and then when in the process following that advise you get told no by another person. This is incredibly taxing and adding to the mental load of all students but especially those who struggle with a condition. There needs to be clear and consistent information given to students from these Services especially as they are mostly interacting with vulnerable people.
    Heather Butcher
    6:43pm on 21 Mar 25 I once listened in and was not too happy to stay on it was not a bad season however it was a bit of concern as one student was saying that they were over frustrated and I am now wondering if that is also me if I am not being understood being a neurodivergent student. I had an issue at the start of my D113 course where having returned back from a long haul flight I had no hot water for over 3 weeks from the housing assistant due to a broken down cylinder in the airing cupboard house cold and not able to have hot baths. It was reported to the team of housing to which also disrepair was already going on and it so frustrating due to the fact that there were already safeguarding concerns going for me when I traveled with my husband to visit my dad who is in his late 80s's. The neighborhood watch team was made aware as I was feeling very vulnerable due to also finding out that my husband has been given a diagnosis which is quite seriously alarming to his health. This has also, all happened in the space of 2 weeks after landing at the airport. Including having to start the module to which student support has also been inflamed over the laptop which was very frustrating as it suddenly crashed on me having prepared myself on the course and the module ready to start on the set date. My tutor was informed just in case at the same time 111 was informed by myself now talking therapies are assessing me on the 14th of April hoping to have some weekly sessions each Monday as I felt very vulnerable unsure if I should or could start being the laptop and so forth. Now that all the rubbish has been handed over and dealt with I have passed the tma 1 no extension but I gave the surrounding issues to me at home. I have made a good start on tma 2 only to complete the graph and double-check my word count. I am hoping that the DSA would understand that a form from the GP completed is to be collected and put through the post to the Milton Keynes office for the open university of my mental well-being and what my past mental health issues were also. However being working with Autistic Adults and children and also one myself I have also been determined not to be misunderstood and therefore constantly make sure that Student support is understanding of the current situation for me not having a suitable computer to work on and the cost of living issues I have been unsure how to apply for extra financial help for electricity mainly and now the laptop I called up the office of the Open Unvieristy from the lap top shop where it was collected having to pay money however it is not likely to last as it is not a laptop and the man said he had to send it away as there is no motherboard I am now left thinking how come I had to pay for this when I had informed the open university etc about this, the lady has said it is now in the system for the open university and someone will give me a call and therefore on Monday 24th I will get a phone call to go through what are the options to having the correct help with regards to the laptop. To ease my frustration and anxiety I go out walking for health and well-being and elevate the frustrations from the anxieties of not being understood or heard in the right and correct way adding to the miscommunications at times. Was told to keep safeguarding as you are and have been doing - technical issues I don't understand.

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