DIT STEERS Referral Chart

STEER referral chart

DIT Campus Life Office

DIT Campus Life Strategic Plan 2011 2014

DIT Mature Student Support

DIT Careers Service

DIT Disability and Dyslexia Support

DIT Financial Aid

DIT Counselling Service

DIT Chaplaincy Service

DIT Student Health Service

DIT Accommodation Service

DIT Sport and Recreation Service

DIT Societies Office

Careers Service

How do I refer a student to the Careers Service?

Student referrals

Some students may be:

Considering leaving college before they sit their examinations or wish to change course
Thinking about changing career direction
Wanting information on further study in a similar field or conversion courses
Wanting advice on applications procedures e.g. CV and cover letter preparation and interview coaching
Needing help with job hunting strategies including information on Graduate Programmes

How to make a referral?

Suggest the student drops in to the careers service or makes an appointment. You might want direct assistance. In that case call the careers service while the student is with you to ensure that an appointment is made. A cross referral to the other Campus Life student services may be required. If you feel that the situation is urgent tell us that the student needs an appointment immediately. Contact the team at careers@dit.ie or phone 014023082

How can I find out what graduates do ?

We conduct an annual collection of information about what activities our graduates are engaged in, after completion of their course. The survey, known as First Destination Returns, is administered through the Higher Education Authority. This data is useful for monitoring the performance of courses in terms of employability and used by external agents to provide comparative data across institutions for potential students. The data is also used to inform course reviews and promotion of courses in the national press. Figures are reliable indicators of what DIT leavers were doing approximately 9 months after they left but are only a snapshot at a moment in time relatively soon after graduation. If you require further information, please contact Carol on EXT: 3082.

How can I introduce a careers module to my programme?

Careers Development Learning

Our award winning career learning programme draws on information gained from First Destination Returns statistics and feedback from employers, alumni and previous participants. Currently included in ninety per cent of courses across the institute at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, the programme is tailored to suit each discipline and can be delivered as a once off training day. Students who participate acquire particular advantages including:
Development of an awareness of their fundamental career motivations
Knowledge of how to make well informed career choices
How to apply more successfully to jobs and courses
An understanding of options available with their degree
A thorough understanding regarding the range of selection methods employers use, including aptitude tests and assessment centres
A thorough understanding of skill requirements of graduate employers and how to provide suitable evidence for such skills, drawn from their academic, professional and personal life experiences.
How to present themselves to the best of their ability at selection interviews
*Q and A sessions with industry speakers and alumni working in different sectors are a key feature of some programmes.

If you would like to include the career development as part of your course please do get in contact. You can help through facilitating us in the time table and encouraging students to attend. Linking us in with guest speakers also helps.

Chaplaincy Service

What is chaplaincy?

The chaplaincy is interested in the total wellbeing of the student or staff member. Chaplains understand that each person is made in the image and likeness of God, is utterly unique, and has a unique contribution to make. The chaplaincy then is a place of welcome where you can explore what it is to be fully human, and receive opportunities to use your gifts and talents in the service of others. Chaplains encourage staff and students to connect with their deeper self, and live out the deep desires of their hearts.

What do chaplains do?

Chaplains respond to students and staff needs in four very practical ways:

Listen – Chaplains are good listeners, who offer a staff members or students a space where they can come and share whatever is weighing on their mind, and find a non-judgmental and confidential space in which to be heard. Chaplains are approachable and friendly and eager to help. The door of the chaplain is an open door to staff and students.
Community – Chaplains create community within the staff and student body, where like-minded people, with similar values can meet and make friends. Hospitality is a big value in the chaplaincy, and often this hospitality can take the form of food !
Spirituality -. The chaplain is very interested in the spiritual development of staff and students. Modern culture can leave many feeling empty and in search of something deeper that satisfies. More and more, we are speaking of the language of the “soul” and how to find ways of living and acting that nourishes our souls. The chaplain organizes events that respond to the deep spiritual needs of students and staff.
Service – “It is in giving that we receive” – At the heart of the chaplaincy is this key value of service, and love for others. The chaplaincy seeks to involve students in staff in outreach activities that are serve others, and in particular those who are less well off for whatever reason, or disadvantaged in some way.

Can a student drop in to a chaplains’ office without an appointment?

Yes, the DIT Chaplaincy offers an informal drop-in service for students and staff. We seek to be as accessible as possible to students and staff. The chaplain offers a listening ear in confidence, in a non-judgmental setting. Each chaplain has contact information on the door of the office, so if the chaplain is not present the student or staff member can make contact with the chaplain through phone or email.

Do I have to be a religious person to come to the chaplain?

No. The chaplaincy service open to students and staff from all faiths and none. We welcome all who come to our door.

Disability Service

Should I disclose my disability to DIT?

Yes, the Disability Service team is there to support you. By disclosing your disability it means that you will be assisted in accessing a range of reasonable supports, provided by the Institute and by the State, to enable you to successfully complete your course. However, the choice to disclose is entirely up to you.

For CAO applicants it also means your application will be considered under the Supplementary Admission Route for Applicants with Disabilities (DARE).

I have a disability and want to apply to Dublin Institute of Technology, what do I do?

Applicants with a disability applying for full time undergraduate degrees of the University should apply via the Central Applications Office (CAO), indicating on the application form that they have a disability or specific learning difficulty, which is the basis for seeking reasonable accommodations of support in either the application process or in pursuing their College career. Mature students with disabilities (i.e. at least 23 years of age on the 1st January of the proposed year of entry) with disabilities should apply via the supplementary admissions procedure for mature students as well as via CAO.

How do I register with the Disability Service?

Services are for all students with a disability, including, but not limited, to those who:

Hearing Impaired / Deaf
Visually Impaired / Blind
Specific Learning Difficulties
Physical Disability
Medical Disability
Mental Health Difficulties

If you require assistance for a disability or specific learning difficulty, you should register with Disability Service; the initial point of contact should be made via the Disability Office at 4027681 or disability@dit.ie

You will then be assigned a Learning Support Officer and Assistive Technology Officer who will work with you to assess the level of support required.

What evidence of my disability do I need to provide?

DIT requires evidence of a disability to support the provision of any reasonable accommodations. Students who do not have appropriate evidence of their disability should forward the ‘Evidence of Disability Form' to their Medical Consultant / Specialist to be completed. General Practitioner (GP) letters will not be accepted as suitable medical evidence.

Students with Specific Learning Difficulties (e.g. dyslexia) should provide a copy of their most recent Educational Psychology Report clearly stating that the student has a Specific Learning Difficulty. This report must contain the age equivalent of intellectual functioning and reading age, age-related percentile point, or adult norm in the case of mature students. For applications to the CAO through the Supplementary Admissions Route assessment should have been conducted within the last 3 years. This three year rule does not apply to registering with the Disability Service for appropriate and relevant supports.

Can DIT guarantee my privacy?

Any information that you provide to the Disability Service will remain confidential. It is important to remember however, that the Disability and Service cannot provide support in isolation. With your permission, information will be disclosed solely for the purpose of arranging the necessary support for you.

What services and support is offered to students with disabilities?

Every student with a disability in DIT has access to a wide range of reasonable supports and services. These are are based on each student’s individual needs.

Some of our services include:

Supplementary admission route
An educational needs assessment
Study related financial support
Learning support service
Individual tutor support
Free screening service to identify a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia
Assistive technology and alternative format services
Examination support

What support is available for examinations?

DIT is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities are in no way disadvantaged in examinations. Specific examination and other assessment arrangements may be made for you if you have a temporary or permanent disability.

The specific arrangements are intended to enable you to perform to the best of your ability and are not intended to give you an unfair advantage. These arrangements are specified in accordance with DAWN (the National Disability Advisors Working Network) exam policy guidelines for third level institutions.

You have to register with the Disability Service if you are experiencing a disability, so contact them as soon as possible. You'll need medical documentation and psycho-educational reports. All exam accommodations for DIT students are in strict accordance with the requirements of the DAWN and DIT examination policy.

If a disability does prevent you taking an exam or assessment the way the rest of your class are required to, then it might be possible to make special arrangements for you.

Examination accommodations may include;

Time allowances
Flexibility with assignments
Disregarding of spelling, grammar, punctuation etc
Rest periods
Use of a reader/ Scribe
Smaller examination centre
Physical space
Accessible toilets
Use of Computer or Assistive Technology

I have a Specific Learning Difficulty – what do I do?

There are a large number of students with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) studying in DIT programmes. The Disability Service offer a range of services to assist in meeting the needs of students with an SpLD. The Disability Service has four full time Learning Support Officers who are based across all the campuses.

The overall aim of Learning Support is to equip students with strategies which suit their individual learning style and to assist them in becoming independent learners. They do this by identifying students’ needs and developing their skills in: active learning; time management; reading; note-taking; exam/study skills and task analysis.

I think I have a Specific Learning Difficulty – what do I do?

You should contact the Disability Service. They offer a screening service to any student in DIT who suspects they may have a specific learning difficulty. The initial screening is carried out by the Learning Support Officer. Should the assessment determine the likelihood of a SpLD, the student can be referred to an educational psychologist for a full assessment. With a full educational psychologist assessment report, students can access a range of supports and services available to them.

For students who require an up to date assessment report the Service can refer students to the relevant professionals. Please note there is no funding available from the Disability Service for this assessment.

Health Service

Q. Are doctors and nurses medical certs the same?

A. Yes, both doctors and nurses medical certs are the same and should be accepted. It means the student has been assessed by a health professional at the DIT student health centre and is deemed too unwell to attend college/work for the stated period of time.

Q. Do the Student Health Centre see students off site?

A. The staff of the Student Health Centre prefer to assess students onsite, in the Student Health Centres they we have all their equipment there. Occasionally they have to go to assess an unwell student outside the student health centre. i.e another DIT site.

Q. Do the Student Health Centre backdate medical certs?

A. No, the Student Health Centre does not backdate medical certs. A medical cert will only be issued if the student has attended the Student Health Centre, contacted the Student Health Centre at the time of illness or event , or if confirmatory evidence detailing the problem is presented to the Student Health Centre from an appropriate source.

Q. Can DIT staff attend the Student Health Centre?

A. No, DIT staff cannot attend the Student Health Centre. Only full time students and apprentices with a valid student card are eligible to attend either Student Health Centre. If a DIT staff member has a first-aid issue they can contact the DIT Health Safety Team.

Student Counselling Service

What services do we provide?

Individual assessment and psychological counselling
We generally see students for 50 minute sessions. Couples and Family therapy is offered by some counsellors on the team if it’s considered beneficial for the student. After the first session, if it seems appropriate the student will be offered a further five sessions. There are some students who require more long term counselling and this would be offered to them depending upon how busy the service is.
All appointments are booked in advance but the service also operates Emergency Appointments when needed.

Development work (including provision of self –help groups and workshops)
The service aims to offer a variety of workshops to the general student body and to sub groups of the population. Examples of general workshops/programmes that have been run by the service in the past include self esteem/assertiveness, time management, stress management, relaxation/meditation, team building, learning and personal development, etc. Many of these workshops are once-off workshops delivered during class time at different times of the year. In some centres, the counsellors facilitate groups such as bereavement, personal/learning development groups, study skills groups, relaxation and meditation groups, etc.

Referral to other appropriate staff/specialists
The service will put the student in touch with whatever help he/she may need, e.g. referral to another internal support service, e.g. college GP, student services officer, chaplain or an external referral to a psychiatrist or other specialist.

Self-help information
We provide a wide variety of leaflets and fact sheets to staff and students. This information is generally available outside the counselling offices or on the web site. Requests for other relevant information can be made to your local counsellor.

Services for staff
Counsellors are available for consultation with groups or individuals relating to student welfare. Staff can make an appointment to see a counsellor to help with a referral or in a crisis. Special workshops for staff on such topics as the first year experience, making referrals, emotional intelligence, multicultural awareness, managing tutoring dilemmas, etc are offered at different times

How Do I make a referral to the counselling service?

If you feel the student would benefit from attending the counselling service but are still coping with college and home life, you can simply make them aware of the counselling service and encourage them to contact the service themselves.

Direct Referral

If you feel it is very important that the student sees a counsellor, and if you wish to check up directly with the counselling service whether or not the student has seen us, you can - with the student's consent - contact the counselling service yourselves. In this case, give the counsellor (or the service's secretary) your name, the name of the student you are referring on, and indicate that you would like some feedback from the counsellor. In this case, the counsellor will seek permission from the student to give you this information - we then would ring you and let you know that we have seen the student and discuss some of the concerns you may have about the student with you - if you wish to do so.

What do I do in the case of an emergency?

If you feel a student must see a counsellor (or a doctor in the medical service), especially if you think they are at serious risk, tell them openly about your concern and insist that you will need to refer them on. You can offer them your phone to make the appointment in your presence, or else ring the service yourself, preferably when the student is present. If you feel the student needs to be seen immediately, ring the counselling service's secretary and ask for an emergency appointment.

What about after hours or at weekends?

If you need to contact help for a student after afters or during the weekend please click on our external support services page for contact details: http://www.dit.ie/campuslife/counselling/externalsupportservices/

Chaplaincy Service

The Chaplaincy Service is actively engaged in inviting students and staff to get involved in activities under the following headings:

Volunteering

Supervised Study and Shadowing
Currently the chaplaincy service works very closely with the DIT Community Links Office to implement the following programmes: Supervised Study, (DIT students help second level students from inner city schools with homework in a supervised setting) Shadowing (students from second level inner city schools are allowed to shadow a DIT students for a day to gain an insight into third level education and a particular course area, again in a supervised setting).
Peace Corp - Localise
Peace Corps - Localise is a youth and community development organisation with over 38 years of experience in community service work and volunteerism. Localise has been actively engaging young people and young adult leaders in community work and Active Citizenship in order to affect positive change. DIT has worked closely with Peace Corp – Localise and the following are some of the events which have taken place at DIT campuses: Homeless Shelter Decoration Project; International St Patrick’s Evening; Primary School Christmas Party; Events for Senior Citizens; Fundraiser for Teenagers with Cancer; Integration Events; Special Need Group Party
Homelessness Action Group
There is currently a group of students, based at Aungier St. working to ease the plight of homeless people. They organise collections of blankets and clothing for the homeless. Further information can be obtained from Sr. Mary at Aungier St.

Peer Mentoring

DIT Chaplaincy is taking the lead role in introducing a Peer Mentoring programme in DIT, which involves DIT students from the second year of their programme, assisting first year students in the same programme with their transition to third level education. The chaplaincy has worked closely with the DIT counselling service in the provision of training for mentors. A pilot project has been successfully introduced this year, in DIT Kevin St and in DIT Bolton St with the aim of rolling out similar peer mentoring programmes in more schools in DIT into the future. This will provide huge opportunities for students and staff to become involved.

Spirituality

The DIT chaplaincy service provides many opportunities for staff and students to get involved:

Retreats and Pilgrimages; Meditation and Prayer; Eucharist and Eucharistic services; Annual Mass of Remembrance for deceased Students and Staff of DIT; November Services of Remembrance on each DIT campus; Christmas Carol service; Ash Wednesday and Lenten services

Justice and Peace Issues

The chaplaincy seeks involvement from students and staff in the promotion of justice and peace, through involvement in appeals organised by third world charities, such as Trocaire and Concern, and also in raising awareness around the environment.

Disability Service

ddas The DIT Disability Service also offers support to staff with disabilities. Staff who have a disability or are interested in getting involved with the service are more than welcome to do so – please contact disability@dit.ie or (01) 402 7681 and we’d be happy to talk to you.