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Advice & Representation Centre
Charter
"Quality and Equality for All"
The Charter aims to:
• Set out the standards and principles of the service you can expect to receive.
• Explain what you should do if you are unhappy with the service you have received.
The information in this leaflet has been checked for accuracy at the date of printing. The leaflet will be updated and reissued when significant changes occur.
Aston Students’ Guild
Advice & Representation Centre
May 2009
1. Free & Impartial
The Advice & Representation Centre (ARC) provides a free and impartial advice,
assistance, representation and information service for Aston students.
2. Advice, Assistance, Information and Representation.
The ARC aims to provide a wide ranging, high quality, advice and assistance
service to students; by giving advice and information which is both accurate and
comprehensive. Staff will not make decisions for a student but will attempt to provide information and options to facilitate the student to make their own decision. Staff will not act on behalf of a student unless requested to do so by the student concerned.
Staff will represent students at University, & other external, hearings e.g. County Court provided reasonable notice has been given to enable an adequate case to be presented. Students should be present at hearings. Staff can not represent at Exam Board hearings in the absence of the student. Staff can not represent at disciplinary hearings in the absence of the student, when a student is pleading not guilty. In exceptional circumstances, in certain types of disciplinary hearings, staff may be able to mitigate for a student who is pleading guilty and who is prevented from attending.
3. Contacting the Advice & Representation Centre.
Students may telephone, e-mail, write to, fax or visit the ARC in person .The ARC aims to respond to all letters within 5 working days. The ARC aims to answer all telephone enquiries if not immediately then by returning the telephone call within 3 working days. E-mails should receive a reply within 3 working days provided the member of staff is at work to receive them.
The ARC aims to deal with initial enquiries from students in person on the day the enquiry is received. The ARC operates an emergency appointments system each day known as the duty advice service. There are occasions when the nature of the enquiry is such that an appointment with the appropriate member of staff will need to be made for a mutually convenient time. The ARC aims to offer an appointment within 1 to 3 working days subject to the appropriate member of staff being at work. Appointments are not normally booked more than 3 working days in advance.
4. Advice & Representation Centre Staff.
The ARC aims to provide professional support at all times using the services of
either the Welfare Manager, a welfare adviser or the Vice-President Education and Welfare. The ARC Receptionist provides information and makes appointments. ARC staff are encouraged to wear name badges and to identify themselves.
Only designated staff may provide immigration advice and must not operate beyond their knowledge and skills. This is in keeping with the Office of Immigration Service Commissioner’s (OISC) Code of Standards. The ARC is covered by the OISC block exemption for the education sector.
5. Opening Times.
The ARC aims to open its doors every weekday, during term time, between 10 am and 5 pm (4 pm on a Friday). The ARC aims to open for similar hours during vacation periods subject to staff availability , although the opening hours may occasionally be subject to pre-arranged variations. Out of hours’ appointments and home visits are possible.
6. Interviews.
A student, approaching the ARC in person, will be asked for a brief outline of their enquiry at the ARC Reception Desk. This enables the receptionist to direct the student to the most appropriate member of staff. A student who does not wish to mention the nature of their enquiry should be offered the opportunity to speak in private.
7. Confidentiality
The ARC is committed to providing a confidential advice service to any user (client/student) of the service. Advice shall be given in a private office with sufficient comfortable space to accommodate the adviser and the client with the door closed.
No information regarding an advice service user shall be given directly or indirectly to any third party, who is not a member of the advice service staff, without the user’s express consent.
If advice staff need to contact a client by phone or by post, they are responsible for confirming this is acceptable and no reference to the purpose of the telephone call may be made when making telephone contact via a third party.
In circumstances where a student is threatening to harm him/herself or others, the ARC reserves the right to disclose information without consent. If ARC staff suspect a child is being or is likely to be harmed, they are obliged to disclose this to the relevant authorities. Court Orders: Confidentiality may have to be broken when the ARC is ordered to do so by a court but the ARC would seek independent legal advice before so doing.
Users are asked to identify themselves in order that an electronic record may be made of their visit. Records are checked for accuracy and for content. Records allow for continuity if the student returns for further advice. Users not wishing to leave a name may be allocated the surname "Anonymous” and given a reference number. Records are used for statistical purposes, including the monitoring of demand for the service, but individuals will not be identified.
It is the responsibility of advice staff to ensure that computer records are not accessed by anyone other than advice staff ( and the Welfare sabbatical officer) and to secure any paper information which relates to users.
Records are kept for 6 years before being destroyed.
Inter-student problems: See Section 8. The ARC reserves the right to disclose the initial contact with the first student or group in order to explain why advice may not be provided to the second party. The nature of the advice given will not be disclosed
8. Conflict of Interest
When two or more students have contrary interests in a case, the ARC is not allowed to act for both sides as it would have knowledge of one side which could be used against the other. The ARC is obliged to represent the student(s) who approached them first. Should the other student(s) contact the ARC, the ARC may provide information (not advice or representation) and may offer a referral to another agency. e.g. there is a reciprocal agreement with Birmingham City’s students’ union advice service.
1. The ARC will mediate between two parties to a dispute, only if appropriate and with the agreement of both sides.
2. The ARC will not advise landlords on how to take action against student tenants, whether or not those student tenants have at that point approached the ARC for assistance. Landlords will be referred to other advice agencies or to solicitors.
3. The ARC may not advise student landlords (i.e. students who are themselves landlords) on how to take action against student tenants.
9. Client and Staff Conduct and Time Keeping
Students are encouraged to keep to appointment times. ARC staff will wait for 10 minutes for a student with a pre-booked appointment and for 5 minutes for a student who has an emergency duty advice appointment. Staff will try to ensure they are ready to deal with appointments on time. Students are expected to keep staff informed of any developments that occur which may affect their case and staff will do likewise.
10. Withdrawal or refusal of ARC services.
ARC staff can not take on new cases for graduates more than 6 months after graduation .The ARC relies on the accuracy and reliability of information provided by students. Should a student be thought to have knowingly misled or lied to ARC staff, the ARC reserves the right to withdraw the offer of its services.
The ARC may withdraw its services if, in the staff's professional opinion;
1. a case is not, or becomes not, worthy of being pursued.
2. all possible options have been explored and nothing more can be done.
3. a student does not co-operate with a previously agreed strategy
The ARC can not actively assist a student if the student has already asked someone else, or another agency, to act on their behalf. However the ARC may clarify issues for the student which the student has discussed with the other person or agency.
11. Referrals
The ARC will deal with enquiries to the best of its ability and knowledge. If advisers feel that a referral to another source of assistance might be more appropriate, then the student will be offered a referral. ARC staff reserve the right to refer the student to other members of the ARC staff team who are more experienced in an area of advice.
12. Data Protection
The data controller is the Guild General and Finance Manager. Data about students is recorded electronically for reasons explained in section 7
13. Equality of Access.
The ARC actively promotes equal opportunities. Behaviour or language in contravention of the Guild's Harassment Policy or Equal Opportunities Policy is not acceptable. However, students accused of such behaviour (if it has not occurred in the ARC) may ask for advice, assistance and representation.
14. And Finally........ Suggestions and Complaints
Students wishing to suggest how the service might be improved or students with a grievance concerning either an operational matter of the ARC , or the way their
problem was handled, should write to The Welfare Manager or The Vice President Education & Welfare or The Guild President or The Guild General and Finance Manager whomsoever is felt to be the most appropriate person by the student concerned.
Complainants should receive a written reply to their complaint within ten working days of it being received. Under the Education Act 1994, Code of Practice, Appendix 5, students may also choose to contact the University’s Chief Operating Officer who is based in the Main Building.
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