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Specialist Mental Health Mentoring
Route 1 Information Sheet
Route 1
The Route 1 scheme is targeted at people who are already in the sector and practising as specialist mental health mentors.
Pre-requisites
Participants would be expected to have been practicing as a mental health mentor embedded within a university system and to have amassed a minimum of 100 hours mentoring, to have on-going CPD and to have been in receipt of supervision by a qualified practitioner.
Assessment
Participants will be expected to submit the following:
- Current CV.
- Guided assignment of 2000 words demonstrating how they approach different aspects of the role.
- Guided essay of 1500 words indicating their understanding and experience of the effect of two of a list of nominated MH conditions on a student’s likely path through HE.
- Two references: one from someone who has *supervised their work and one from a relevant and qualified member of an academic institution both of whom have appropriate professional standing.
Participants will also:
- Sit an interview in person.
- Provide evidence of regular supervision arrangements already in place from a qualified practitioner (as per above via a reference) or provide evidence of supervision being put in place going forward if *supervision to date has been via a less formal arrangement.
- Provide evidence of any CPD attended and a commitment to ongoing CPD.
Assessment Panel
An assessment panel consisting of people within the consortium of Royal Holloway, UMO, UMHAN and external to this will mark, pass or fail participants. There will be a simple appeal procedure to allow quick resolution of any disagreements.
Location
If possible we will offer interviews at a range of locations assuming there are enough candidates from different areas to make this feasible.
Certification
The scheme would be certified by Royal Holloway and UMO but would not be credit-bearing in terms of HE awards.
Accreditation
On gaining certification, persons will then be considered eligible to join UMHAN and therefore eligible to join the DSA QAG NMH register i.e. accredited. This route is available to practitioners employed directly by higher education institutions and those working externally with higher education students.
UMHAN members are required to adhere to a Code of Ethics and a complaints procedure, and would have to make a declaration of fitness to practice, which would include an enhanced DBS clearance declaration.
Annual accreditation through UMHAN will be in the range of £50 per annum alongside an annual £90 membership fee.
Costs
To mark, assess, check and validate the credentials alongside sitting an interview, the total cost will be £350 per registration, which includes £50 initial registration fee due at the outset, a £200 marking fee due on submission and a final £100 interview fee due when work is marked and candidate is shortlisted for interview.
In order for the scheme to operate at this cost point a minimum of 40 individuals must register. Should this threshold not be reached those who have registered will be contacted and provided with options but we are currently optimistic that we will reach the threshold.
We will aim to ensure those registering at the outset and submitting their assignments and other paperwork promptly – i.e within three weeks of notification – will be offered interview date in September.
If you want to follow this route, please notify us and make your £50 deposit payment to Royal Holloway. This will cover initial administration but be returnable.
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