To provide adequate emotional support to course participants through regular communication with more experienced programme alumni and/or staff.
Course facilitators may find the following guidance useful when proposing a structure for pastoral care during each cohort. Each programme has a different set of constraints and course facilitators are encouraged to adapt accordingly.
Before the course begins, the course facilitator convenes a pastoral care team of two to three people (which may or may not include the facilitator) who commit to three scheduled walks (on day 4 of weeks 2, 6, and 10/11) and to responding promptly to student concerns during interim periods. Course facilitators are advised to choose carers who are demonstrably empathetic and exhibit strong listening skills.
During week 2, students sign up for a (15-20 minute) time slot with the pastoral care team member they want to work with for the rest of the course. This person becomes their pastoral carer.
For effective communication with the course facilitator, pastoral care team members should document the results of each walk, as well as relevant interim communication, in an appropriate format, such as a shared spreadsheet. By promptly communicating student questions/concerns, the course facilitator can efficiently determine if and when further discussions are warranted.
Walks provide students with an opportunity to raise questions and share concerns privately. Mentors should ask questions, listen carefully, and document what students share. Mentors are not expected to solve student problems on the spot.
Mentors may wish to ask some or all of the sample questions below during walks and/or in other communication with students.
- We understand this is a free course, but you still have to live in for 4 months, how are you financially?
- How are you feeling about the course?
- How are you getting on with your team?
- Have you noticed anything in the classroom that you’re concerned about? Any students teams you've noticed struggling?
- What have you most and least enjoyed about the course so far?
- In coming weeks (in particular week 4, when we begin Node), you're likely to feel out of your depth - don't hesitate to turn to me and/or other alumni who have been through this before
- How are you feeling about the course?
- How are you getting on with your (new) team?
- Have you noticed anything in the classroom that you’re concerned about? Any students teams you've noticed struggling?
- What have you most and least enjoyed about the course so far?
- What do you want to do after the course?
Students are likely to have more questions for their mentor on this walk.
- Who in the cohort would you like to work with again and why?
- Who would you not like to work with and why?
- What do you want to do after the course?