PVC (Research) one-one support sessions for Research Active Staff

The PVC (Research) Professor Pam Thomas has provided an additional £10K fund for one to one development specialist support for Research Active Staff (RAS). This is for staff on Research-focussed or Teaching & Research contracts. The funding is available until 31^st July 2019.

University of Warwick Research Strategy, work strand 1: 'To support, foster and showcase the talent and ambition of all our researchers'

'As part of a proactive approach to support staff as part of the Research Strategy, 20 additional one to one sessions will be made available. Each individual will be offered up to three personal support sessions, which can be focused on one area or spread across several areas of support'.

Professor Pam Thomas

Support available:

Selected RAS staff are able to access to up to three individual coaching/ support sessions provided by relevant experts. Support is available to cover the following activities;

• academic writing support

• coaching and mentoring support

• career development support

• access to a number of specialist psychometrics including Strengths Profiling, Emotional Intelligence and Myers Brigg Type Indicator where appropriate

An individual can have up to three one to one specialist support sessions.

The one to one specialist session(s) will be up to 1.5 hrs in length.

All session costs are covered by the fund and all sessions need to take place before 31^st July 2019.

Potential benefits:

Feedback from RAS colleagues who have previously engaged with similar one to one sessions is consistently positive citing the following key benefits:

• Personalised feedback e.g. on a first book proposal

• Developing individual strategies e.g. dealing with procrastination

• Greater confidence in abilities

• Greater personal awareness / appreciation of impact on others / working with others

• Access to confidential, impartial and objective support

• Breadth and depth of support areas

• Questions answered / tailored perspectives

‘The support offered is perfect for research staff. There is some kind of support for all the key areas that I have been concerned about and wanted to develop as an early career researcher. The support is personalised and offered by experienced people who can answer all your questions’

Anonymous

Eligibility:

Given the short and focussed nature of this approach it is important that nominees are carefully selected, with consideration to the following recommended criteria:

• Support provided will be used to enhance current good performance / outputs

• Individual and department likely to benefit from short programme of support in the listed areas

• Individual has a clear focus and agreed outcome that they are working towards and that the specialist support can help them to achieve

• Nominee fully committed to the programme

• Eligible for submission to Research Excellence Framework (REF)

The Process:

• If you are a Chair of Faculty / HOD / Director of Research / Strategic Lead / PI:
  • Identify colleagues who you believe would benefit from this personalised support, ensuring they meet the eligibility criteria.
  • Meet with the colleague, discuss area(s) of potential support and desired outcome and then direct selected colleagues to this page. Email Sandy Sparks, LDC, Sandra.Sparks@warwick.ac.uk and provide details of staff member name, support required and desired outcome.
• If you are the nominated/ selected colleague looking for support:-
  • Following initial discussion with your HOD / Chair of Faculty / Director of Research please complete the booking form providing full details of support required.
  • A member of the LDC team will then be in touch to arrange access to the appropriate specialist support.
  • Any information provided will be treated as confidential.

Impact - Measurement and Reporting

This provision is initially being set up as a 5-month pilot for this academic year. Impact will be assessed to inform future scheme viability.

The content of the one to one sessions will remain confidential; however general feedback will be sought from both the participant and the individual who put them forward in July / August to assess the benefit of the support.

Anonymised feedback will be used to measure impact and develop case studies as appropriate. In addition to individual and departmental benefits and outcomes, anonymised impact data will be relevant to future Athena Swann and HR Excellence in Research Charters.

Impact Report for Research Active Staff 1-1 support 2017/18