Testimonials

The Service/support I have had off the IT department and mainly Jamie has been astonishing! Whenever I have had a problem with IT or when I’ve needed some help with remembering and using the equipment support connect has given me, I have always reached out to Jamie as I feel comfortable talking to him and I don’t feel stupid for asking silly questions. Me and Jamie have had a fair few sessions and I find Jamie ease to talk to and I find he knows what he is talking about. I know if a problem comes up with IT, I can message Jamie and he will respond the same day with the information I need. I haven’t had much to do with the IT department as whenever there has been a problem, I have always gone to Jaimie for help.

“The support connect IT department have been able to help me enhance my learning, by offering me a range of resources, such as hardware (laptop, audio recorder, microphone), Software (Mind Mapping, Claro Read, Dragon Dictate) and Training on both the software and hardware.

An initial once per week training was provided and then I was left to independently use the software and hardware for my own applications, however I am still offered helpful support, with quick responses when needed.

The hardware and software are very good quality, and the training is thoughtful with a good number of breaks and is customised for my specific needs.”

I am very lucky and have found having access to all the support from Support Connect very helpful.
Jamie from the IT team was very helpful, polite, and sensitive, sensitive for example he was happy if I didn’t want my camera on as some students have anxiety etc. Although I was more than happy to have my camera on, I thought this was a good sign that he and the team are aware and understanding. My IT training was well put together with breaks and structure to the calls. Jamie would always take note of my questions and respond to them ASAP.

The laptop has been a huge help, having software’s such as Claro Read Pro has benefited me, such as the text to speech tool and the screen overlay colour, having the screen faded with a cream colour I have found really helpful and find it much easier to see the screen, this I have been told is a part of my dyslexia, needing a colour overlay, it really has changed things for me positively when it comes to writing word documents or even reading text on the laptop.

The Mind View software is very useful as it helps visualise information in a more understandable format for me and is very customisable.

My weekly support sessions have been very helpful, D has really helped support me through my first year of my apprenticeship. Dyslexia, comes with many challenges and hurdles and they really take their toll on you mentally over the years, being able to talk to D has helped me grow in confidence and have a better outlook on taking on new tasks and then completing them.

Talking to D helps as she has experience and knowledge with working with people with Dyslexia, compared to some others, who may want to help but don’t understand how to.
The sessions with D vary a lot depending on what tasks and exams I must revise and complete. In sessions we look at all my tasks and exams and break them down, then organise them, making them manageable and less daunting.
I have been able to learn many different techniques for organisation through these sessions and always end the sessions feeling motivated and a weight lifted off my shoulder. As the sessions are online, it makes them very accessible and easy to fit into my busy schedule.
Personally, the support hasn’t been about learning new skills such as organisation or confidence but rather improving and growing these skills.
Thankyou for the continued help!

The technology I was given was MindView, Grammarly and Global Tasks. I mainly use Grammarly and Mindview to help with my spelling and organisation skills. Grammarly in particular has really helped my writing in regards to clarity, grammar and flow and as a result the feedback for my future projects have been much better and little amendments have had to be made. Before I had MindView, I was a mess in regards to organisation and planning. Now, before every big project I use this software to map out my project. This not only helps me achieve work efficiently and confidently, it also releases some stress. Jamie ran me through these programs and made sure I fully understood the platforms.

Another thing Support Connect helped me with was giving me a support mentor, who was an absolute star and made me feel so comfortable in my workplace. She put things in place like a weekly planner, which I still use to this day to assist in my organisation skills. I also get stuck with writers block and she taught me really cool tips and tricks, which really have helped me free my mind, making it easier to write.

Health care Service and Management/University of Birmingham

Support Connect is a fantastic person-centred service. My support worker was very patient and explained everything so that I could understand how to use the software effectively, but also made the sessions fun and tailored to my needs. This support has made a massive difference in my studies. 5 stars for sure!

Geography/University of Birmingham

I found my sessions so helpful and worthwhile. Each session went at a pace that was good for me and was easy to follow and understand. I looked forward to each session and would thoroughly recommend to everybody.

Policing Degree/University of Gloucester

I enjoyed the sessions. I found my assigned trainer James to be an interesting and fun guy, which made absorbing and being part of the session effortless and enjoyable. It was a relaxed setting; I was free to ask any questions and have a break whenever I needed to. James was great. He adapted to my learning style, he made the training tailored to me, so I wasn't bored or confused at any time. The skills I now have are invaluable. I cannot recommend them enough.