FHS Covid-19 Handbook

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Student Support

Office of Student Support

YOU MATTER!

The Office of Student Success (0SS) continues to provide the following support to FHS students during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely:

ACADEMIC ADVISING

  • Individual advising as per student needs and requests through WhatsApp calls. 
  • Online sessions (including video conferencing where necessary and possible) for 1st year students as planned via Moodle.
  • Class sessions agreed upon with Year Coordinators before COVID-19 are proceeding as per revised teaching calendar. These sessions will be asynchronous, and are posted on individual classes’ eLearning platforms managed by Year Coordinators (both SAKAI and Moodle).
  • OSS-funded Physics and Chemistry tutorials for 1st years are continuing via SAKAI course pages.

NB: Peer tutoring has been put on hold for now, to allow students to adjust to online learning. Students who require additional subject content support will be referred to Course Coordinators. 

COUNSELLING

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  • Confidential e-counselling through Microsoft Teams for individual students as and when requested.  
  • Containment of students in crisis and appropriate referral to mental health resources will be guided by the OSS Crisis Management Protocol.
  • Online debriefings for 10 students facilitated via Microsoft Teams over 45 minute session.
  • Course Coordinators may request workshops based on students’ psychosocial challenges. Online guides, mental health kits or VoPPs can be designed.

To access any of the above support, email studentsupport.health@wits.ac.za

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#MAKEADIFFERENCE CAMPAIGN including accessing ‘Care Kits’

The needs of students in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits University are diverse. Like all tertiary institutions, Wits endeavours to ensure that the diverse needs of students are met so that they can realize their career goals with success and dignity.  

There are students who are impacted by their financial and socioeconomic circumstances, which results in their basic needs not being met - among these, the need for food security, hygiene and personal care.  The OSS is committed to improve the lives of students who experience such hardships through the #MakeaDifference Campaign.  This includes sourcing donations of food items and/or toiletries so that these students can receive a ‘Care Kit’.

STUDENTS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE CARE KITS

  • Students who are self-funded and whose bursaries are not yet processed and active.
  • Students who report to have minimal financial support and have requested to return to campus due to difficult home circumstances.

NB: Students who have financial aid such as bursaries and NSFAS and request further assistance will be referred to the WCCO.

COLLECTION STATION

  • Students can collect care kits from the Student Liaison Hub, Medical School, 4th floor entrance. Collection dates will be communicated at FHS Logistics/Operations Student Return to Campus Committee meetings or via email to Course Coordinators.
  • Students who are not able to collect care kits on collection dates, may email anelisa.mofakeng1@wits.ac.za to arrange a suitable date/time.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS

  • Students will be expected to complete the #MakeaDifference Recipient Form prior to receiving a care kit.
  • This administrative process is essential as the OSS needs to maintain a database of students who may be required to source care kits in future.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

  • All students receiving care kits are requested to wear a cloth face mask.
  • Students are expected to sanitize their hands by the Medical School entrance as well as adhere to the 1.5m social distancing requirement when collecting care kits.

NB: Any student that does not adhere to these safety procedures will not be assisted. 

Kindly note the distribution of care kits depends heavily on the available stock of food items and toiletry supplies from donors. The OSS will consequentially refer students to WCCO.

Click here to go to the Wits Office of Student Success website

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