Workplace Support | Students

Support Options

As a Non-Medical Help (NMH) Provider, Onyx Support offers a variety of services to students, universities and organisations, enabling individuals to flourish in their chosen areas of study and work. Through providing one to one support and workshops, encouraging practical support and strategies to reduce the challenges faced. Support is tailored to students depending on their current needs. Our support workers offer the following roles:

Mental Health, Study and Accessibility Support

Study Skills

A tutor provides one-to-one support to help you build your study skills and confidence. This can include help with:

organisation and planning
exam prep and revision strategies
research techniques
memory and recall strategies
literacy support (spelling, punctuation, grammar, and clear written expression)

The aim is to support your independent learning and help you manage your workload. Study skills support isn’t subject-specific teaching, but your tutor can use your course materials to help you apply practical strategies to your assignments and study tasks.

Specialist Mentoring

Mentors work with you one-to-one to help you overcome barriers linked to an impairment or long-term condition, for example mental health needs or being on the autistic spectrum.

Mentoring support can help you with things like:

managing anxiety and stress
coping with concentration or focus difficulties
improving time management and planning
developing a sustainable work–life balance

The focus is on building your skills and confidence, supporting your independence, and helping you manage your workload, especially during busy periods or times of transition.

Practical and Mobility Support

Practical and Library Support Assistants

This support is there to help you manage practical and mobility needs in the workplace. It can include support with moving around the building safely, manoeuvring a wheelchair if needed, and carrying work items or equipment such as a laptop, files, or other kit. It can also include orientation support, especially in a new workplace, helping you learn where key areas are (for example meeting rooms, toilets, entrances/exits, or kitchen areas) and the easiest routes to take. The aim is that as you become more familiar with the environment, you’ll be able to do more independently and need less orientation support over time. In some cases, it can also involve light social support to help you access the wider aspects of working life, such as joining team activities or navigating workplace interactions where that feels challenging.

Reader/Proof Reader

This support can help you by reading written material aloud to you, either live or as an audio recording, so you can access information more easily. It can also include reading your own work back to you to support proofreading and checking for clarity. A proofreader can highlight and point out errors in your writing, such as grammar, punctuation, and spelling. This is usually a non-contact support and can be provided remotely, for example via email. Before recommending this type of support, it’s important to check what your institution or organisation allows, as guidelines can vary.

Sighted Guide

A Sighted Guide can support you in the workplace by helping you move around safely and confidently — especially in busy, unfamiliar, or changing environments. This can include:

Navigating between different buildings, floors, departments, or meeting rooms
Identifying entrances and exits, stairs, lifts, ramps, and suitable seating
Describing your surroundings and flagging any changes in layout or obstacles
Supporting safe movement through crowded areas or new routes
Helping when plans change, such as last-minute room moves or different routes
Assisting you to locate key spaces like offices, reception, facilities, or support services

Support is always led by your preferences and adapted over time as you become more familiar with the environment and more confident navigating independently.

Assistive Software and Note Taking Support

Specialist Note Taking

A qualified electronic note-taker can support you at work by providing live speech-to-text notes during meetings, training sessions, and group discussions. This means you can follow what’s being said in real time without the extra pressure of trying to listen, process information, and take notes all at once. Your notes can capture key points, definitions, questions and answers, and important instructions. They’ll be provided in the format that suits you best, for example full notes, structured bullet points, or clear headings. If you have specific accessibility needs, the note-taker can also adapt the layout to make notes easier to read, such as using larger font, clear spacing, or colour-coding where helpful.

Assistive Technology Training

A trainer in assistive technology can support you at work if you’re disabled or have a specific learning difference, including dyslexia, AD(H)D, Asperger’s/autism, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, or dyspraxia. They’ll usually start with a short assessment to understand what you need and what works best for you. After that, they’ll provide personalised training on the most suitable assistive technology (software and/or hardware), tailored to your role, working style, and day-to-day tasks, so you can use the tools confidently and independently.

Communication Support

Communication Support Worker

A Communication Support Worker (CSW) provides specialist communication support for Deaf and hard of hearing people in the workplace. Their role is to help you access spoken information and take part fully in meetings and day-to-day work.

A CSW can support you by relaying key information in a clear, accessible way (for example using clear speech and visual cues) and/or producing structured notes so you can review what was discussed afterwards. Support is always tailored to your needs and preferred communication style, with the aim of reducing barriers and building confidence, participation, and independence.

BSL Interpreting

British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting is specialist communication support provided by a qualified interpreter. A BSL interpreter translates between spoken English and BSL so you can access information, take part in discussions, and communicate confidently at work.

Support is tailored to your needs and the setting, helping to ensure communication is clear, accurate, and accessible in meetings, training, and day-to-day workplace interactions.

Lip Speaking

Lip Speaking is specialist communication support provided by a qualified Lip Speaker. A Lip Speaker repeats spoken information clearly and silently, using natural lip patterns, facial expression, and gesture. This helps you access spoken information if you rely on lipreading. In the workplace, Lip Speaking can support you to follow meetings, training, and discussions more easily, so you can keep up with what’s being said and participate with confidence.