Degree Student
Approaches to Guidance
On this page you will find Jamk's Early Intervention Model, Substance Abuse Programme and Model for Addressing Harassment and Inappropriate Conduct.
Early Intervention Model
Ensuring and promoting the well-being of the higher education community is the responsibility of all members, both students and staff. Jamk's early intervention model describes how concerns are identified and addressed, and how students are guided to receive support for their situation.
The goal of the early intervention model is to support students' study ability, promote their well-being and health, facilitate early identification of mental health and substance abuse issues, ease intervention in problems, and improve referral to treatment.
A) How do I recognize a concern?
Trust your feelings if you sense a concern about someone else. Consider what specifically is causing your concern. No single factor necessarily indicates a concern, but pay attention to changes in behaviour, expressions and gestures, emotional challenges, and daily management.
B) How do I address the concern and what should I do?
Bring up the concern with the person you are concerned of and clearly state what it pertains to. You can involve another person in the discussion. Speak respectfully and considerately.
C) Levels of concern - how do I recognize the level of concern?
Assess the level of concern. For a minor concern, addressing it usually feels natural, and the person raising the concern has ideas for solutions or knows where to refer the issue.
For a significant concern, the worry grows or has persisted for a long time, indicating that help is needed from various sources.
For a major concern, there is a lot of or constant worry, and immediate action is required. In an emergency, call 112.
Jamk's Substance Abuse Programme
Moderate use of substances or substance-free lifestyle is part of life management, professional growth, and preparation for working life. At Jamk, study psychologists act as substance abuse contact persons. They have received training related to substances and addictions.
Substance Abuse Contact Person
- Advises and supports students in situations related to substance and gambling addiction and in addressing these issues
- Ensures referral to treatment
- Organizes drug testing and student hearings before it
- Acts as a contact in a multidisciplinary network
Below are the guidelines for addressing substance abuse issues
A) You recognize that you need help due to a substance or gambling problem
Contact anyone you trust or the substance abuse contact person (study psychologist) and explain your problem. Assess the status of your studies and how to proceed with them.
Determine the best supportive treatment for you and commit to it. Treatment providers can include a substance abuse nurse, FSHS, or mental health and substance abuse services of the Wellbeing Services County of Central Finland.
B) Concern about a student's substance use arises
As the person recognizing the concern, contact the substance abuse contact person (study psychologist). Arrange a joint meeting with the student and address the concern confidentially, respecting the student's privacy. Do not blame, but openly explain what observations reinforce your concern.
Consult, if necessary, with a career, study counsellor, study psychologist, or healthcare provider.
If the concern is significant, arrangements will be made with the substance abuse contact person to guide to the student to healthcare services.
Arrangements will be made under the guidance of the substance abuse contact person to monitor the situation and to hold possible network meetings, which may include representatives from healthcare and Jamk's guidance staff in addition to the student.
C) The student is intoxicated on campus
Ensure that the student is not a danger to themselves or others.
a) Minor concern: address the issue with the intoxicated student, preferably with another person.
b) Significant / major concern: directly contact the janitors or 112.
Require the student to leave the premises. Ensure, if necessary, that the student gets home safely. Fill out the document for removing the student from the teaching situation.
Always contact the campus substance abuse contact person immidiately after the situation. Their role is to manage the discussion and referral process, as well as to maintain the resulting documentation.
Disciplinary procedures will be initiated if necessary (Degree Regulations § 40).
D) Compulsory drug testing
The university of applied sciences has the right to require a student, regardless of their field of study and the courses they are taking, to present a certificate of drug test if there is reasonable suspicion that the student is under the influence of drugs in tasks related to their studies or internships, or if the student is addicted to drugs.
An additional requirement is that testing is necessary to determine the student's functional capacity and that the student is engaged in tasks that require special precision, reliability, independent judgment, or good reaction capability.
Drug testing is also necessary if drug use
1) Seriously endangers the student's or another person's life or health;
2) Seriously endangers traffic safety;
3) Seriously endangers the protection or integrity of information protected by confidentiality rules;
4) Significantly increases the risk of illegal trade and distribution of substances referred to in Section 3, Subsection 1, Paragraph 5 of the Narcotics Act (373/2008) held by the university of applied science or its maintainer or internship place.
The decision to require testing is made by the Head of the Unit
Model for Addressing Harassment and Inappropriate Conduct
JAMK's model for addressing harassment and inappropriate conduct applies to harassment or inappropriate behaviour directed at students that occurs in connection with studies or on campus.
Below are the guidelines for addressing harassment and inappropriate conduct.
A) Inappropriate conduct or harassment
If you experience inappropriate conduct or harassment, address the harassment as soon as possible with the person behaving poorly and tell them that you do not accept their behaviour. Clearly and concretely explain what you find inappropriate in their behaviour. Ask them to stop the harassment.
B) Report to JAMK's harassment contact person
If the inappropriate conduct continues and it has occurred in JAMK's studies or learning environments (campuses and online environments), contact JAMK's harassment contact at the latest at this stage. The harassment contact will agree with the person making the report on how to proceed with the process.
C) Separate hearing
If the person making the report wishes, the harassment contact will arrange a hearing for the other parties involved.
D) Joint discussion session
If all parties agree, the harassment contact will arrange a joint discussion session. The harassment contact persons facilitate respectful interaction and help the parties resolve the situation themselves.
E) Inappropriate conduct continues
If the inappropriate conduct continues despite the measures taken, the student reports the matter to the harassment contact person, and the case is transferred to disciplinary procedures according to the degree regulations. The Head of the Unit hears the parties involved and makes a proposal to the rector regarding sanctions and consequences.
