Who we are
Our Disability Inclusion team is here to help you access the support you need during your time at Edinburgh Napier. We hope that by introducing you to our team, it will help encourage you to take the step to get in touch and get the support you need.
What we do
We help students across all three of our campuses (Merchiston, Craiglockhart, and Sighthill), and we support students with a range of different disabilities, learning difficulties, conditions, and support needs. We are here to ensure that students get equal access to university life.
Who to speak to first
If you have already been assigned to work with a particular advisor, you can get in touch with them directly. Alternatively, if you are contacting our team for the first time, please email disabilityandinclusion@napier.ac.uk and you will reach our admin team, who will either assist you with your query or point you in the direction of the right adviser to suit your needs.
If you want to speak about support for disabled students generally at the university, please contact Heather, our Disabled Student Engagement Worker.
If you have been assigned an advisor, you can book an appointment with them via My Future. Alternatively, you can use this online form to contact us so we can assign you to one of our advisors.
Jane Barclay - Disability Inclusion Advisor
My role is to be a point of contact for new and existing students within the Schools of Health and Social Care, Applied Sciences and Business School who have a long-term health condition, sensory impairment, or Autism. Working with students a plan will be created to ensure appropriate strategies are in place to assist within the teaching and learning environment and the wider university community.
Kirstie Fairnie - Disability Inclusion Advisor
I work with students with Specific Learning Difficulties at Sighthill. I advise students about support available, create Learning Profiles (support plans), and help students to apply for funding for support.
Audrey Gunn - Disability Inclusion Advisor
I am the main point of contact for students based at Merchiston campus with a Specific Learning Difficulty (Dyslexia etc). I advise students of the support we can provide before and while they study with us. It's my job to create Learning Plans, support applications for Disabled Student Allowance and answer questions from students along the way.
Lisa Adams - Disability Inclusion Advisor
In my role I work with students across all 3 campuses. Please book an appointment on MyFuture if you are struggling with your mental health or ADHD as I can signpost you to the wide range of support on offer at Napier. I am not a counsellor, but I am happy to listen to any issues you are facing, and I can support you in finding appropriate help. I also draw up a Learning Profile which helps to ensure appropriate strategies are in place to help support your studies.
Jenny Hall - Disability Inclusion Advisor
I work with prospective and current students within the Schools of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment and Arts and Creative Industries who are autistic, have sensory conditions affecting their vision or hearing, challenges with their mobility and/or long-term health conditions. I can work with you to create a Learning Profile (support plan) and make arrangements for any other requirements you have to enable you to access your studies.
Jonathan Staal - Inclusion Services Manager
I mostly work with Business School students who have a Specific Learning Difficulty, such as Dyslexia. I also work with students with mental health conditions. In addition, I manage the Disability Inclusion team and work with Schools and other Services on making the University a more inclusive place to study and work.
Heather Armstrong - Disabled Student Engagement Worker
I speak to disabled students about their experiences at Edinburgh Napier and work with the rest of the Disability Inclusion Team to make the university a more inclusive place to study. I support the work of the Disability Inclusion Student Ambassadors and the implementation of Edinburgh Napier’s local BSL Plan.
Alice McLeish - Student Wellbeing and Inclusion Administrator
I am an administrator for the Student Inclusion and Wellbeing Team, where I provide admin support across the services. My main role within the disability and Inclusion team includes being the first point of contact for students and staff who have enquiries for the Disability and Inclusion team. I also carry out many administrative processes within this role, some of these include processing referrals for student support, processing DSA awards and Needs Assessments, signposting students to the right adviser or other services, helping students book appointments, processing invoices for student support, and processing Educational Psychologist referrals and reports.
Dawn Hamilton - Student Wellbeing and Inclusion Administrator
I provide administrative support across the different services within the wider Student Wellbeing and Inclusion team. When providing support to the Disability and Inclusion team, I respond to queries from students looking for support, directing them to make appointments with advisors as appropriate. I support referrals for student support, referrals for educational psychologist assessments and process DSA awards. I also assist with preparation and organisation of support to students when sitting exams.
Michelle McAllister - Student Wellbeing and Inclusion Administrator
I am an administrator for the wider Wellbeing and Inclusion team. As well as supporting the Disability and Inclusion service, I also support Counselling, Safeguarding and Keep on Track. In terms of supporting the Disability and Inclusion service, I process referrals, reports and requests for student support; signpost students to other support services as appropriate; and help students to book appointments.