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In its inaugural session of the year, which was exclusively for those from care experienced and estranged backgrounds, prospective students in Years 12-13 had the opportunity to visit the Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ campus, learn about student life and hear about the support services on offer. ÌýÌý

Students who participated in the event heard from three current Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ students, including one also with a background in care, who shared insights about their journey to Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾, their experiences of studying at Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ and what their hopes are for the future. The attendees had the chance to spend time with these current students and ask questions and engage outside of the more formal setting of the classroom as they went on their campus tour. Participants and the current students also spent their lunch break together in the Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ Refectory to round off a great day of advice, guidance, and positive steps towards higher education journeys.Ìý

A student who participated in the event, said:Ìý

“My favourite part of the event was hearing about other care experienced students and their journey. It makes me feel positive about the future."Ìý

Participants heard from the Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ Access and Widening Participation team about the process of applying to university and the Access Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ contextual offer scheme available at Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ for underrepresented students. The team also highlighted the various forms of student support that exist at Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾, including academic support accessed at the departmental level, peer support offered by Transition Mentors, careers support and opportunities via the Careers Extra programme and the specialist mental health and wellbeing provision offered by Student Support and Wellbeing. Students also met the Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ dedicated contact for care experienced and estranged students, based in the Student Success Office, and heard from two Student Advisers about the support offered at Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ for current students.Ìý

Jalal Pour, Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøվ’s Senior Widening Participation Officer for Priority Groups, said:Ìý

“As the first Experience Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ event of the year, we were really pleased with how things went. It was great to welcome this group of enthusiastic young people onto the Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ campus and to help them gain more confidence in applying to university and highlighting the dedicated support services that are available to those from care experienced and estranged backgrounds at Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾. We hope the attendees enjoyed the day and took away some useful insights that will help inform their next steps." Ìý

This week marks ‘Estranged Students Solidarity Week 2024’ and Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ recognises the difficulties faced by care experienced students and estranged students that their peers are less likely to encounter. Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾'s Access and Widening Participation team runs dedicated initiatives like ‘Experience Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøվ’ to alleviate these hurdles and provide robust support to all students within these priority groups.Ìý

Further information

• Learn more about the support available for priority group students at Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾
• Learn more about the Experience Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ event seriesÌý
• Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾ Transition Mentor ProgrammeÌý
• Careers Extra at Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾Ìý
• Student Support and Wellbeing at Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾
• Read Â鶹´«Ã½ÊÓƵÍøÕ¾'s Access and Participation Plan 2020/21-2024/25