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Enabling Achievement : Supporting Care Experienced Students

Enabling Achievement : Supporting Care Experienced Students

In September 2015 the Scottish Government challenged colleges and universities across the country to address the critical disparity between the number of school pupils from a care experienced background who go onto higher education compared to their peers . Only 6 % of looked after school leavers go on to study at university compared to 39 % of all school leavers .
Edinburgh Napier University has responded to this challenge by putting in place a number of support systems to assist students who identify as coming from a care experienced background . The Widening Access team delivers initiatives and develops resources to ensure fair and equal access to the benefits of higher education throughout the student journey .
Katrina Castle , Head of Widening Access , and Peter Tormey , Articulation Support Advisor , discuss some of the challenges faced by these students and how alumni and friends of the University can help .
Support for Care Experienced Students is a new fundraising priority and there are a wide range of giving levels you can support . From accommodation grants and bursaries to equal experience funding - all donations will make a difference .
Family has been the biggest contributor to our success in business and in life . When my wife and I heard about the difficulties students from care experienced backgrounds can face , we knew we had to do something . The modest financial support we can give doesn ’ t make up for the hardships these young people have lived through at home , but hopefully it will help give them a chance to thrive and succeed in the supportive and caring environment of Edinburgh Napier University .
Norman Springford , Founder – Apex Hotels Ltd
What are some of the issues students today are facing ?
Peter : “ The issues I have encountered with care experienced students are varied . One of the most common concerns is the need for academic support and guidance , especially during the transition period of starting at Edinburgh Napier University . Student life can , for many , be a juggling act balancing studies with part-time jobs , family commitments and other responsibilities or unexpected changes which can be challenging .”
Katrina : “ Students who are care experienced have often faced significant barriers to having had a positive experience of education , for many reasons , including being separated from their families , friends and local communities ; disrupted schooling due to changes in accommodation ; a lack of certainty in their future - where will they live and who will they live with ?”
What is unique about students who come from a care experienced background in how they handle student life ?
Peter : “ Care experienced students share many of the same challenges , concerns and issues as the student body as a whole . Some however may have less of a family support network and resources , higher financial pressures and more stresses outside of university . Often these students are the first in their circle of friends and family to attend higher education and , as such , may not have the network of people in their lives to discuss the challenges of studying at university . However , many care experienced students can be resilient , determined and focussed on the future which are important traits to get anyone through the higher education process .”
Katrina : “ Many of us take the idea of “ home ” as a given . However , for some care experienced students , stress around where they will live will have been a recurrent theme in their lives . There can be issues around short term tenancies and accommodation during holiday periods as they have nowhere else to go . To counteract this , Edinburgh Napier University offers care experienced students access to student accommodation throughout the year and for the full duration of their course .”
How does it make you feel when you are confronted with a student struggling to make ends meet or stay enrolled in university ?
Peter : “ When I ’ m working with a student who is particularly struggling it makes me determined to make a significant difference in improving their circumstances . I aim to understand each individuals ’ desired outcomes and work towards that , whether it is by liaising with or referring the student to support services within the university such as Student Funding for financial support or to the Academic Skills team for guidance with course work .”
Katrina : “ I have a sense of frustration , that despite our best efforts , we cannot always ensure that care experienced students can fully make the most of student life . In particular , they can experience significant financial barriers to accessing some of the opportunities that we know add real value to their degrees and increase their employability upon graduation . For instance , studying abroad for a period of time , internships and volunteering .”
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