Supporting learners across Sussex
This month we’re meeting Amy Adams, Senior Outreach Manager, for the University of Brighton, to find out more about her work with schools and colleges across Sussex.
Tell us about your role
I am one of the Managers of the Outreach team leading the evaluation, planning, and development of Widening Participation outreach strategies for prospective students, their supporters and schools and colleges. Ensuring activities support the university’s Access and Participation Plan building in a strategic long-term approach to engage with underrepresented target groups including mature learners, care experienced, parents and supporters.
Which year groups does your team work with?
We work with learners from primary, through to secondary schools, 6th forms and colleges. This also includes mature leaners and parents and carers. Our annual outreach programme of on-campus, in school/college and online Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) alongside our Academic Excellence programme raises awareness and aspirations about the opportunities offered by Higher Education and the University of Brighton. Our work in secondary schools includes campus visits, a growth mindset programme, revision skills and Saturday clubs. Post 16 activities include summer schools, 1:1 personal statement support, academic taster events and IAG talks.
Tell us about the new programme, Brighton Boost
It was launched this year to help with the financial investment of going to university. The programme is a package of funding, support and services to help manage the cost of university for students who make Brighton their firm choice and whose postcodes meet the eligibility criteria, including care leavers and estranged students. The offer includes a rent discount off the cost of halls of residence accommodation and a cash bursary. We provide travel support for those not staying in halls of residence in their first year which is between £500 and £700 depending on distance they live from campus. We have also developed a Student Jobs Hub for our students to make it easier to find work on our campuses. We advertise work directly to students for part time work for example, in our Students Union, gyms, catering outlets and student ambassador schemes as well as work opportunities in the local area.
How would students find out more about this offer
We are sending out newsletters to teachers and advisers. If you don’t receive our newsletter you can email us to join the list here: outreach@brighton.ac.uk.
You can visit our website to find out more and check your eligibility for the Brighton Boost and information about bursaries for our students on NHS courses.
What support do you offer around flexible admissions
We have a flexible and contextual approach to admissions at the University of Brighton. This is about understanding learner’s achievements in the context of their situation. For example, we are lowering our advertised entry criteria by up to 16 UCAS points for targeted learners on eligible courses to support students who are underrepresented in Higher Education, such as student who received free school meals, students from areas of high deprivation, young carers, care experienced, parents/carers in the armed forces, refugee and asylum seekers. We have also been able to extend this offer to partner students who attend a University of Brighton Outreach Partner college.
Tell me what you mean by partner students?
We have long standing relationships with targeted 6th form and Further Education Colleges as a university imbedded in its community. Within these colleges all students are able to access outreach activities. Additional activities are provided for widening participation learners including mature learners on access courses. We have Outreach Coordinators assigned to each Sussex college as a point of contact to provide IAG, visits for academic taster sessions, 1:1 support for personal statements and for students applying for interview courses, summer schools and a raft of online activities and support. We also run an annual conference for Access students. Our partner students allow us to gain insight into what students are experiencing and how we can develop our support to meet their needs.
You’re the university’s point of contact for Care Leavers pre-access, what support is available to learners with a care experienced background?
We are a member of the National Network for the Education of Care Leavers and a signatory of the Care Leavers Covenant, a national inclusion programme supporting care levers. Support available for care leavers includes free train travel to open days/applicant days, £1,000 cash bursary, guaranteed all year-round accommodation, access to study skills and emotional wellbeing support, mentoring and a guaranteed interview for our paid ambassador role at university to provide part time work. There is more information here or you can email aboutuni@brighton.ac.uk.
Finally, we know you have a lot of events coming up on campus, how can schools and colleges find out about these to advertise to their learners?'
Autumn open days are happening across our campuses, details with dates and booking are on our website here. If learners can’t make an open day they can book on a campus tour. We also have a range of online events for those that can’t make the events on campus or would prefer to find out more online. There’s more information about these events here.