Three simple steps to boost your approach to estranged learners in 2022
This year we’re going to be providing new practical guidance to schools, colleges and universities looking to support estranged learners. So if you’re wanting to ramp up the help you provide, keep an eye out on our Learning4LifeSussex.org.uk website for information on the latest initiatives, training and events…
The charity Stand Alone, says that students often experience severe financial difficulties, loneliness, mental health issues and even homelessness as a result of the breakdown of their family relationships.
With 79% of estranged learners becoming estranged from their parents before the age of 18 a co-ordinated approach between schools, colleges and universities is vital.
So what can you do to support estranged learners in your learning environment? There are three simple steps you can take today:
- Sign up to one of our free training sessions for schools about working with estranged learners. The first one-hour webinar led by GB Met in partnership with Stand Alone, the leading charity working with estranged young people and adults, will be held on Tuesday 1st March from 3.45pm – 5pm. During the session schools and colleges will be able to find out more about the kinds of issues that young estranged learners face and how to stand by them in overcoming these. To book your place please complete the registration form here – once registered you will be sent an invitation to the Zoom meeting. Please feel free to forward the registration link to any colleagues and contacts in your network who may be interested in attending. It’s particularly relevant for representatives from universities and other higher education institutions, as well as further education colleges and sixth form colleges.
- Make a Stand Alone pledge: The charity Stand Alone, has also created a pledge that schools, colleges and universities can make to show, in an official capacity, their support for estranged learners. This enables young people, estranged from their families, to identify the higher education institutions in which they will be able to readily find the support and guidance they need to successfully continue with their studies. Over 100 colleges and universities across the UK have already made the pledge including Brighton University, the University of Sussex and University of Chichester in Sussex. If you’re interested in publicly demonstrating your support for estranged learners, you can find out more about the Stand Alone pledge here, or you can talk direct to Stand Alone about what is involved at our March training session (see above).
- Check out our next edition of SLN Now, where we’ll be revealing details of our new Sussex-wide database of Estranged Learner contacts at schools, colleges and universities across Sussex. The project – being co-ordinated in partnership with GBMet - will enable estranged learners or those supporting them, to easily identify point people in individual learning environments who can offer dedicated guidance and support.
If you would like to add a contact at your school, college or university to our database, get in touch with our programme lead, Debra Vice-Holt here.