Students Receive Special Recognition for Extra-curricular Work

Special recognition has been awarded to more than 250 University of Worcester students who have under taken a host of extra-curricular work and activities.

The students all completed the Worcester Award, which encourages students to participate in a range of activities to help boost their employability.

The Award is run by the University’s Careers & Employability team and is supported by a number of local employers.

This year 252 students achieved the Worcester Award, the highest number to achieve the award since it began in 2010. Of those, 43 achieved Bronze, 90 Silver and 119 Gold.

The Mayor of Worcester, Councillor Steve Mackay, who attended the Worcester Award ceremony, said: “The University’s Worcester Award scheme is excellent, because everybody benefits. Students contribute many hours of their time, not just for paid employment but also to volunteer in the city, enhancing the lives of residents and visitors through their efforts.  The students benefit too, gaining valuable experience and skills which, all the more, employers are seeking.”

Students completed a range of activities, including delivering Chinese Mandarin classes; being a Special Constable; work experience at a museum; volunteering at a Hindu temple; setting up an Arts & Craft business; becoming the editor of a student magazine; and volunteering with St John’s ambulance.

Three students also received additional special recognition awards; Anthony Redfern was recognised for Outstanding Overall Performance, Heather Edwards for Outstanding Presentation and Christopher Jordan for Outstanding Interview. Each student received Amazon vouchers, which were funded by this year’s Worcester Award sponsors, Worcestershire Ambassadors and Sanctuary Housing.

Ross Renton, Pro Vice Chancellor Students at the University, said: “We are delighted that so many students have achieved the Worcester Award this year. We are so proud of all those students who have managed to achieve great things during their time here at the University of Worcester. The range of additional and voluntary activities will greatly enhance their future employability as it gives firm evidence of their motivation, as well as the skills and experiences they will be expected to demonstrate in future job applications and interviews.”

The University is keen to hear from local employers who would like to be involved in the Worcester Award, particularly as panel members for Gold Award interviews. For more information email worcesteraward@worc.ac.uk

Purple Day – Raising awareness of Epilepsy

Let’s get purple and support Purple Day on 26 March.

Purple Day is a day where all across the world people are raising awareness of epilepsy. We will hold our own event on Thursday 23 March in Firstpoint. Come along and find out more about epilepsy and show your support. There will be freebies, information and fun photo opportunities.

University’s Money Advice Team – information on saving money and recycling

Join the University’s Money Advice Team from Tuesday 14 February to Thursday 16 February from 10.00 to 3.00 in the Main Reception of St John’s Campus for advice and information on Saving Money and Recycling.

The Team will be joined by:

Worcestershire Resource Exchange (Weds) demonstrating use of scrap in Arts and Crafts and offering reduced prices for student membership

The Coop offering prizes and student discount

The SU issuing NUS Cards and the UW Sustainability Team’s Travel Store.

There will also be many freebies on offer!

Firstpoint closure – from 4pm on Monday 12 December

Please note that firstpoint will close at 4.00pm on Monday 12^th December. The PCs and study areas in the Peirson Study and Guidance Centre will remain open as normal, with access via the 24-hour entrance.

We apologise for any inconvenience.

Money Advice Service Campaigns

Shark Repellent on Campus!

The Money Advice Service is delivering a promotion in the main reception area from the 15th to 17th of November to raise awareness of the real and often dangerous cost of borrowing. On the 15th they will be joined by the UK Illegal Money Lending Team, Trading Standards Staff and a UW Community Police Officer for a special day to explain how to recognise and report “Loan Sharks”. Two staff in“ Loan Shark” costumes will be visiting campus for the day and a “selfie stick” will be available for photo opportunities!

https://www.gov.uk/report-loan-shark

New Student Services Newsletter

Student Services News aims to provide current University of Worcester staff information, updates and insights from across Student Services. We support students in many different ways, across all aspects of student life. Student Services includes:

• Careers & Employability
• Chaplaincy
• Counselling & Mental Health
• Disability & Dyslexia Service
• firstpoint
• Money Advice
• Student Achievement
• Student Support & Wellbeing
• Unitots

This first edition includes articles on:

Student destinations & Careers support for graduates
My Day: Kirsten Brown, Counsellor: insights into Counselling & Mental Health services
Loan shark awareness campaign
Student isolation during the Christmas holidays
Accessing Assistive Software
New research: International approaches to disabled student support

Access the newsletter home page here: https://uwstudentservicesnews.wordpress.com/

If you have any comments or queries about the newsletter you can contact Student Services News through the online newsletter or at ssn@worc.ac.uk

Student Services: A new guide for University staff

Helping students to access the right support at the right time

Whatever your role at the University of Worcester – whether you are an academic tutor, or working in a professional services role, a student-facing service, or the Students’ Union – this guide is for you. It is designed to ensure that you can, quickly and confidently, direct students to the advice and support they need, when they need it.

While students choose to study at the University of Worcester primarily to take advantage of the outstanding academic experience on offer, specialist advice and support is also fundamental to a truly excellent student experience. Student Services offers a range of support and advice on all aspects of student life.

Guide for University Staff covers a range of the support available from Student Services, focusing particularly on those services and situations we are most frequently asked about by colleagues. It outlines some of the key signs and behaviours to look out for to help you spot a student who may need additional support, provides practical guidance on what action you might need to take, and finally indicates what might happen once a referral is made.

This guide is available online at: http://www.worcester.ac.uk/your-home/information-for-staff.html

Dyslexia Awareness Month

Dyslexia Awareness Month at the University of Worcester continues this week:

• It is Dyslexia Information Day in firstpoint on Thursday 27^th October 10am-4pm
  • Do a LADS dyslexia screening test online
  • What do you know about dyslexia? – try our dyslexia quiz
  • See our Dyslexia Information leaflets and resources
  • Ask about dyslexia…
  • Talk about dyslexia..
  • And find out about the dyslexia support available at the University
• Free film showing of “The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia” in EE1102 between 11.30 and 12.30pm on Thursday 27^th October (open to all staff and students). Free popcorn.
• Attend the launch of the University of Worcester Dyslexia Network. 12.30-2pm EE1102.
• Open to students and staff

For further information about any of the events or activities during Dyslexia Awareness Month, please contact Patrick Clark, Specialist Learning Support Service Manager at p.clark@worc.ac.uk or 01905542499.

Dyslexia Awareness Month

Dyslexia Awareness Month at the University of Worcester continues this week:

• We launch our series of dyslexia awareness posters and materials
• Free film showing of “The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia” in EE1026 between 12.30 and 1.30pm on Thursday 20^th October (open to all staff and students).
  • Is it a life-limiting condition that prevents people from achieving their ambitions?
  • Is it about bad-spelling or poor reading?
  • Director James Redford aims to debunk some of these myths. In his film, families, students, scientists and company CEOs talk about their experiences and the facts about dyslexia, which affects approximately 1 in 10 of the UK population.
• Dyslexia is a commonly misunderstood condition and many myths surround it.

For further information about Dyslexia Awareness Month, please contact Patrick Clark, Specialist Learning Support Service Manager at p.clark@worc.ac.uk or 01905542499.

University of Worcester Library Services presents Study Happy

Study Happy is a year-round programme of events co-ordinated by University of Worcester Library Services and designed to help students in Worcester study healthier, happier and smarter.

Study Happy focuses on looking after students’ mental, physical and academic health and wellbeing through a combination of open access online resources, one-off events and ongoing initiatives.

The programme pulls together services from across the University of Worcester, local sixth forms and the wider community to support students studying in Worcester.

For more information, online resources and the full programme of events visit the Study Happy webpages: Library.worc.ac.uk/study-happy

Our first big Study Happy event, Stress Awareness Day will feature mindfulness and qigong taster sessions, Pets As Therapy dog visits and crafting and gaming activities and will take place on Wednesday 2^nd November 2016 at The Hive.

Please promote the programme and the event to students wherever possible. As the Stress Awareness event falls within Worcester Week you may wish to include it in your Worcester Week timetable for students.

If you are currently co-ordinating or have an idea for an initiative that you feel could sit under the Study Happy banner please don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss your ideas with Madalene George, Study Happy Co-ordinator: m.george@worc.ac.uk

 

Careers & Employability Service part-time evening work

dlhe-job-poster

Calling all staff!

The Careers & Employability Service has some temporary, part-time evening work available.

Starting the 10th January 2017, the work will last for four to eight weeks at £8.44 per hour.

The work will involve telephoning graduates and recording their information on to a computer.

For full details and to apply, please go to www.worc.ac.uk/community/current-vacancies.html and search ‘DLHE survey staff’.

For more information please call 01905 855166, or email careers@worc.ac.uk

Thank you.

Dyslexia Awareness Month

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month at the University of Worcester, with lots of activities and events on all Campuses and at the Hive throughout the month. These include free dyslexia awareness film showings, launch of a new Dyslexia Network open to students, promotion of our in-house screening services, dyslexia awareness talks and launch of dyslexia awareness post-cards and posters, designed by first year Graphic Design students.

We are also participating in National Dyslexia Awareness Week which runs between October 3^rd and 7^th. This year’s theme under the theme: “Identification of Dyslexia”.

This week’s activities include:

• Free Film showing of “The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia” in the Studio at the Hive, 7pm Friday 7^th September
• Launch of our Dyslexia Awareness posters across the University
• Promotion of the University’s in-house dyslexia screening and assessment service

For further information or to get involved please contact Patrick Clark, Specialist Learning Support Service Manager on 01905 542499 or p.clark@worc.ac.uk

Careers & Employability Service part-time evening work

dlhe-job-poster

Calling all staff!

The Careers & Employability Service has some temporary, part-time evening work available.

Starting the 10th January 2017, the work will last for four to eight weeks at £8.44 per hour.

The work will involve telephoning graduates and recording their information on to a computer.

For full details and to apply, please go to www.worc.ac.uk/community/current-vacancies.html and search ‘DLHE survey staff’.

For more information please call 01905 855166, or email careers@worc.ac.uk

Thank you.

 

 

 

Quick Guide to Wellbeing

15 minute wellbeing flyer

The Counselling & Mental Health Service is offering a new ‘Quick Guide to Wellbeing’ for the beginning of Semester 1 as part of their contribution towards World Mental Health Day on Monday 10 October.

You can invite a member of their professional team to attend one of your teaching sessions for 15 minutes to:

·         Come along to meet you and your students

·         Introduce the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’

·         Explain how and when to contact the Counselling & Mental Health Team

·         Demonstrate a quick way to help calm anxiety and focus attention

The offer is open to all cohorts, so the larger the group, the more students we can reach in the first few weeks! Please see the attached flyer for details.

Please contact Nikki Tobin at n.tobin@worc.ac.uk or Ext. 2063 to arrange a date and time.

 

New accessibility checker for disabled students, staff and visitors

Disabled students, staff and visitors can now find out more about the accessibility of buildings and facilities across campus, thanks to a new online resource.

We’ve worked with a national disability organisation, DisabledGo, to produce guides which provide detailed information about the facilities on campus such as reception areas, toilets, meeting rooms, libraries, lecture halls, shops, accommodation and more.

The detailed access guides are live and available for all to use at: http://www.disabledgo.com/organisations/university-of-Worcester

“The University has a long-standing commitment to inclusion, ensuring that all students reach their full potential. We’re therefore delighted to be working with DisabledGo in the production of these access guides to benefit our students, staff and visitors.” – Ross Renton, PVC Students

The University was independently assessed in person by trained DisabledGo surveyors to ensure accurate, detailed information was collected.

The guides will be a great help to disabled students, staff and visitors at the University. They will equally be of help to staff answering any access queries about things such as parking, walking distances and toilet facilities.

 

Firstpoint early closure

Firstpoint will close at the slightly earlier time of 5.20pm on Thursday 23 June 2016, before re-opening for a conference reception.

The Peirson Study and Guidance Centre will remain open throughout via the 24 hour entrance.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Supporting disabled students – important update about DSA

Disabled Students Allowance

Please see the attached document for details.

 

Event for students: “Fancy a Cuppa?”

“Fancy a Cuppa?” is an event ran by Student Services support staff at various points in the academic year. It will be returning in May, offering students another opportunity to have a free drink and spend some time relaxing in the company of others.

Students can also come and speak with a member of staff in confidence and in a non-judgemental manner.

Please encourage students to come along to the “Fancy a Cuppa?” event for a free hot drink and a chat with friendly and welcoming members of Student Services. We are here to listen, share in their experiences and offer advice if required. If students would like to speak to someone in private, a room is available.

On certain days we will be joined by a therapy dog, Monty, who students (or staff) are welcome to stroke and pet.

“Fancy a Cuppa?” will take place on the following days:

Monday 16 to Friday 20 May 2016 1-2pm

Attached is a poster that you are encouraged to print and display. Fancy a cuppa poster

 

Student Summer Jobs

Student Summer Jobs 2016

The University of Worcester are looking for Conference and Accommodation Assistants, Halls Assistants, Receptionists, Campus Services Assistants and Grounds staff. A great opportunity to earn money over the summer and boost your CV!
Application Deadline 10th April 2016

Extra Money for Students Event

The University of Worcester students’ Money Advice Service are promoting the Access to Learning Fund (Student Hardship Fund) Access Fund in the St John’s Campus Reception Area on Wednesday the 24th of February, Thursday the 25th of February and Friday the 26th of February from 11.00 am to 3.00 pm.

They aim to increase awareness to students and staff of the non-refundable money available throughout the year to help eligible students in financial difficulty.

Money Advice staff will be on hand to answer questions about the fund and give advice on completing the application form.

Quality “freebies” will also be available e.g. piggy banks, sweets, lunch boxes, memory sticks preloaded with excel budget sheets and so on.