The University of Edinburgh is a corporate parent, and as such has legislative duties to support care-experienced people make the most of their time at university. Our vision is that each of our care-experienced and estranged students flourish during their time at The University of Edinburgh. We want them to feel part of the University community, and supported to participate fully in University life. We believe having a mentor is vital to this approach as it provides a relationship-based support at the crucial point of transition.

The mentoring relationship focuses upon supporting the student to engage with the wider University, academically and non-academically. It focuses upon the four main strands of educational mentoring: academic, social, financial and personal, signposting to relevant support services within the University. Mentors commit to working with their student for at least one academic year, although mentors and mentees are encouraged to continue with the programme for the duration of a mentee’s degree.

Mentors should be able to commit approximately one hour every two weeks to meet their mentee. The Mentoring Programme Coordinator will support mentors for the duration of the programme, providing training, monthly check-ins, ongoing and/or ad hoc advice and guidance, and opportunities for peer learning with other mentors.

The Edinburgh Cares Staff Mentoring Programme is offered to all new care experienced and estranged students, and the programme is planning to expand its offering to continuing students in the future. Both professional and academic staff are welcome to express interest in becoming mentors. In addition to training, the Coordinator conducts careful selection to make sure mentors have appropriate experience and skills to support care experienced or estranged students.

Other than the significant barriers to accessing higher education for care experienced students, these students continue to face challenges throughout their studies due to complex personal lives and a lack of networks that would provide financial, social and emotional support.

It is known that more than half of care experienced students consider leaving their course and a significantly higher number of care experienced student ends up dropping out (12.8% vs. 7.5% for all students in 2017/18) (Scottish Funding Council, 2019). Having reliable, consistent relationships with a trusted member of staff is very important to care experienced students, as is access to practical support that is trauma sensitive and bespoke to student’s needs (CELCIS, 2019).

We have developed a holistic support package to mitigate some of these challenges for our students through providing guaranteed 365-day accommodation and opportunity for funded accommodation through partnership with the Unite Foundation, additional funding through our Access Edinburgh Scholarship, offer of a staff mentor, and a continuous support network to ensure that they have the time and security to focus on their studies and get the most from their student experience.

The named contact continues their relationship with successful care experienced applicants and continues to be available throughout their degree to help them navigate this process. This could include coordinating with other support services within the University on their behalf, promoting extra- and co-curricular opportunities that they could get involved with, or just being on hand to check in with as they progress through their studies.

Students are eligible for this support if they’ve been in local authority care in the UK and are under 26 on the first day of the academic year in which their degree begins (1 August for most students).

As an institution, we have a responsibility to promote and facilitate equity of experience.  Our Activities and Sports Participation Grant is here to help students take part in Edinburgh University Students’ Association activities and University of Edinburgh Sports Union/Sports Clubs activities. The fund promotes participation in the extra and co-curricular and enables participation by reducing financial burdens.

Students can apply for a grant of up to £200. The money applied for can be used towards activities hosted by Edinburgh University Students’ Association, University of Edinburgh Sports Club or sports activities. Students can also apply for money towards a Sports and Exercise gym membership, only where it is compulsory for the sports club membership. Examples of eligible activity include club/society membership; kit and equipment; tournament, competition, class fees, or travel costs.

This grant is only for UK undergraduate students who are (or Postgraduate students who were) in receipt of a University of Edinburgh Access Scholarship. Students with the following criteria may be considered and are encouraged to apply: have a disability; student carer; student parent; care-experienced; or estranged student.

The financial implications of University study can be very worrying and ultimately off-putting for many of our students. Distance, together with the typical 4 year degree, make Edinburgh a relatively expensive – and therefore, for some, unrealistic – choice. The University’s new undergraduate Access Scholarships can enable students from lower income households across the UK to better afford to attend the University of Edinburgh. Designed to attract students who otherwise might decide not to apply to or attend the University because of the financial cost of doing so, and to support them to have a positive and fulfilling student experience when they are here.

A yearly scholarship with no separate application process that recipients do not pay back. When students apply for funding from SAAS or Student Finance England, Wales or Northern Ireland, they tick the box to agree to share their household income figure with the University which enables the scholarship assessment to begin. There are an unlimited number of scholarships available. If students meet the criteria, they will receive a scholarship.

We have increased our scholarships for those students in the greatest need who automatically receive the maximum scholarship with care-experienced and estranged students receiving £5000 per year. Students who are entitled to the scholarship in their first year with us, will receive at least that amount for every year of your studies. Those, who become entitled to a scholarship during their degree, will receive one from that point onwards. Student scholarship payments are made in two instalments each year: once in semester 1, and once in semester 2 either directly or via their Student Loans Company.

The Access Edinburgh Scholarship is for full-time undergraduate students who live in the UK and fulfil widening participation criteria of care-experienced or estranged or household income under a specific threshold. The Access Edinburgh Scholarships are funded by the University and the generosity of our supporters.

Students often participate in extra and co-curricular activities while studying at University. The Edinburgh Award officially recognises their efforts in a number of such activities – and supports them to make the most of their experiences and boost their skillset and self-awareness.  This results in students that are better prepared to engage with the graduate labour market.

The Edinburgh Award is a personal development programme that students can undertake alongside a particular extra and co-curricular activity – each version of the award is tailored to the activity it is wrapped around. A full list of accredited extra and co-curricular activities can be found on the University’s website.

The WP team have been active with the Edinburg Award since its inception, and a member of the WP team leads on a number of versions of the award including; Peer Mentoring, Curriculum Ambassadors, Student Ambassadors, LEAPS Volunteers, LawPALs and Educated Pass Volunteers. The award is split into three classes, a number of topics and themes are considered; graduate attributes, self-reflective learning models and employability – with a focus on the development priorities of each student.

Open to any fully matriculated student, regardless of origin, level (UG/PG), fees status, or mode of study. Students that participate in extra-curricular activities during their studies can sign up for an award.

In preparation for entering the graduate labour market, it is vital that students develop their graduate attributes – actively taking part in the co and extra-curricular is good way to add value to the development that takes place in class. Not everyone has access to the networks and opportunities that facilitate such development. In an act of equity of experience, the Insights Programme uses the University’s own networks to provide access to fully funded short-term work based professional experience, in local and international locations.

Edinburgh alumni host small groups of students at their workplace and share their career stories, advice, and insights about what it is like to work in their sector. Students take part in weeklong events and activities offered by alumni hosts working in a cross-section of sectors in either Scotland (Local insights) or in one of our host cities around the world (Global Insights). Through a combination of meetings, work-shadowing and short projects, students learn about the career paths of the alumni, their sector and workplace culture. The University’s Careers Service help prepare students for their workplace visits through a development programme including skills workshops.

The Insights programme is specifically for students from a widening participation background.  This includes part-time or full-time students who have either received a contextual admissions flag when applying to us, or who receive an Access Edinburgh Scholarship, or who are an asylum seeker. The Insights project is a collaboration between the Careers Service, Development & Alumni, the local and global alumni community and widening participation.

Evidence indicates that compared with their non-WP peers, students from WP backgrounds still face a range of structural barriers which can hinder their career prospects and potentially limit their options. One of these barriers is access to work experience. Employ.ed is the University’s in-house work experience scheme built to provide ‘home’ opportunities for our students taking into account the need for it to be  paid (to ensure student aren’t disadvantaged financially); supported (helping those new or nervous to working); and worth their while (completing an Edinburgh Award to reflect the time and effort given).

The Employ.ed on campus programme gives current students the opportunity to undertake a paid summer internship with a range of university departments. Participants take part in a programme of support: induction day, interim and end of placement event. They also complete an Edinburgh Award to enhance their employability, self-reflection, and learn how to articulate their experience to future employers. The Careers Service offer substantial online interview support for shortlisted applicants to help refine their technique and boost their confidence. They also assist recruiting managers in developing attractive job adverts, removing jargon and limiting essential criteria.

The Careers Service, in collaboration with a range of University of Edinburgh departments, offers a structured internship programme – Employ.ed on Campus – for 2nd, 3rd and penultimate year undergraduate students during the summer. Particular efforts have been made to promote Employ.ed internships to WP students, and steps taken to mitigate existing barriers to access include part-time vacancies and flexible hours.

It is vital that students are supported during their transition from school/college to undergraduate life.  This transition involves integrating socially and intellectually – which is an ongoing process.  To facilitate this process, peer mentors provide aspects of capital to mentees that they may not possess.  In doing so, transition occurs over a shorter period of time and with fewer difficulties.

Each mentee is paired with a mentor who studies a similar academic subject, where possible. Mentoring pairs generally meet every two weeks in person and can keep in touch via email. The frequency and modality of the meetings might vary depending on the preferences of each pair. This relationship continues for the duration of the mentee’s first two semesters. The meetings focus on the main issues that affect student life.

These form the four strands of peer mentoring, namely academic, social, financial, and personal. The mentor will be able to give the benefit of their first-hand experience in these areas and can help their mentee to plan, for example, how to deal with managing a reading list, how to join that society or how to prepare for their first examinations. Mentors can also signpost their mentees to relevant student support and other appropriate University services.

Mentees are first year students from widening participation backgrounds, including those who have been, or are involved in LEAPS, REACH, SWAP, Moving On, UoE Bursary holders, Lloyds Scholars or a below-average performing secondary school. Mentors are senior students (second year students and above), and possibly former mentees, who have been trained on the theory and practice of peer mentoring.

Only 6% of young people who are in care aged 16 continue into higher education by the age of 19 (Department of Education). People who have spent time in local authority care can face significant barriers to entering higher education. This can include lower attainment, lack of positive role models, low expectations from carers and advisers, low aspirations, concerns about being able to afford higher education, lack of information and advice prior to and at the point of application to university, problems with accommodation, low levels of personal and emotional support from professionals, lack of personal support networks, low levels of confidence to self-identify and ask for support pro-actively. Care leavers are therefore a severely under-represented group and improving access for care leavers remains a priority.

The University has a Corporate Parenting responsibility and our plans within this area are laid out within our Corporate Parenting Strategy. We provide advice and guidance to help care experienced students through the application process and support once they join University.

The University aims to make an offer of a place to any care experienced applicant who meets the minimum entry requirements (or is predicted to do so) for the course to which they have applied, where this is possible.

Prospective students and offer holders who identify themselves as having been in care on their UCAS application form are put in touch with the named contact and provided with support throughout the admissions process as well as with information on the comprehensive support package available at the University of Edinburgh.

Students are eligible for this support if they’ve been in local authority care in the UK and are under 26 on the first day of the academic year in which their degree begins (1 August for most students).