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Welcome to November's issue of GHWY's Care to Go Higher newsletter.

We are delighted to publish our collaborative Stand Alone Pledge for 2022-23. The document, which is aimed at students studying without family support, will be launched with a social media campaign during Estranged Students Solidarity Week (21-25 November). Please do like and share our content on Twitter!

There will be no newsletter in December due to the festive break. We hope you have a very happy holiday and look forward to returning in January with more news, events, and updates.

As always, we're looking for news stories, resources or upcoming events to promote. If you have anything to share from your organisation then please get in touch with Susan Darlington .

News and events for care professionals

Refreshed Stand Alone Pledge launched

We will launch our collaborative Stand Alone Pledge 2022-23 with a social media campaign during Estranged Students Solidarity Week (21-25 November).

The resource, which was first produced last year, is aimed at students studying without family support. It raises awareness of the support available for them across our 13 member institutions including whether they have named contacts, dedicated web-pages, and additional financial support.

This year’s document has been updated to include a number of new features that are designed to make it even more informative and user friendly.

Read more.

National Care Leavers Week campaign at University Centre Leeds

University Centre Leeds at Leeds City College ran a social media campaign during National Care Leavers Week that highlighted the vital need for better support for young adults as they transition out of care.

It sought to amplify the voices of its student care leaver community with a series of case studies that asked young people to share their experiences of moving onto HE, the support they have received at University Centre Leeds, and their advice to other young care leavers.

‘EW’ shared their thoughts on how care leaving could be improved, and advice for other young care leavers.

Read more.

Estranged students CPD conference

When: Thursday, 24 November between 1.30-4pm
Where: Online
Who: Southern Universities Network

Attendees will gain a greater understanding of estranged students and practical advice on how to support them applying to university. There will also be updates from Uni Connect's Estranged Students Partnership.

Tahera Mayat (Collaborative Outreach Officer) and Susan Darlington (Partnership Assistant) will present on our collaborative Stand Alone Pledge and share best practice.

Further information and reserve a place.

NNECL annual conference

When: Tuesday, 22 November between 9.30am-4pm
Where: Friends' Meeting House Conference Centre, Manchester
Who: NNECL

The theme for the event, which combines keynote talks and workshops, is 'achieving more together'.

Topics include 'Supporting care experienced students from initial enquiry to graduation and beyond', 'Working together with local authority leaving care teams', and a presentation from John Blake, Director for Fair Access and Participation, OfS.

Further information and reserve a place.

Upcoming Higher Education (HE) events

HE events can help young people to plan the next steps on their educational journey. They offer an opportunity to visit campuses, talk to staff and current students, and learn more about what courses are available. They are free, with in-person as well as online options usually available.

Open event

When: Wednesday, 22 February 2023 between 5-7pm
Where: Wakefield College
Who: Wakefield College

Help your young person find out more about the College's courses. The free event will cover options for school leavers, including T Levels and Apprenticeships, higher education and options for adults.

There will also be the chence to talk to the tutors and take a tour of the College's facilities.

Further information.

Student Life Q&A: Meet our current students

When: Thursday, 8 December between 6-7.30pm
Where: Online
Who: University of Bradford

Organised as part of the University's Progression Scheme Programme, which supports individuals whose circumstances mean they could be less likely to receive an offer based on standard entry criteria.

Find out more about student support, social life, course studies, development opportunities, careers and employment, and living at home or away.

Further information.

Latest HE sector updates

Nick Gibb and Robert Halfon return as education ministers

Former schools minister Nick Gibb and education select committee chair Robert Halfon have returned to the Department for Education

Gibb served as schools minister for most of the last ten years before being sacked last year by Boris Johnson.

Halfon served as chair of the education select committee since 2017. He was skills minister for a year before that.

Read more.

Research on estranged student support

Scottish Government commissioned research on estranged student support in FE and HE concludes that they are especially vulnerable to the challenges of financial difficulty, homelessness, and poor mental health and wellbeing.

It also identifies the lack of knowledge about support available both pre-entry and post-entry to higher education and the issues around self-identification, loneliness and lack of understanding of estrangement within insitutions.

Read more.

Spotlight feature

Our spotlight features highlight what support our 13 member institutions offer to care experienced young people. They detail care leaver contacts, financial support, and bespoke campus tours among other things.

Each feature is regularly updated to ensure that content is up to date, which makes them a valuable resource when guiding your young people through their HE journey.

Find out more.

Useful GHWY resources

Take a look at some of our free resources, which can be used to support care leavers and estanged young people to make informed decisions about their future.

View the GHWY Care Leaver Covenant

GHWY's collaborative Care Leaver Covenant includes information about what our 13 members offer to care leavers, along with useful tips and links. It is reviewed every year to ensure that its information is kept relevant, with addtional details being available online.

View the Covenant

Resource pack for professionals and carers

Our resources pack is designed to help you support care experienced young people to make informed choices about their educational future. It will encourage you reflect on your own role as someone with influence and provide tips and activities to get the conversation going with young people.

Register for the pack

Read GHWY's Stand Alone Pledge

Our collaborative Stand Alone Pledge includes information about what our 13 members offer to estranged young people, along with useful tips and links. The document will be refreshed this autumn to include additional information.

View the Pledge.

Resources bank

Our resource bank holds a wide range of free and informative materials for various audiences to access. There includes sections on wellbeing in education, employability essentials, online taster days, and useful links.

Find out more.

Go Higher West Yorkshire: reducing inequalities in access to, success in and progression from Higher Education.