AS VOTED BY STUDENTS AWARDWINNING SUPPORT FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS SECOND PLACE STUDENT SUPPORT
3 2 CONTENTS This year, we were delighted to win the silver award for student support at the Whatuni Student Choice Awards. Based on student reviews, the awards reflect the fact that we go above and beyond to support our students. This guide summarises the support on offer for college students – but there’s always more, as we continue listening to students and responding to their needs. University College Birmingham is proud of the support it offers to its students. DID YOU KNOW? WE HAVE AN OPEN DOOR POLICY This means that all staff are available to guide and support you on your journey at University College Birmingham. You are welcome to walk into any department and ask for help – please do take us up on this offer, we are here for you. ACADEMIC SUPPORT 04 HEALTH AND WELLBEING SUPPORT 06 FINANCIAL SUPPORT 08 EMPLOYABILITY AND CAREERS SUPPORT 10 DISABILITY SUPPORT 12 THE GUILD 14 Sophie Bakery Level 1 The support is amazing. It helps me out with my English and bakery theory. SECOND PLACE STUDENT SUPPORT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM
4 5 ACADEMIC SUPPORT Your first priority during your time with us will be your academic progress. Dedicated personal tutor as your first point of contact, providing excellent pastoral support including weekly group tutorials and regular individual tutorials A dedicated Academic Skills Centre where you can have one-to-one appointments with our Academic Support Workers. These appointments will support you with improving your coursework and exam outcomes Online support via our Centre for Academic Skills and English (CASE) Toolkit for Further Education. This includes a huge range of resources designed to help you develop your academic, research, referencing and presentation skills Free access to Grammarly Premium, which will help you proofread your work The possibility of more focused academic skills sessions (delivered in class and organised with your tutor) A dedicated study space for college students (Thinkspace) where you can work on your assignments Over 30,000 print books available for loan and over 60 million online digital resources such as ebooks, journals, reports, statistics and more Aside from lectures, tutorials, a virtual learning environment and excellent study facilities which you can expect us to provide, we can proudly say that we offer so much more, including: DID YOU KNOW? REGULAR ATTENDANCE IS KEY TO YOUR SUCCESS We believe regular attendance is key to your success which is why we monitor this closely and signpost you to our various support services, where appropriate. Caitlin Coogan Tourism, Aviation, Events and Hospitality Level 3 My lecturers helped to support me and progress, not only in my work, but as a person. I am resitting my GCSE Maths and have received great support with this. My tutor has been such a great help, providing me with all the support and resources I need to hopefully pass maths on my final attempt. Charlie Bakery Level 1 The support is great and it helps me get my work completed. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM
6 7 HEALTH AND WELLBEING Our nurse can help with various medical needs, including general health advice, practical health checks, contraception advice, one-off non-prescription analgesics and treatments of cuts, burns, scalds and other minor injuries. Our free and confidential counselling service provides you with support to gain a better understanding of your thoughts and feelings, enabling you to make changes. Counselling is non-judgemental and you will be listened to rather than told what to do. Our mental health and wellbeing advisers support students who are experiencing mental health difficulties or emotional or psychological distress. We can provide practical support, help you develop coping strategies and can assist you to access external mental health and welfare services. Our knowledgeable team provide a wealth of resources and can signpost you to local and national services – just ask. We recognise that good health and wellbeing are fundamental for effective study and a positive student experience. That is why we have a free and confidential Health and Wellbeing service, which is open to everyone and includes a range of support: Cyhera McKenzie Health and Social Care Level 3 The college has definitely helped me with my mental health as at the beginning of the year, I was very nervous and scared. When I started, I asked my tutor for information about the health and wellbeing team and she helped me self-refer. It was a really easy process to go through. I went along and the team were really supportive, giving me lots of information and advice on coping better and what to do to keep my mind active and not get stressed. They also helped me make a planner on how to schedule things and when to take time out for myself. It has honestly helped me so much. I am more confident than in the beginning and I no longer worry so much. It has definitely taught me that there are more things in life to focus on. The health and wellbeing team are so influential, supportive and kind and I’m so happy to attend this college knowing there are people I can talk to about anything and not having to worry all by myself. PLEASE COME AND TALK TO US ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS, BIG OR SMALL. ucb.ac.uk/health-wellbeing DID YOU KNOW? WE HAVE A NURSE ON SITE We are one of just a few colleges with a nurse on site. The best thing is there’s no need to make an appointment. Luke Bakery Level 1 The support is very useful and it helps me with my work when I need it. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM
8 9 FINANCIAL SUPPORT Financial support available to you will depend on your circumstances. You may be entitled to bursary support which can help towards travel, food, uniform and kit or similar costs. DISCRETIONARY BURSARY FOR STUDENTS AGED 16-19 If you are 16-19 years old (18 when starting the course) and your household income is below £25,000 per year, you may be entitled to financial support with your travel and meal costs. We issue monthly bus, tram or train travel passes to eligible, enrolled students. Passes are issued on your mobile phone or on a Swift Card. All we ask for in return is that your attendance remains at 90% or above. If you are eligible, we load credit onto your student ID card to buy meals at our campus food outlets. HELP WITH UNIFORM AND COURSE EQUIPMENT COSTS Help is available to students on courses that require specialist kit or equipment. To qualify, your household income needs to be under £31,000 per year. Students pay a £50 deposit and we cover the rest of the cost of the specified uniform and equipment, which can save you up to £300. DID YOU KNOW? IF YOU PROGRESS TO A UNIVERSITY COURSE WITH US, YOUWILL RECEIVE A FREE LAPTOP! COST OF LIVING SUPPORT We understand that it’s difficult to make ends meet at the moment and we’re doing our bit to help you. For example, this year, we have introduced free breakfast, fruit and soup for all students. Our Guild of Students have also been campaigning to help students and have set up ‘leave what you can, take what you need’ boxes across campus for students in need. OUT-OF-COUNTY TRAVEL SUPPORT If your household income is under £31,000 per year and you live outside the area covered by Network West Midlands (Birmingham, Dudley, Sandwell, Coventry, Walsall, Solihull and Wolverhampton), you can access an allowance of up to £100 per month towards travel costs, subject to good attendance. CHILDCARE SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS AGED 20+ Please refer to our website for more information. Ross Yates Bakery Level 3 Bakery and Patisserie Technology BSc (Hons) If you had told me I would be where I am now, I wouldn’t have believed it. I struggled with traditional schooling because of my autism and didn’t think college and uni was ever on the cards. But with plenty of support, I was able to get on the ladder and am now doing my dream job. It’s amazing. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM
10 11 CAREER MANAGEMENT You will have access to a whole range of online tools and resources to help with setting your career goals and develop the skills you need to stand out to employers. We regularly deliver workshops and presentations to help you master CV writing, interview techniques, LinkedIn, networking and much more. PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES Employers seek out college graduates who already have industry experience. Our subjectspecific Employability Tutors are on hand to guide you before, during and after your work experience or placement, offering advice on the type of roles available, suggesting employers to suit you and helping prepare you for your time in industry. Hired, our department for careers, placements and employability, is here to help you to stand out when you complete your studies. We support you from the start of your journey at University College Birmingham by informing you about our services and that support continues throughout your studies and beyond. ACCESS TO EMPLOYERS It is important that you have the opportunity to network with employers, from small local firms to international corporations. We have employers on campus throughout the academic year, which enables you to discuss vacancies and placement opportunities. We hold a large careers fair once a year and employers also attend lectures and industrybased conferences for students. HELPING YOU START YOUR BUSINESS If you have the desire and passion to build your own business, our Enterprise Consultants are here to help you get your idea off the ground. We offer an array of support for our student entrepreneurs, from expert consultations and industry mentoring to networking events and office space to get you going. Join our community of entrepreneurs and participate in diverse extracurricular enterprise initiatives we create to improve your enterprise skills and support business creation. Whether you want to boost your profile as a freelancer or launch your own company, we can help you make a difference and stand out from the crowd. STAFF WITH INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE Many of our staff still work in the industries in which they teach. They use their experience and skills to ensure your learning is relevant to the world of work. EMPLOYERS WE’VE HOSTED We have helped students secure work placements with: CYGNET HEALTHCARE COLINS AEROSPACE EXCLUSIVE HOTELS GMI CONSTRUCTION GROUP KIER GROUP MERLIN ENTERTAINMENT RITZ RYAN AIR SHELL AND MANY, MANY MORE HIRED EMPLOYABILITY AND CAREERS SUPPORT DID YOU KNOW? WE HAVE INVESTED £160 MILLION IN OUR FACILITIES TO ENSURE THEY MEET OR EXCEED INDUSTRY STANDARDS Jessica McLachlan Cardiographer Health and Social Care Level 3 As part of my college course, I completed a placement at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in the Heart Investigation Unit. I gained good experience of a cardiology department and the different investigations they carry out including ECGs, tapes, exercise test, CPEX and Echo. Near the end of my placement, I was allowed patient contact, which enabled me to practise my positioning and application of the ECG stickers and expand my knowledge of ECGs altogether. After my placement, I continued going into the hospital once a week to gain further experience. I’m pleased to say that I have since secured a full-time 12-month contract in the same department. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM
12 13 Support for students who disclose a disability, health condition or mental health condition starts from application. If you have disclosed your disability, you will be contacted by a member of the Disability Support team to discuss your specific needs and additional support requirements. We can offer you an orientation or transition visit prior to starting your studies to support you in familiarising yourself with our campuses and finding your way around. Depending on your needs, you may be entitled to: DISABILITY SUPPORT In-class support from an Academic Support Worker Specialist equipment Personal Evacuation Plans and lift passes Support with accessing lectures, such as access to lecture materials in advance or handouts in an alternative format Exam concessions Digital recorders and assistive technologies to record lectures Olivia Iglesias Events student I have a hearing disability and the fact there was a specific disability support department was one of the main reasons why I chose to study here. They, and my lecturers, made everything very easy for me and gave me lots of support, including allowing me to do presentations instead of online debates when I needed to. I received financial assistance to help with my studies too. DID YOU KNOW? IF YOU RECEIVE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AT SCHOOL, THE LIKELIHOOD IS THAT YOU WILL ALSO RECEIVE SUPPORT AT COLLEGE. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM
14 15 THE GUILD As soon as you enrol at University College Birmingham, you automatically become a member of the Guild. Run by students, for students, the Guild is your students’ union and the home of student life at University College Birmingham. WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK We would like all students to be able to engage in every aspect of life at University College Birmingham. Bus money, a good night’s sleep, food in your stomach – we know that you can’t engage in your studies unless your basic needs are met. The Guild can signpost you to services that you need and work with you to create student-centred approaches to tackling issues. DID YOU KNOW? THE GUILD CAN SIGNPOST YOU TO SERVICES THAT YOU NEED AND WORK WITH YOU TO CREATE STUDENT-CENTRED APPROACHES TO TACKLING ISSUES. FIND YOUR PEOPLE We want you to feel part of a real community at University College Birmingham because we know that this is the single best indicator of success for students. The Guild has a huge range of societies and clubs you can join, including our liberation societies like the Disabled Students Society or Queer Society, or our interest societies like Drama or Dance. But the Guild goes beyond setting up societies and organising events – they work to ensure that every student has a friend that they made here. SHAPE YOUR LIFE The Guild works with our students to help shape their lives and the world around them, as well as to achieve their personal best. You can improve your confidence and contribute to a better tomorrow by getting involved in campaigns organised by the Guild. If you don’t want to get involved, that’s fine – you’re still likely to benefit from the work that they’re doing. For example, the Guild recently ran a ‘cost of living’ campaign to help students in need by providing essential items to those who needed them, as well as organising events on budgeting, cooking cheap, healthy meals and more. Lisa Marie Cham International Tourism Management MSc, Whatuni Bursary* winner When I found out I won the bursary, I actually cried. Someone actually took time out of their day to nominate me for this bursary, which means so much to me. It means that I’m being recognised for the effort that I’m putting into my studying and I’ll forever be grateful to each and every member of staff at University College Birmingham for all the support they’ve given me.’ Leilani-Gabrielle Courtney Guild President The Guild is always here for you. Y u can lean on us and pick our brains on ll orts of subjects, and we can also help you find your peopl . As a former student and diversity officer for the Guild myself, I know the challenges you may have and as a t am, we are a great port of call to help you settle in and liv our best life at uni. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM
University College Birmingham Summer Row, Birmingham B3 1JB Phone: 0121 604 1000 ucb.ac.uk University College Birmingham Snow Hill New Street Bullring & Grand Central Moor Street Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Library of Birmingham Broad Street A38 Birmingham City Centre Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Snow Hill Station 2 5 1 6 Summer Row The Link Camden House James Cond McIntyre House Moss House The Maltings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. New Street Station 3 The Maltings 4 Summer Row Great Charles St Queensway Paradise Circus Newhall St Lionel St Fleet St Charlotte St Holland St George St Sand Pits Birmingham and Fazeley Canal 7 Granville St Cambridge St
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTY4MDAxNw==