Shared introduction

Newcastle University is committed to supporting care-experienced students. This is the collaborative, whole-institution response evidenced through the Care Leaver Covenant.

Newcastle University is a Partner of Access UNEE, formerly the North East Raising Aspiration Partnership (NERAP). Access UNEE is a long-standing collaboration of the five universities in the region (Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside) who fund pre-16 outreach activity where economies of scale and added value are gained through a collaborative approach. This activity focuses on joint representation visits to pre-16 schools highlighting the higher education opportunities in the region, and specific targeted work to support care-experienced students and young carers throughout their educational journey.

To ensure support for care-experienced students is sustained throughout their higher education journey, all five universities are signed up to the Care Leaver Covenant as a regional partnership via the existing Access UNEE Partnership. This means that students who choose to study at any of the university Partners will be guaranteed continued support to access, succeed and progress.

Newcastle University along with the other four Partner universities have committed to offering a level of support that is consistent at each institution. All care-experienced students get the same core access to interventions aligned to the Care Leaver Covenant core outcomes, complemented by additional bespoke support where offered within individual institutions.

As a Partnership, we have adopted the broader definition of ‘care-experienced,’ as this term is inclusive of the range of care settings someone may have experienced.

Our definition of care-experienced is someone who, at any stage of their life, and for any length of time, has been in care e.g., looked after by the local authority. This includes the following:

• spent time in the care of the local authority (e.g. foster care or children’s home)
• privately fostered
• ‘looked after at home’ under a supervision order
• in kinship foster care (where a friend or family member becomes the foster carer). Kinship care through a formal arrangement, recognised by a Local Authority, and could be prior to a Special Guardianship Order.

Core offer

Student

Pre-entry support

Access UNEE

• Choices Together Progressive programme from Year 7-13.
• Accompany students to any open days, interviews etc. where appropriate. Cover expenses for getting to and from campus and lunch where needed.
• Tailored UCAS and Student Finance application support via the Choices Together progressive programme.
• Offer advice and guidance and CPD sessions for student support workers, parents/carers, local authorities, and virtual schools around UCAS and Student Finance.
• Work with the five Partner universities to develop and maintain the core offer. Facilitate regular working group meetings and maintain a Teams group to allow easy communication.
• Provide a comprehensive virtual school/Local Authority contacts list and detail local offer for each area, all in one place. Ensure that this is regularly maintained and kept up to date.

Newcastle University

• We’re committed to supporting students who have experience of being in care. You’ll receive ongoing support whilst studying at Newcastle, and we can provide advice and guidance before you apply on all topics relating to higher education.
• Our dedicated NCL Cares Team provide support, advice and information to care-experienced individuals and their supporters throughout their higher education journey. Further information can be found on our webpage, emailing nclcares@ncl.ac.uk or calling 0191 208 6094.
• Care-experienced applicants are automatically eligible for our supported access route to study at Newcastle University,
  PARTNERS
  (essential conditions, including grade requirements, still apply). Through PARTNERS, applicants can:
• Receive a lower contextual offer of up to three grades below the standard offer
• Join an online schedule of
  pre-entry information sessions
  on topics such as; health and wellbeing, student finance, accommodation and life at Newcastle University*
• Take part in the
  PARTNERS Academic Summer School,
  which aims to prepare you for higher education study in your chosen subject and to offer a taster of life as a Newcastle University student*
• We offer travel reimbursement for students in Years 12 and 13 who are visiting Newcastle University as part of their journey to higher education.
• This may include: Open Days; Offer Holder Days; Applicant interviews; or other one-day outreach events hosted by the University.
• If you’d like to take advantage of this support or have any questions, please contact
  visit.bursary@ncl.ac.uk.

* Available only to students applying to Newcastle University via the PARTNERS Programme. Care-experienced students are automatically eligible for PARTNERS (essential conditions, including grade requirements, still apply).

Post-entry support

Accommodation

Newcastle University

• Early accommodation arrival at start of first term is available, if required.
• Our ResLife Team offer moving in support and a meet and greet service on arrival to your University accommodation site. The Team also host regular social activities throughout the year and during vacation periods.
• University accommodation is available for first year students, and year round contracts are available covering all university vacation periods.
• From second year onwards, we will support students to find accommodation in the private sector.
• Free summer storage of your belongings at the end of your first year is available.

Financial support

Access UNEE

• Finance and budgeting sessions as part of Choices Together progressive programme.

Newcastle University-

• Undergraduate students are eligible for a bursary of £3000 per year**:
• £2000 Opportunity Scholarship, paid in 3 instalments across the year
• An additional £1000 Summer Support Bursary to assist with living costs over the summer break
• Eligible for the Newcastle University Student Union’s Activities Access Fund of up to £350 to help with costs of joining clubs and societies
• Appointment with University financial advisor offered
• Priority for hardship funds and offer support with applying
• Bespoke information sessions on student finance, scholarships and budgeting.
• Subsidised access to The Big Welcome activities, in partnership with Newcastle University Student Union (NUSU)

** This bursary is available to UK undergraduate students who have been identified as care experienced and/or estranged by Student Finance England (SFE), Wales or Northern Ireland or the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. Certain exclusions apply including placement years, and students who are eligible for NHS funding. Full details can be found
here.

Wellbeing support

Newcastle University

• Regular contact from a named member of staff throughout your studies:
• Your Student Wellbeing Advisor will be your dedicated point of contact, providing proactive support from the start of your university journey. They will contact you when you register, check in with you at key points throughout the year, and be available for appointments if you need advice or guidance.
• They can also help you navigate and access support services across the University, including Student Financial Support, Accommodation, and your Academic School.
• Individual referrals made for mental health support where appropriate.

Graduation and beyond

Access UNEE

• Attend graduation ceremonies where appropriate.
• Work towards setting up a care-experienced alumni network, offering support to alumni but also supporting new students coming through. Sharing knowledge and continued support for alumni.
• Celebrate successes with case studies on the Access UNEE website.
• Collect and monitor detailed data around continuation, attainment and progression outcomes of care- experienced students.

Newcastle University –

• Graduation day package – free gown hire, photography package and free tickets.
• Final year undergraduate students will receive a £1000 Transitional Support bursary (in place of the Summer Support bursary) to support with the transition from university.

Employment

Access UNEE

• Careers and employability sessions included in the Choices Together Progressive Programme.
• Consider hosting a work experience placement/voluntary opportunity to support Access UNEE delivery.

Newcastle University

• CV/application/interview support is offered by our University Careers Service during course and up to three years post-graduation.
• Care-experienced students are actively targeted for our Student Ambassador role and receive bespoke guidance in the application process.
• We have a named contact in our Careers Service, who is introduced to students during our Welcome Event in Freshers’ week.

Community

Newcastle University

• We are members of the National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) and the Northern Care Leavers Activities & Student Support (NorthCLASS) networks.
• We can offer rooms on campus for care-experienced student events (e.g. Local Authority foster carer training), and maintain regular contact with local authority contacts.