Foster Family Fun Days – We offer a wide range of fun, family friendly activities, inspired by the variety of subjects taught across the partnership. This is a great opportunity to visit a university of college campus and have a go at something new.
Pastoral Support – We provide care leavers with additional pastoral support throughout the student lifecycle with named care leaver contacts across the partnership. Named contacts facilitate a coordinated approach to pastoral support across each institution.
Summer schools and weekend activities – We provide care experienced young people with opportunities to fulfil their potential and broaden their horizons through targeted outreach activity. We provide opportunities for them to engage with a range of widening participation programmes for which the experience of care is a qualifying criterion. Several partners also offer priority places to care experienced young people wishing to attend residential summer schools.
Application Support – When Care Leaver applicants confirm the University of Leeds as their first choice they are sent a welcome email and offered the opportunity for a tour of the university and an appointment with the Care Leaver contact for the University of Leeds. If they wish they can also meet a current student who will talk to them about their experiences of being a student at Leeds and take any questions which are on their mind.
Contextual admissions – We provide care leavers with additional and early support when applying to University. This includes dedicated institutional contacts for support and advice during the application process; advocacy, contextual admissions and subject-specific schemes.
Accommodation – The University guarantees year-round accommodation for care leavers. They also offer a waiver of the upfront security deposit for University-owned accommodation. Students can discuss accommodation needs with the care leaver contact at any point, who will also facilitate private sector accommodation, or whatever is necessary, by speaking to agencies and providing supporting references.
Financial Support – The University of Leeds offers care leavers priority consideration for £3,000 per annum means tested scholarships. If the care leaver fails to apply in time they will qualify for Leeds Financial Support maximum amount of £2,250. Care leavers also claim a graduation bursary for their gown and photos.
Transition Support – Care leavers starting at the University of Leeds are offered a buddy in the second year who is also a care leaver. Starting at university can be particularly stressful for care leavers and so it may be helpful for them to talk to someone who was in their situation last year.
Employment Support – The University of Leeds Plus Programme offers tailored support in terms of developing employability skills and facilitating careers appointments with the Careers Centre.
Website Support – A dedicated site for care leavers who are thinking about coming to University and could benefit from schemes to help them progress into higher education, and receive extra support when they arrive.
The University gives presentations on working with care leavers to its staff via the Educational Engagement Lunchtime Briefing Sessions.
