I'm in Metro.co.uk today, sharing my experience of being an estranged student.
Why?
I was, and remain, frustrated at the lack of awareness of and support for students who are estranged or care experienced (EaCE).
If you don't know what estranged and care experienced means - don't worry! You're not alone. Estranged students are those without parental support networks in university, and care experienced students are those who have spent time in the care system.
And did you know EaCE students are considerably less likely to go to university, considerably less likely to get a 2.1, and considerably more likely to drop out, than the average student?
There is little acknowledgement or support available despite this - particularly additional financial support. With most EaCE students citing financial worry as a primary factor in driving anxiety and stress at university, pushing some to work full-time on top of their degrees, it's time something is done about this.
That's why I'm excited to share I'm launching Safety Net HE, a (soon to be) charity which will work with the private sector to provide grants and careers support to EaCE students.
If you want to learn more, you can read Safety Net HE's launch document here:
https://lnkd.in/eitvb4d4
This is, of course, early days - and I need your help to make Safety Net HE work. So, I have three asks:
1) If you're a representative of a company which recruits graduates, and may be interested in partnering with Safety Net HE, please fill out this form:
https://lnkd.in/epDPMyG5
2) If you're interested in volunteering for Safety Net HE, particularly if you're an experienced trustee, or have experience with videography or social media content creation, please let me know by filling out this form:
https://lnkd.in/eBsHFx35
3) Finally, if you want to help but can't help with either of the above, (and this is a shameless ask) please react to, interact with, and re-post this, so that a larger audience can learn about EaCE student's experiences, and those who can express an interest partnership or volunteer are more likely to see this post.
Please also give Safety Net HE a follow on here!
EaCE students are victims of circumstance; some of us survived abuse, others parents passed away, some are disowned for being LGBT+, others aged out of the care system - to name just a few common EaCE experiences.
It's immensely difficult to even get to university from this position. That so many are struggling to get by after working harder than most to get there is unacceptable. I hope Safety Net HE can start to bring about the change that is desperately needed.
https://lnkd.in/eHgcgbJA
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