Common use of Other Access priorities Clause in Contracts

Other Access priorities. In addition to the interventions and activities detailed above, the University will continue to offer our Preparing for HE programme which provides opportunities for mature students, to gain the necessary skills and confidence for degree level entry onto a range of Undergraduate Programmes. This intense programme, funded by the University, recruits well with the majority progressing and completing successfully. Allied to this, specific project work around Service Leavers is also underway, as is a project to make alternative offers to unsuccessful applicants who apply to very high-demand subjects (such as Midwifery). We will continue to operate an online mentoring scheme, available for all applicants but particularly targeted at those which the evidence suggests are most vulnerable, typically due to family background. Applicants are matched with a 1st or 2nd year student mentor, studying on their preferred course wherever possible. Mentors support mentees in exploring their course choice and responding to queries about university. As well as responding at an individual level, we use the intelligence gathered from this process to inform our mainstream communications and pre-empt any concerns; thus ensuring both personalisation and consistency of provision to all students. The University understands the value of strong, sustainable and collaborative working and strives to work in partnership where possible to ensure best value and enhanced opportunities and experiences for the young people we work with. The University has a long history of working in partnership with other HE partners and education providers across Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside to support young people in raising their aspirations and attainment. Building on the work of National Networks for Collaborative Outreach (NNCO), we are committed to working collaboratively with other partners to provide a strong programme of collaborative outreach activity for the young people in our local communities. This includes working together to deliver the following programmes:  A Disability Conference for young people, their parents or carers and school staff on access to higher education and the support available for young people with a range of disabilities (including learning difficulties and mental health problems)  A Health Professions programme looking at the patient and student journey to support students to access the health professions. Working closely with the NHS Better Care Together team, the event allows young people to explore the range of health professions available to them and to engage with academic staff, professional staff from the NHS and Social Care and university students.  Looked After Children CPD Workshops for ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Carers and Social Workers to ensure they are well equipped to support the young people in their care with the right information and guidance to support their next steps into higher education.  Regional CPD Workshops for practitioners and stakeholders with an involvement or interest in widening participation and social mobility. The bi-annual workshops will ensure that all staff and organisations working with young people have the chance to find out about activities happening to support young people and are kept up to date about key information and context regarding our own local regions. In addition, we have committed to working closely with other HE providers within Lancashire, Cumbria and Merseyside to share best practice and to be open and transparent about the schools we are engaging with to ensure that as a sector we are reaching the widest possible cohort of students. This will include working closely with colleagues within the Lancashire and Merseyside National Collaborative Outreach Programmes (NCOPs) and to ensure that activities are targeted at students who may not benefit from activity already offered under the new NCOP provision. We will continue to analyse and review the needs of the students within our local region and where gaps or needs are identified we will work collaboratively with others to address this as appropriate.