Common use of Outreach work Clause in Contracts

Outreach work. The University believes that its bursary package, in conjunction with its current and planned outreach activities, represents a robust system for ensuring that educational opportunities are made widely available. The University continues to provide an extensive range of outreach work which should be seen in the context of a well- resourced marketing, recruitment and widening participation operation. It therefore does not at this stage devote a specific proportion of additional fee income, other than the bursary scheme, to those outreach activities. The University’s Director of Widening Access oversees the University’s involvement in the area Aimhigher and other outreach activities such as the HEFCE funded Summer Schools for young people who might otherwise gain no experience of a higher education environment. In addition, the University operates a number of very successful mentoring projects to support young people from low participation backgrounds in raising their aspirations and levels of achievement. A large part of the activity described above is currently targeted at priority schools in the Cheshire and Warrington areas which are located in neighbourhoods from which there is a low participation rate in HE (in the lowest quartile), and which have a low profile of GCSE attainment. It is intended that this level and type of activity, which includes taster days, and mentoring projects, will be maintained. For intensive activities and sustained interventions, the University aims to target individuals from the lower socio-economic groups and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, the University aims further to continue its outreach work in targeting further education colleges in low participation areas. Existing links and agreements with further education colleges have already contributed to the diversification of the University’s applications and intake, both in terms of entry qualifications and social background. In recognition of the success of these links, University of Xxxxxxx has responded positively to requests from a number of its key partner FE colleges to move to Associate College status, a central purpose of which is to increase still further the ‘pull-through’ of students from further to higher education. The strength and range of the University’s existing outreach work underlies its decision to devote much of its spending on widening participation from additional fee income to the bursary scheme.

Outreach work. The University believes that its bursary package, a) UCL is actively engaged in conjunction with its current and planned outreach activities, represents a robust system for ensuring that educational opportunities are made widely available. The University continues to provide an extensive wide range of outreach work which should be seen in widening participation-related activities. These include Summer Schools, a mentoring scheme, master classes and the context innovative use of a well- resourced marketingthe UCL Bloomsbury Theatre and UCL’s outstanding collections of artefacts and works of art. In November 2003, recruitment and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) noted that UCL’s report on its widening participation operation. It therefore does not at this stage devote a specific proportion of additional fee income, other than the bursary scheme, to those outreach activities. The University’s Director of Widening Access oversees the University’s involvement in the area Aimhigher activity was exemplary and other outreach activities such as the HEFCE funded Summer Schools for young people who might otherwise gain no experience of a higher education environment. In addition, the University operates that a number of very successful mentoring projects to support young people from low participation backgrounds in raising their aspirations targets had been exceeded. b) Similar activities will continue beyond 2006 and levels will be funded at current levels. c) A new strand of achievement. A large part of the activity described above is currently targeted at priority schools in the Cheshire and Warrington areas which are located in neighbourhoods from which there is a low participation rate in HE (in the lowest quartile), and which have a low profile of GCSE attainment. It is intended that this level and type of activityactivities, which includes taster days, and mentoring projectswill be funded from additional expenditure, will be maintainedphased in from 2006 onwards. For intensive Some of these activities and sustained interventionswill be open to all potential applicants or current students, as appropriate. Where this is the University aims to target individuals case, promotion of the activities will be targeted at students from the lower socio-economic groups and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, the University aims further to continue its outreach work in targeting further education colleges in low participation areas. Existing links and agreements with further education colleges have already contributed to the diversification of the University’s applications and intake, both in terms of entry qualifications and social background. In recognition of the success of these links, University of Xxxxxxx has responded positively to requests from a number of its key partner FE colleges to move to Associate College status, a central purpose of which is to increase still further the ‘pull-through’ of at students from further to families who have had little contact with or experience of higher education. The strength new outreach activities are outlined in the remaining part of this section of the Access Agreement. d) Pre-enrolment study support scheme, to include a parental component, aimed at gifted students from lower socio-economic groups and/or with little direct experience of higher education. The focus will be upon subjects of particular relevance to pursuing science, engineering and modern language degree programmes. The scheme is currently in a developmental phase. The aim is to work with groups of students over a sustained period of time to help them to realise their full academic and personal potential. In developing this scheme it is intended to draw upon best practice from the United States where such programmes have been operating effectively for a number of years. e) Extended UCL degree programmes in high demand, vocationally-oriented subjects where the transition to university study may be particularly challenging. In effect, students admitted to these programmes will take the current first year UCL syllabus over a two-year period. Once again, this programme will be targeted at gifted students from lower socio-economic groups and/or with little direct experience of higher education. f) Pre-enrolment, employer placements: UCL aims to work with a range of local employers, including those in the University’s existing outreach public sector, to offer year-long work underlies its decision placements to devote much students who have been accepted onto a degree programme at UCL. Through their involvement in the scheme students will develop their confidence and earn some additional money to help them through their academic studies. Promotion of its spending on widening participation the scheme will be targeted at schools and colleges with a high proportion of students from additional fee income lower socio-economic groups and/or without direct experience of higher education. UCL will offer bursaries to supplement employer payments. g) People with disabilities (plus helper) “Visit UCL” pre-application bursary scheme (to pay transport and, if necessary, accommodation costs): This scheme will be open to prospective undergraduates with disabilities. The aim of the bursary scheme is to encourage such students to test their perceptions of what studying in London in general and at UCL in particular may entail before they complete their UCAS application forms. To supplement the scheme, a booklet bringing together currently available information for students with disabilities will be produced.

Outreach work. 7.1 A small amount of the additional income generated from charging variable tuition fees (up to £15,000 a year) will be used for outreach – specifically in the form of sending targeted information to local schools, colleges and communities about the deferred fee arrangements and bursary schemes in place at the University. The use of such publicity constitutes activity which is additional to previous outreach activity and support. 7.2 There is perhaps less emphasis in this Agreement on ‘Outreach’ work than might be evident in the Agreements of some institutions because: (i) Widening participation is central to the Mission and strategic priorities of the University believes and outreach work will continue to be funded from mainstream funding and HEFCE premium funding for widening participation, student retention and supporting students with disabilities. There are already several outreach activities in place at CCCU for raising awareness, aspirations and attainment in order to assist progression to HE and these will be developed in line with our revised Widening Participation and Student Retention Strategy (currently being redrafted). Outreach activities that its bursary packagewill continue include: involvement in master classes, ambassador schemes, mentoring projects, facilitating school visits, summer school activity, involvement in conjunction Local Authority Compact schemes, assisting prospective students with its current the transition to HE through the provision of online pre-arrival information and planned outreach activitiesstudy skills, represents a robust system for ensuring that educational opportunities are made widely availableand putting in place several post-entry support measures which encourage students from under-represented groups to apply and to be retained in HE (e.g. Disability Services, Student Study Support, Student Financial Support and Guidance etc). The University continues will also continue to provide an extensive range of outreach work which should be seen in the context of a well- resourced marketing, recruitment and widening participation operation. It therefore does not at this stage devote a specific proportion of additional fee income, other than the bursary scheme, to those outreach activities. The University’s Director of Widening Access oversees the University’s involvement in the area Aimhigher and other outreach activities such as the HEFCE funded Summer Schools for young people who might otherwise gain no experience of a higher education environment. In addition, the University operates a number of very successful mentoring projects to support young people from low participation backgrounds in raising their aspirations and levels of achievement. A large part of the activity described above is currently targeted at priority schools in the Cheshire and Warrington areas which are located in neighbourhoods from which there is a low participation rate in HE (in the lowest quartile), and which have a low profile of GCSE attainment. It is intended that this level and type of activity, which includes taster days, and mentoring projects, will be maintained. For intensive activities and sustained interventions, the University aims to target individuals from the lower socio-economic groups and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, the University aims further to continue its outreach work in targeting further education colleges partnership with other institutions on the development and provision of Foundation Degrees and on the development of locally available HE provision in areas of high deprivation and low HE participation areas. Existing links (e.g. Thanet, Medway and agreements with further education colleges have already contributed to the diversification Folkestone). (ii) The Access Agreement will form a part of the University’s overall widening participation strategy. It will be used to assist the attainment of Widening Participation strategic objectives such as the development of Foundation Degrees in partnership with FE Colleges, the development of vibrant student communities in areas of high deprivation (e.g. Thanet, Medway or Folkestone) and student retention. (iii) In addition, CCCU is the lead institution for the Kent and Medway Aimhigher Project. This involves chairing the Area Steering Group, being the Area banker and providing a base for the central Aimhigher Project team. Much of CCCU’s outreach activity will therefore continue to be closely aligned with the Aimhigher Project. (iv) As identified in Section 4.1, in attracting applications and intakefrom under- represented groups to CCCU, both in terms of entry qualifications and social background. In recognition a significant proportion (30%) of the success of these links, University of Xxxxxxx has responded positively additional income generated from charging above the standard fee will be used to requests from fund a number of its key partner FE colleges to move to Associate College status, a central purpose of which is to increase still further the ‘pull-through’ of bursary scheme for students from further to higher education. The strength low and range of the University’s existing outreach work underlies its decision to devote much of its spending on widening participation from additional fee middle income to the bursary schemegroups.

Outreach work. i. The University believes that its bursary packagehas been closely and substantially involved in outreach work for a significant time and is the lead institution in the Merseyside sub-region for Aimhigher. In order to continue to build on this experience and to focus particularly on increasing outreach in the Merseyside sub-region, additional outreach support officers have now been appointed. ii. The outreach work of the University encompasses multi-partner project work which helps to raise awareness of, and participation in, higher education in a generic way, together with more targeted activity to widen the pool of potentially-qualified applicants to the University. Widening participation activities follow a continuum:- • Promoting lifelong learning and introducing the culture of higher education to young people and adult returners, their families, teachers, supporters and communities. Much of this work is partnership-based and generic in nature; • Targeted activities for cohorts which have a realistic potential to progress to higher education and, in conjunction with its current particular, to University of Liverpool provision; • Providing pre-entry support and planned outreach activities, represents a robust system for ensuring transition activities in the first semester as appropriate; and ongoing support to ensure that educational opportunities students are made widely availableretained within the institution and are enabled to move successfully into employment or further study at the end of their undergraduate course at the University. iii. The University continues to provide an extensive develop further its outreach work through the work of the dedicated staff within the outreach support team, and will continue to build on its work on immediate post-entry support for under-represented groups of students by enhancing the study skills support team and expanding its Peer Mentoring scheme. Our experience has demonstrated that these types of provision play a part in encouraging students from under-represented groups to apply to the University. iv. The Outreach Support Officers are dedicated to supporting particular areas of the University’s provision. They work closely with academic Departments to identify target groups of potential students and develop outreach activities to ensure that each department encourages applications from across the range of potential students. These staff work together with existing members of the Widening Participation and Education Liaison Teams to develop targeted outreach work which should activities and to build upon existing partnership-based outreach work. Departments are also given additional support to ensure that they can provide appropriate academic support and advice to students from target groups. This builds on our substantial experience in areas such as:- • Summer Schools • Masterclasses • Focussed Campus Visits • Revision classes The activities have developed further good practice and ensured that target groups are identified, supported, and encouraged to apply. v. The additional Study Skills support will be seen targeted on the first semester of study, as experience indicates that this is when a student is most at risk. The University will concentrate its support on Study Skills Advisors and Peer Mentoring for target groups, through a variety of mechanisms including:- • Departmental support and curriculum development • Materials development • One-to-one support • Training for departmental staff and for student peers vi. Participation in higher education in the context Merseyside sub-region is low and the University particularly wishes to target its outreach activities on under-represented groups in the Greater Merseyside area, building on the activities of a well- resourced marketing, recruitment Aimhigher. Particular target groups include:- • Young people from low participation neighbourhoods; • Young people from black and widening minority ethnic groups; • Young people from secondary schools with the greatest potential for increasing progression to higher education i.e. those schools with the biggest gap between 5 A- Cs at GCSE and participation operation. It therefore does not at this stage devote a specific proportion in higher education; • Young people and adult returners from further education colleges with high numbers of additional fee income, other than the bursary scheme, to those outreach activitiesstudents from low participation neighbourhoods; • Young people and adult returners from areas of low participation; • Young people and adult returners with disabilities. vii. The University’s Director objective is to ensure that there is fair opportunity for students from these groups to benefit from the education it provides, subject to appropriate levels of Widening Access oversees attainment on entry. It has undertaken additional outreach work with identified partners is other areas of low participation and will therefore encourage and enhance these partnerships outside of the Greater Merseyside area. viii. The University has a wide range of support services for all students. These support services are extensively advertised to encourage applications to the University. Some of these support services are specific to under-represented groups. These include:- • Pre-entry support and guidance for mature students; • Specialist help and support for students with disabilities; • An employer mentoring scheme for students who are at a disadvantage in the labour market, for example, black and minority ethnic students, students with disabilities, mature students, and those who are the first in their family to enter higher education; • Opportunities for accessing part-time work to fit in with the requirements of the degree course. ix. The University estimates that the reach of the activities will be as follows:- • As a member of the Aimhigher Greater Merseyside partnership, the University will continue to work with all schools in Greater Merseyside on generic aspiration-raising activities; • The Education Liaison Team will continue to work with 115 target schools and colleges across the UK, on a range of recruitment activities; • The Outreach Support Officers will work with a minimum of 75 schools, at least 25 of which will be in Greater Merseyside, on outreach activities with students in targeted groups who have the potential to progress on to the University of Liverpool. x. The University will underpin these activities with appropriate staff development and training at all levels, to ensure that potential and current students in the target groups are supported in an appropriate manner. xi. The areas identified above build on existing initiatives which have proved very successful in developing the University’s involvement in the area Aimhigher and other outreach activities such as the HEFCE funded Summer Schools for young people who might otherwise gain no experience of a higher education environment. In addition, the University operates a number of very successful mentoring projects to support young people from low participation backgrounds in raising their aspirations and levels of achievement. A large part of the activity described above is currently targeted at priority schools in the Cheshire and Warrington areas which are located in neighbourhoods from which there is a low participation rate in HE (in the lowest quartile), and which have a low profile of GCSE attainmentactivities. It is intended proposed that the additional work to be undertaken will therefore enhance our provision alongside the development of new initiatives as experience is gained. xii. One key new initiative to be launched for 2009 entry will be the Liverpool Scholars programme. Although targeted to 2009 entrants, recruitment to this level ‘assisted admissions’ programme will begin in 2007 and type will provide the opportunity for 50 Year 12 pupils from 19 designated schools and colleges across Greater Merseyside, to participate in a programme of activityactivities designed to improve their attainment and ultimately ensure admittance to the University of Liverpool. A key incentive will be the Liverpool Scholar Bursary of £1,500, which includes taster days, and mentoring projects, will be maintained. For intensive activities and sustained interventions, the University aims to target individuals from the lower socio-economic groups and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, the University aims further to continue its outreach work in targeting further education colleges in low participation areas. Existing links and agreements when coupled with further education colleges have already contributed to the diversification of the University’s applications Liverpool Bursary (as identified students will have to be in receipt of an Education Maintenance Allowance and intake, both in terms therefore will be eligible for the full Liverpool Bursary) will provide students with an income of entry qualifications and social background. In recognition of the success of these links, University of Xxxxxxx has responded positively £2,800 to requests from a number of its key partner FE colleges to move to Associate College status, a central purpose of which is to increase still further the ‘pull-through’ of students from further to higher education. The strength and range of the University’s existing outreach work underlies its decision to devote much of its spending on widening participation from additional fee income to the bursary schemesupport their studies.