Welcome to the second edition of the 2021/22 Linking London Uni Connect bulletin.
Below you'll find upcoming events for students and staff.
This academic year, the Linking London Uni Connect team is working more closely together on targeting both adult learners and young learners in colleges. We are combining our monthly bulletins and providing a thorough update on all sides of our Uni Connect work in one mailing.
Introducing Jade
We would like to introduce our new Linking London Uni Connect Outreach Officer Jade Baker-Smith. She has just joined us from The Southern Universities Network Uni Connect. Jade is currently coordinating our college requested ad-hoc sessions for adult learners which will likely be based around arranging one-off sessions/workshops to meet an IAG need, such as: student finance, personal statements, portfolio advice, interview advice, or attendance at HE Fairs with our HE partners. If you would like to discuss any ideas you might have for your college, please email her at jade.baker-smith@bbk.ac.uk and she will be happy to assist.
Update on young learner work
Since the start of term, our Engagement Officers have been concentrating their efforts on tracking down Year 13 or Year 2 learners who were signed up to the Uni Connect programme last year. It’s a crucial time for valuable one-to-one sessions, especially with the UCAS process in full swing. We have also been working with MindMapperUK, an external organisation delivering workshops on themes connected with mental health. Havering Sixth Form has had the first of four sessions, and two other colleges are signing up. LSEC has taken a trip to Rose Bruford College, a creative arts HEI, and learners were really pleased to be able to visit a campus in person. Barking & Dagenham College held a successful careers fair this week. All our Engagement Officers are organising personal statement talks and draft-editing support, from HE partners as well as Linking London staff, as most colleges have internal deadlines in November. It has been a busy and high-pressure start to the academic year with so many learners seeming to need additional support this year, after two disrupted school years, so we are especially glad to be able to attempt to plug some of the gaps for learners from Uni Connect wards.
Birkbeck, UoL list upcoming events here - including campus tours.
Ravensbourne have a series of workshops, tasters, and clinics running, see upcoming events here.
Greenwich have sessions for prospective students listed here, including an application support session on October 27th.
Middlesex advertise upcoming events here, including a personal statement support session on November 3rd and a nursing and midwifery interview session on November 10th.
Kingston University London - advertise upcoming webinars here, including a personal statement session on October 28th.
Pearson College London are holding a November open day - book here for the Business school and book here for Escape Studios.
UAL has upcoming sessions for students listed here, including some course-specific open sessions.
GoingToUni has been launched by City, University of London, offering a range of different resources to help support students in their journey to HE.
New Resource for Disabled Learners in London from AimHigher London Unifish is your guide to higher education in London when you need a little more support.
Discover if a higher education provider has adapted accommodation, accessible learning spaces, specialist adapted support social groups, specialist knowledge within the disability service, support available from academic staff and much more. Accessible for all audiences including prospective and current disabled students, careers staff, SEND practitioners, Heads of Sixth Form, teaching staff and others. www.unifish.org.uk
How to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0ZAhlqD0po
HEI virtual tours and open days
Brunel have an open day on October 23rd - book here.
St Mary's next open day is November 27th details here.
University of East London have their virtual tour here.
University of Westminster have an open day coming up on November 27th - book here.
Linking London Uni Connect Resources
BTEC Support Package
Our videos for Level 3 BTEC students released in April may be helpful for current Year 2 BTEC students. Please do share with students and colleagues and let us know if it's helpful.
The London Uni Connect is part of the Uni Connect programme funded by the Office for Students. AccessHE, Aimhigher London and Linking London* work with staff in schools and colleges across London to help increase awareness among young Londoners of the opportunities available in higher education. Linking London works exclusively with staff in London sixth form colleges and further education colleges.
*Linking London, based at Birkbeck, University of London, is an established partnership of London higher education institutions, colleges and other members dedicated to improving social mobility for college learners through education.
