inspirit inside this issue Innovation in Nursing Adult Learners Week award Summer Schools introduction Welcome to the third edition of inspirit In this edition you will find a small sample of the innovative widening participation projects, initiatives and events recently delivered by Staffordshire University. The last few months have been an exciting time for widening participation at the University with the launch of the Lifelong Learning Network, two Adult Learner Week awards, new initiatives such as ‘Step Ahead’ and a national conference hosted at the University. This edition focuses on health, with articles on several of the innovative projects currently being delivered and developed within the area of health. If you are currently working on a widening participation project, or if you wish to promote a forthcoming event or series of events, please contact me and we can feature it in the next Inspirit. Many thanks Pete Jones contact inspirit If you are involved in a widening participation initiative at Staffordshire University and you would like to tell people about it, drop me a line to include your work in Inspirit Pete Jones Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning Co-ordinator Academic Development Institute Winton Square Staffordshire University Stoke-on-Trent S T42DE t: +44 (0)1782 294941 e: [email protected] 2 Flying start programme A two-day event for applicants who live in Staffordshire Following on from the success can familiarise themselves with the a ‘university centred’ student life. of previous years, Staffordshire University campus and facilities This is because normally they do University’s Flying Start programme before starting Uni. The programme not live on campus and many have is running again in 2007. includes both academic and social family commitments that prevent activities, with the opportunity to them from integrating fully. The programme is targeted at meet staff and attend workshops applicants who have made Staffs and presentations run by the Flying Start has been successful in their first choice and live in the Students’ Union, careers staff helping students to settle in quickly Staffordshire or Stoke-on-Trent and support staff. These activities and benefit from their time at Staffs. Local Authority areas. It is designed help to break down any perceived It takes place on 14 and 15 August to help ease the transition of local barriers and help to resolve any 2007 and eligible applicants will be applicants to university, because problems or worries. contacted. many of them do not have a tradition of undertaking Higher An additional objective of the For further information contact staff Education in their families. programme is to encourage local in the Higher Education Shop students to form relationships at an t: 01782 292746 By attending the free, two-day, early stage, as local students often e: [email protected] non-residential event, students find it difficult to become part of Step Ahead at Staffs A four-day residential summer school for applicants living further afield Step Ahead is a four-day The school will introduce new An invite to attend will be sent to residential summer school offered students to the University and ease successful applicants once they free of charge. It is open to all the transition into Higher Education have confirmed the University’s students who confirm an offer from through a series of lectures, offer of a place. Staffs and are not resident in the workshops, and numerous social Staffordshire and activities. The dates for 2007 are: Stoke-on-Trent areas. The University will be offering two The initiative follows best practice 30 July-2 August: Stoke campus Step Ahead summer schools this from across the Higher Education 6 August-9 August: Stafford year and will provide all meals, sector which shows that by campus accommodation and an evening managing of social networking, social programme. expectations, orientation and To find out more, please visit the generic study skills, we can reduce web site at: drop out rates by up to 50 per cent. www.staffs.ac.uk/stepahead/ 3 Tutorial on a park bench Sheri Rhodes-Martin, Principal Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing, reveals how changes in entry requirements for nursing are helping to broaden participation in the profession. The module comprises three teaching sessions delivered at the Blackheath Lane, Campus at weekly intervals. The ‘viva voce’ examination of the portfolio then follows after four weeks. From the start of the course to the viva voce, students are supported in small groups and one-to-one tutorials. The tutorial support is crucial to the success of the module as this is where the students get in-depth and detailed feedback on their work. This course was aimed at those with few or no qualifications, probably in lower paid jobs and unlikely to come from a family background with expectations of attending university. We therefore advertised the to the It is desirable for nurses to reflect the who once would have struggled unqualified health and social care patients and society they serve, with to secure a place. In doing so, we workforce, including administration its wide variety of age groups and must ensure that quality standards and ancillary staff. All advertising backgrounds. Traditionally however, are protected, so public trust and was distributed electronically and the profession attracts mostly young confidence in nurse education on paper to local NHS Trusts. No female applicants, with people from programmes is maintained. external advertising, including different backgrounds and ethnicity newspapers, was taken out. often less likely to meet the required A new way forward academic entry criteria, for various A study module was developed Flexible support reasons. whereby literacy and numeracy We knew that tutorial support for the skills, together with other course module would have to be flexible While lacking the formal elements, could be assessed and student-friendly. This was qualifications, evidence suggests using portfolio evidence. Though particularly important as the target these other groups are likely compiling and using portfolios is group was unlikely to be financially to possess the intelligence now fairly commonplace in nursing, well-off, with students likely to be life experiences to enrich any this is not true for many of those fitting in the course with shiftwork. educational course. As such, the we wish to attract into nursing. We Nursing and Midwifery Council recognised that many students Students were allocated to a has removed the standard would therefore need help and personal tutor who lived close to entry requirements for nursing support to construct and present them, so that their tutorial sessions programmes and suggested Higher their portfolio of evidence. could be arranged near to home. Education Institutions (HEIs) focus This has resulted in many small on the literacy and numeracy skills The module was entitled: Portfolio group meetings and one-to-one (along with good character and of Evidence for Entry to Level One tutorials in libraries, coffee bars, health) of entrants. It became Study. The module descriptor, garden centres and even on park the responsibility of the HEI to student handbook and session benches. When evaluated, this determine the types of evidence outlines were prepared and the element of the course was received deemed appropriate to demonstrate module was validated at level 0 for very well, with students gaining suitability. 15 credits. The first cohort for the a great deal from the one-to-one module started in October 2004. tutorial support. Others said they These changes present a real The module is delivered twice per found the amount of work daunting opportunity to widen participation year and is about to run again for and were only able to continue and to attract people into nursing the sixth time. because of the individual support. 4 The table below shows the number of applications through to successful completion and progressing onto a full time nursing course. Applications, Attendance, Completion and Conversion to Pre Registration Nursing Diploma Programme Intake Applications First day Successfully Failed the Started Adult Started Mental attendees completed course Nursing Diploma Health Nursing Failed the Diploma course Course 1: 23 20 16 0 5 9 Course 2: 43 29 24 2 13 10 Course 3: 47 34 25 3 13 11 Totals 113 83 65 5 31 30 A relatively high number of people For some people the experience it is The fail rate for the portfolio entry who apply for the course do not too stressful, the course too difficult, course is 7% and, of the successful eventually attend, and some of or does not come at the right time completers, the conversion to a full- those who do start withdraw after in their life, and they chose to ‘drop time course is 94%. day one. Students appear to out’. We do not see this as negative: have many questions and there is indeed it is perhaps better to do A full evaluation of the progress of evidence of fear and anxiety, which so from this short course rather those entering nurse education via has proved difficult to address. than the full-time three year course. this route will be published shortly. Dispelling mental health myths The Faculty of Health has been forward from the school to apply for The schools are designed to be as awarded funding to help dispel nursing generally stay and complete flexible as possible. Anyone unable the myths and misunderstandings the course. to attend the whole two days can surrounding mental health nursing. receive information on any missed The two-day mental health schools sessions and useful contacts to go The Faculty applied to HE Full Circle are free and run four times per year away with. There may also be the for funding to put together ‘Mental - twice in Stafford (in partnership opportunity to attend a weekend Health Schools’.