Session Outline

As the Attainment Team in the Faculty of Life Sciences, we believe that every student should not only belong, but matter (Thomas 2012, Ahn & Davis 2019, Zawada 2022). We are aware that some students lack the capital required to succeed (Partington 2020). We focus on supporting students to build the capital as they navigate various transitions (Pownall et al 2021). In this presentation, we share four case studies of how we as advisors create bridges, and how we encourage our personal tutors to do likewise. Participants may find new approaches to help them support similar student populations in their own institution.

• Case 1- Foundation students: These students navigate an additional transition as they utilise a year of funding, and can lack self-belief (Strayhorn 2019, Pownall et al 2021)
• Case 2- Failing students who are taking extra credits or extra year of study: These students are learning from the past, needing confidence to make changes (Vaccaro & Newman 2016, Kahu & Nelson 2018)
• Case 3- International students: These students are dealing with culture shock, transition to western study, and benefiting from recent visa changes (Whisker et al 2008, Beatty et al 2020)
• Case 4- CARE (Care leavers, Asylum seekers, Refugees, Estranged) students: These students’ lived experiences may require them to manage the additional challenges, and when accessed they find support networks beneficial (Ayton 2021)