Back Back

Support for estranged students recognised nationally

02/12/2020
Support for estranged students recognised nationally

The University of Wolverhampton has been recognised for its ongoing support for estranged students in this year’s Stand Alone Pledge Awards.

Stand Alone is a charity supporting people who are estranged from their family or a key family member.

The University signed the Stand Alone pledge in 2016 showing its commitment to supporting students who are studying without the support or approval of a family network.

The award, which has been presented as a combination of outstanding best practice, engagement with Stand Alone and student feedback, recognises the overall institutional support for estranged students during Covid-19 and the personal commitment of individual staff members and teams.

Kirsty Dorward, Head of Student Experience Projects at the University and the named contact for Care Leavers and Estranged students, said: “Estranged students, who are aged between 18 and 24, do not have a family support network and have no communicative relationship with either living biological parent, or often their wider family.  

"We recognise that many students, estranged or not, come to university to 'rewrite the script' of their lives, and put some of their past behind them.

“We aim to be a welcoming University, one that promotes a sense of "family" and belonging, whilst striking the balance of empowering and enabling individuals to be independent and very much the shapers of their own destiny.

“It’s wonderful to be recognised for the efforts we have made this year, in particular, during the pandemic which has had an enormous impact on day to day life as well as the University experience.”

Estranged student, Chrystabel Mangwendeza, who is studying for a degree in Education, Childhood and Youth, said: “The continuous support I receive from Kirsty and her team is honestly the reason why I’m even still here today. Through the University & Kirsty I have been able to gain support academically the way I need it, mentally, emotionally and financially. There’s no support a family and relatives could provide me that Kirsty & the University can’t and for that I will be forever grateful.”

Read more about Chrystabel’s story here.

The University currently has over 300 students who have identified themselves as estranged and is actively in contact with over 100 of them on a regular basis.

The University offers a wide range of student support on its dedicated web pages.

ENDS

 

For more information please contact the Corporate Communications Team.

Share this release

Related Stories