Transcript Closed to Open Door Janice Larkin and Verna Rhodes Aspire, University of Greenwich Fiona Taylor, Open Book Goldsmith College, University of London.

Closed to Open Door
Janice Larkin and Verna Rhodes
Aspire, University of Greenwich
Fiona Taylor,
Open Book
Goldsmith College, University of London
Aims
• Extra support for students from nontraditional backgrounds, such as exaddicts, ex-offenders and care
leavers, which complements or adds
to the existing provision.
Leading to….
• Improved retention
• Positive and productive student
experience
Background
• Open Book founded in 2002 at
Goldsmiths
• Run by staff from the same
background
• Offers specially-tailored sessions
• Open access drop-in
• 24 hour phone support
• Informal peer support
• 158 people have taken part
• 54 on undergraduate courses
• 5 now postgraduate including
one PhD
• 1 offered trainee post with BBC
• 1 working in secure unit for
young females
One student’s view
• "I'm doing a BA in media communications
and I'm loving it, but the academic stuff is
almost the easy bit. What's tough is
making friends, as there are so few people
here who have experienced the kind of life
I have. And it's not much easier at home,
as I've had to drop many of the old friends
I used to hang around with and the ones
who do understand how I'm trying to
change my life are understandably
sceptical.”
Been there, done that, Stephen Hoare, The Guardian, 2004
University of Greenwich Model
• Drop-in session for two hours, once
a week
• Staffed by Open Book study skills
tutor and student
• Information on what is available
• Extended to anyone from a chaotic
or non-traditional background
• Advertised at induction
• Flyers
• Word of mouth
• Included in University Welfare literature
• Slow start – as anticipated
Some statistics
• 20 – 25 students in total
• Approx 33% attend regularly
• Rest attended once or twice
• 3 were close to giving up but
have stayed
• 1 close to suicide but still here
and getting help
Case Histories
• Student A comes regularly for study
skills and dyslexia support
• Student B attends regularly for help
with understanding science and
support through dyslexia and ADHD
assessment
• Student C almost had to quit
because of financial difficulties but
now heading for a masters
What worked?
• Direct support – study skills
• Access to existing services
• Help in interpreting the
bureaucracy
• Providing a safe nonjudgemental space
Conclusions
• Expensive per head
• Successful because it is an informal relaxed
atmosphere where students can approach a
problem in an oblique way
• It is staffed by those who have “been there” and
who have “real knowledge” of the difficulties being
faced
• It is “Halfway between everyday and academic and
general conversation leads to disclosure”
Drop-in session participant
Study skills tutor
Final Word
• Joe Baden, the co-ordinator, says
"It's not about rehab, it's about
becoming the people we always
should have been. We're not
victims, we're survivors. Victims
don't have the power to change
things. We have."
Breaking into university, John Crace, The Guardian, March 2007