Our Widening Participation team engages with under-represented groups throughout the student life cycle, in order to raise aspirations, support access, and encourage success and progression. The Widening Participation team leads on the University’s commitment to be a place of opportunity for a diverse group of students – including those who have not had equal opportunity to demonstrate their full academic potential. As experienced inclusion practitioners and consultants, we engage with individuals from some of the most deprived communities and under-represented groups in Scotland and beyond.We take a multi-faceted approach: raising aspirations, supporting attainment and applications, and aiding transitions and opportunities throughout the student experience. This includes outreach programmes with primary and secondary schools, colleges and communities; contextualised admissions; and financial, academic, co-curricular, extra-curricular and pastoral support for students while at Edinburgh and into employment.Our colleagues from across the University are vital partners in Widening Participation, and more information about ways to get involved can be found on the Widening Participation section of the SRA website. We also have strong partnerships with a wide range of access programmes, colleges and universities across the UK.More information on Widening Participation:Widening ParticipationThe team consists of: NameRoleEmail Lesley StokesHead of Widening Participation Programmeslesley.stokes@ed.ac.ukKirstin HenryWidening Participation Managerkirstin.henry@ed.ac.ukPat ReidWidening Participation ManagerPat.reid@ed.ac.ukDr Neil SpeirsWidening Participation Managerneil.speirs@ed.ac.ukBriony CowanWidening Participation Administratorbriony.cowan@ed.ac.ukRyan HamiltonWidening Participation Officer (Reach Edinburgh)ryan.hamilton@ed.ac.ukStef Blum-StevensonWidening Participation Officer (ACES)stef.blum@ed.ac.ukTom DraperInto University Community Liaison Co-ordinatortom.draper@ed.ac.ukJess HumeWidening Participation Officer (Student Life Cycle)jess.hume@ed.ac.ukSusan ForrestWidening Participation Officer (Summer Schools)susan.forrest@ed.ac.ukGabriele NegroWidening Participation Officergabriele.negro@ed.ac.ukLauren MckayProject Support Officer (AHDP)lauren.mckay@ed.ac.ukJefferson ShirleyData and Monitoring Officerjefferson.shirley@ed.ac.uk This article was published on 2024-07-22
