City hub will open doors to study success
The University has joined a region-wide initiative to increase educational opportunities for people who have spent time in care.
Edinburgh’s universities, colleges and the City Council are joining forces to reduce the numbers of care-experienced people leaving school at the minimum age and with few qualifications.
Central hub
The Hub For SUCCESS – Support for University and College for Care Experienced in South-East Scotland – provides individual information and advice on educational opportunities, accommodation and finance.
It is based in the City of Edinburgh Council Customer Hub on the Royal Mile. It will act as a drop-in centre and also arrange home or campus visits.
It has already helped 28 care experienced people, providing impartial advice on the best pathways to education. It has with a specific aim of increasing student retention at school.
The Hub’s success is a great example of education partners across the city coming together to improve opportunities for our care-experienced people to get into university and college.
Stark statistics
Figures show that 73 per cent of care-experienced young people will leave school at the minimum age - 16 or before – compared with 27 per cent of all school leavers.
Six per cent go directly from school to university compared with 41 per cent of all school leavers. Retention rates are also an issue the project aims to address.
Statistics show that 57.9 per cent of those studying in 2016-17 completed their qualification, compared to 73.2 per cent of those without care experience.
Widespread collaboration
The University will work with Edinburgh Napier University, Heriot-Watt University, Queen Margaret University, the Open University in Scotland, Edinburgh College, Newbattle Abbey College and City of Edinburgh Council.
The project has been developed in consultation with Who Cares? Scotland, The Prince’s Trust and surrounding local authorities with the aim of identifying people who would benefit from support and encouragement to fulfil their potential.
The Hub will work with city schools to develop targeted projects that raise the expectations and awareness of care experienced people of all ages.
We are proud to be a founding partner of the Hub for SUCCESS and we are excited to continue this support as the centre becomes a vital service for care experienced individuals in and around Edinburgh. Our commitment to this is part of a wider commitment we have at the University to enhance the support we provide to care-experienced students.
The initial costs of the project have been met by the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier and Heriot-Watt. The Scottish Children’s Lottery is providing an additional £35,000 through its Chance to Study programme.
Related links
Find out more about Widening Participation at the University