The Student Inclusion Team, within Widening Participation and Social Mobility, recruited undergraduate students at the University of Southampton to take up paid positions on the Awarding Gap Project Panel.
The panel currently consists of students from Black ethnic backgrounds (currently underrepresented in higher education), who have oversight of activities and interventions targeted at Black students at the University with the aim of improving their university experience.
With the support of staff, our student panel members evaluate the impact of existing projects, develop new interventions in response to feedback, and are a part of implementing targeted campaigns.
Members of the panel are able to scrutinise reports, drawing on internal and external data, before having the power to make informed decisions regarding which interventions and activities to put into place for other students. The panel is also responsible for planning and hosting at least one community building event each semester and are supported by the University with the financial resources to do so.
Members also undergo high-quality training prior to taking their posts, involving external speakers, which further equips them with the skills to complete their work.
Students involved gain experience of being part of a proactive committee alongside fellow students, challenging staff, and carrying out campaigns. Becoming a member of this panel allows students to be part of a project that has the potential to form a wider case study into the impact of entirely peer-led interventions on the lived experience of Black students in Higher Education.
While primarily focused on supporting students from Black ethnic backgrounds, the project is dedicated to creating an environment that is equitable for all our students.
