Course overview

Who is this course for?

This course, Carer Aware at University, is for staff working in Scotland’s universities. The content is intended to be useful in your practice, whether you have a role in widening access, student support, teaching or senior management. It is centred around the voices of student carers themselves, as they share their experiences of caring for a family member or friend, and the impact the caring role has on their education.

The course is designed to help you reflect on your practice and the support you currently provide for student carers as part of your role. You can use what you learn to develop ideas to better identify student carers and support them to succeed at university. You can also use the course to support your university to achieve or retain the Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award.

Download this video clip.Video player: Meet student carers, Charlotte and Stephen, who were involved in developing the course.

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Transcript: Meet student carers, Charlotte and Stephen, who were involved in developing the course.

CHARLOTTE MUIR

So, hi, I’m Charlotte, and I am a first year primary education student at Queen Margaret University, and I have been a young carer since the age of eight but I didn’t identify as one until I was about fifteen or sixteen in high school when my guidance teacher finally told me a bit about what a young carer is and matched me up to be one. So, I also went to Leaps for a little bit, and I really struggled due to my caring role so I had to leave. I originally went to University of Glasgow down on their Dumfries campus to do the same course, but had to move home again due to my caring role. Luckily, I live in Musselburgh, which is right next to QMU, and they started up a primary education course which I applied to and got in. So, that’s a bit about me.

STEPHEN SMITH

Hi, I’m Steven, I am currently an architecture student at the Glasgow School of Art. I was a young carer from the age of about twelve or thirteen, and I didn’t identify as a young carer until about fifteen or sixteen. I refused to acknowledge it, mainly because I didn’t understand what a young carer was or what it meant, I just thought it was going to be singling me out and making me different in a bad way, where actually it’s the complete opposite, something to be proud of. I received support from Fife Young Carers who were a saviour to me as a group, and led me down quite a good path. Through my caring role, I didn’t get many qualifications at school, but moving forward, I got offered an apprenticeship based on someone giving me an opportunity that I didn’t have the best start through being a young carer, and it then progressed on to me going to university studying architecture at Glasgow School of Art.

End transcript: Meet student carers, Charlotte and Stephen, who were involved in developing the course.

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Meet student carers, Charlotte and Stephen, who were involved in developing the course.

This course was created during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we were restricted in how we could gather video material we had to use online platforms for recording. As a result, you may notice the quality of the video production was influenced.

Next, go to Course structure.

Course structure

The course is divided into two levels, each containing two sections. There are activities throughout and your input will be saved for the next time you log in. We have included an approximate time guide of one hour for each level but you may take more or less time depending on previous awareness of carers and your engagement with the activities.

Throughout the course, using video, audio and written case studies, students will tell you about their caring role and the impact it has on their life and their ability to study at university.

The course will provide opportunities to reflect on the challenges student carers face, the impact on their education, and the important role you can have in supporting them at university.

At the end of each level there will be a short quiz to reinforce your learning.

Course content

• Level 1: Carer Aware
  • Section 1 will give you an opportunity to hear directly from carers about the kind of responsibilities they have and the impact of caring on their health and wellbeing. It will also cover Scottish legislation and policy that relates to carers.
  • Section 2 will build on Section 1 and develop a deeper understanding of how a caring role could impact on a student carer’s experience at university. We will explore the barriers and the opportunities a caring role can create for a student.
• Level 2: Going Higher
  • Section 3 will focus on carers’ suggestions for universities on how to improve their support for student carers. Their experiences can help you in developing your own practice. As you work through this section, make notes of your ideas as they will be helpful in Section 4.
  • Section 4 focuses on the Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award. There are different activities depending where you on your journey, whether you are working towards the award or have already achieved it.
• Resources section provides a list of resources and key contacts that can support you in your work with student carers.

Digital badges

On completion of Level 1 and successfully passing the quiz at the end of Level 1, you will be awarded a Carer Aware digital badge to recognise your learning. If you choose to finish the course here, well done – you are now carer aware.

If you are keen to keep learning or have a role in applying for the Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award, Level 2 focuses on what you can do to improve your university’s support systems. On completion of Level 2, and successfully passing the quiz at the end of Level 2, you will be awarded a Going Higher digital badge to recognise your learning. You can also download a Statement of Participation.

Learning environment

This course is intended to be a positive learning experience. We’re aware that many people have or have had caring roles and this may trigger memories and emotions for you. Please take as much time as you need to work through it and speak to someone you trust if you need to.

There are no right or wrong answers to the activities and reflections. Anything you type in the text boxes provided is confidential and can’t be accessed by anyone but you. You might prefer to keep a learning journal. If you have colleagues who are also working through the course, you may find it useful to discuss your learning with them.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course you should be able to:

• Demonstrate insight into the lived experience of student carers and how unpaid care can impact on their student experience.
• Identify and support student carers in your university.
• Signpost student carers to advice and support within the university and to relevant external services.
• Develop strategies that contribute to your university achieving and retaining the Carers Trust Scotland Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award.

Now move on to Section 1: Becoming carer aware.