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Section 4: Going Higher Award

Introduction

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Picture of a gold trophy.

Welcome to Section 4 of the Carer Aware at University course. This final section focuses on the Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award. It is split into two parts – for those whose university has achieved the award, and for those that are working towards it.

You will be asked to complete an activity after you have looked at the Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award webpage and discovered where your university is on its journey towards gaining the award.

Section learning outcomes

On completing this section, you will be able to:

Articulate how your role may contribute to achieving the Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award or build on an existing award.
Demonstrate how your university is progressing towards gaining the Going Higher Award.
Gather evidence for the Going Higher Award.

Now go to 4.1 Getting started with Going Higher.

4.1 Getting started with Going Higher

The Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award encourages universities to adopt a sustainable, whole-institution approach to identify, support and report on student carers. The award is currently funded by the Scottish Funding Council and, as we saw in Section 1, they have built the award into their Outcome Agreements with universities.

In this video we meet Steven, Student Success Advisor at Heriot Watt University, who talks about the benefits of the Going Higher process and the partnerships they developed as a result. He also suggests using your best asset: student carers.

Download this video clip.Video player: Video 4.1

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Transcript: Video 4.1 Pursuing the Going Higher Award

STEVEN NICHOLSON

Pursuing the Going Higher Award was a great opportunity for Heriot-Watt University to gauge what our strengths were and what our points for development were when supporting student carers. Throughout the process, we were able to network with other universities, support organisations like the Carers Trust Scotland, smaller local organisations, and through that, we were able to develop partnerships which were able to grow and develop even now after we’ve achieved the award because the process doesn’t stop there, it’s about keeping that momentum going and building those partnerships even further.

The biggest piece of advice I would give to another university pursuing the award would be use your best resource and asset, and that’s your student carers. Use their insight and their knowledge, and get them to review the work that you are developing, whether it’s wording or phrasing of content or copy that you’re going to be releasing, whether it’s imagery that you’re going to be sending out on email communications or video developments, use their insight.

End transcript: Video 4.1 Pursuing the Going Higher Award

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Video 4.1 Pursuing the Going Higher Award

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Going Higher Award Achieved logo

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Going Higher Award Achieved logo

Activity 4.1 The Going Higher toolkit

Timing: Allow 10–15 minutes

By signing in and enrolling on this course you can view and complete all activities within the course, track your progress in My OpenLearn Create. and when you have completed a course, you can download and print a free Statement of Participation - which you can use to demonstrate your learning.

2) Where is your university on the journey to gaining the award?

Click where your university is in the progress table below to reveal advice for next steps to take.

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An image of five cards. There is an arrow beneath each card which starts yellow but turns green when you click on each card, and then gives information about what to do at that stage.

Card one says: Not started. When you click on the card, it says: This section should provide plenty of information and ideas to get you started.

Card two says: Just starting. When you click on the card, it says: This section should provide resources and ideas to help you progress.

Card three says: Generating and collecting evidence. When you click on the card, it says: You’re well on your way. This section will help you reflect on what you’ve done so far and what else you can do to support your application.

Card four says: Submitted application. When you click on that card, it says: Well done! The submission represents a huge amount of work but it’s a good idea to continue reflecting and improving support for student carers.

Card five says: Gained Going Higher Award. When you click on the card, it says: Congratulations!! You’re getting recognition for all the work you’ve done to improve support for student carers. This isn’t the end of the journey though – this section can help you reflect on your support for student carers and how you can continue to improve.

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If your university doesn’t have the award yet complete the activity in Part A.
If your university already has the award skip to the activity in Part B.

4.2 Part A: Student Carer Policy

Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award

Go back to the Resources for College and University Staff (Supporting Student Carers) webpage you have just viewed and scroll down to the Guidance on developing a Student Carer Support Policy. Read through the guidance then complete Activity 4.2.

Activity 4.2 Getting started on your Student Carer Policy

Timing: Allow 5–10 minutes

From what you know about student carers from the earlier sections of the course, what kind of practical, pastoral and academic processes would support student carers towards success in your university?

Write around six bullet points that would be useful to have in your university’s Student Carer Policy. Use the text box below or your learning journal if you’re using one.

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4.3 Part B: Building on your award

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Congratulations if your university has already achieved the award. Complete this part of the section by finding and reading one of the following:

your university’s Student Carer Policy and/or procedure
your university’s student carers webpage
your Going Higher action plan.

Using the information you have found, complete Activity 4.3.

Activity 4.3 Improving support for student carers

Timing: Allow 10–15 minutes

1) Based on what you’ve learned in the course so far, can you identify any gaps in the information above? Is there anything missing that you think would make the life of a student carer easier in your university? If so, make a note in the box below or in your learning journal.

Conclusion

Well done, you’ve completed the final section of the Carer Aware at University course! You should now be more aware of:

The Carers Trust Scotland Going Higher for Student Carers: Recognition Award.
How your university is progressing towards the award, who the lead for this is in your university and how your role can contribute to this.

If your university already has the award this has been an opportunity to review existing support and how you could further contribute to improving the experience of student carers.

Complete the Going Higher quiz to gain your Going Higher digital badge.

For useful websites, further information for carers and research paper links visit the Resources page.

Section 4: Going Higher Award