Research commissioned by the Service Children’s Progression (SCiP) Alliance has found that many young people from military families feel like ‘perpetual outsiders’ while at university.
The Thriving Lives in Higher Education study gathered evidence from 230 students and 73 learning institutions around the UK, and considered data from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
It found many higher education providers lacked the ability to identify and monitor those from forces families, which meant the opportunity to provide targeted support was limited.
The report recommends the development of mechanisms to pinpoint students from service households during the enrolment process and calls for admissions policies to address the impact of frequent relocations and disrupted schooling. It also champions the provision of tailored support, such as flexible deadlines and alternative assessment measures, and dedicated wellbeing initiatives.
The research is directly informing a forthcoming Thriving Lives Toolkit for Universities, designed to provide practical support for practitioners working in higher education to better understand and support students from Armed Forces families, based on the evidence produced through the project.
The SCiP Alliance has also launched the Pioneer Programme, enabling universities to become early adopters of the new Thriving Lives Toolkit. Contact Emily. flores@winchester.ac.uk for details.
To read the full findings, which state the case for bespoke bursaries, visit SCiP Alliance Thriving Lives in Higher Education.