Monthly Archives: November 2020

Asymptomatic testing available on the Canterbury campus

From Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience

I want to let you know the process to follow should you wish to be tested for Covid-19 prior to travelling during the Student Travel Window (3-9 December 2020).

As part of the Government’s testing programme, we are opening an Asymptomatic Test Site (ATS) on our Canterbury campus on 30 November 2020. The ATS will be open for 8 working days.

The ATS will offer Lateral Flow Tests which are different to the tests offered by NHS Local Testing Sites. Lateral Flow Tests are specifically for those who are asymptomatic, i.e not currently displaying Covid-19 symptoms.

Please note that if you do have symptoms of Covid-19, you should follow our Isolate, Test and Inform procedure and book a PCR test via the NHS Coronavirus site.

If you aren’t displaying symptoms and would like to know more about the ATS and the Lateral Flow Test, you can do so on our dedicated Coronavirus website. Our booking form for appointment will be available from Thursday 26 November 2020 and we will email to let you know that bookings are open. The test is voluntary, and it is entirely your choice to be tested.

Please note you will need to be tested twice within 3 days for your result to be valid.

The Government is asking all students to travel from their term time to permanent address during the Student Travel Window (3-9 December 2020). Please do try to travel during this period if you are able and bear these dates in mind when booking a test. We know that some of you have made alternative plans or may be intending to stay at University after the Student Travel Window has closed. We are here to support you whatever your plans and personal circumstances.

For those of you intending to travel internationally, please be aware that some countries require a high level of Covid-19 certification as a condition of entry. This is not available through the national testing programme and you will need to be tested privately to meet this requirement. Please refer to the Government’s foreign travel advice and contact the UK-based embassy of the country you’re travelling to for further information.

Additional information about Covid-19 testing can be found on our Coronavirus website.

Asymptomatic testing for students and staff

I hope you are well and looking forward to the winter vacation. Thank you for all your hard work supporting our students and helping to provide the best possible student experience during what has been a very challenging year so far.

As part of the Government’s testing programme to support the Student Travel Window, we are opening an Asymptomatic Test Site (ATS) on our Canterbury campus on 30 November 2020. We would like to invite all students and staff to be tested should they wish.

The ATS will offer Lateral Flow Tests which are different to the PCR tests provided by our Local Testing Site (LTS). Lateral Flow Tests are specifically designed for asymptomatic people – those who are not displaying any symptoms. Please note that if you do have symptoms of Covid-19, you should book a test via the NHS Coronavirus site.

If you aren’t displaying symptoms and would like to book an appointment at the ATS, you can do so on our dedicated Coronavirus website. Please note the booking form will be available from 09.00 26 November 2020.

The test is voluntary, and it is entirely your choice to be tested.

We are inviting all students to be tested prior to travelling to their permanent homes during the Student Travel Window (3-9 December 2020).

For our Medway campus, we have worked with the Public Health Team on a special scheme to provide asymptomatic testing at the LTS. We are already accepting applications from students for tests and hope to be able to offer the same for Medway staff at a later date.

All students will be sent an email today (24 November 2020) about the testing available and how they can book an appointment.

We are currently working on plans for continuing our on-campus testing in the New Year and will update you on this shortly.

Additional information about Covid-19 testing can be found on our Coronavirus website.

Best wishes

Richard

Professor Richard Reece | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Student Experience

Thanksgiving Celebration Web Hangout

Tomorrow we are hosting a Thanksgiving celebration web hangout event at 15:00. It will be a chance to meet new students, take part in fun activities and share stories and experiences. There will be a quiz, Thanksgiving message board and a presentation.

All students are welcome to join this fun and informal event.

The link to sign up is here.

You will be emailed a Zoom link prior to the event.

Disability History Month events

Have you looked at any of the calendar of scheduled events for UKDHM? This year’s Disability History Month challenges us to consider ‘Access: How far have we to come? How far have we to go?’ If local television channel KMTV’s report is anything to go by, accessibility might still be an afterthought in Kent as a county.

One event coming up is the Neurodiversity Workshop: Understanding and Accepting neurodivergent ways of experiencing the world. This event takes place Thursday 3 December 11.30-12.30. Book your place now.

Check out #DHMKent20 on Twitter, Instagram and Twitter for up to date info on events, or to see people’s opinions and debates on these issues.

What’s been your experience of inclusion or accessibility at the University of Kent so far? If you’d like to have a louder voice of influence, you could join the friendly student-led Accessibility Network at Kent – join the Facebook group or check them out on Instagram: @ukcaccessibilitynetwork or Twitter: @NetworkUKC to see what they’re up to. You can also email accessibilitynetwork@kent.ac.uk for information on joining socials and events.

Together, we can #MakeKentAccessible.

Disability History Month

Have you perhaps felt frustrated during the pandemic when you can’t always get into your favourite shops and restaurants, you can’t travel as easily, it takes so much more planning to make what is ordinarily a simple trip because of considering queues or capacity? Many disabled people living in the UK have this experience daily, and UK Disability History Month (DHM) is an opportunity to challenge disablism and think about what steps we need to achieve equality.

Throughout the rest of November and December, the University of Kent is celebrating DHM with workshops, talks, films and resources. These have been curated for students and staff to challenge their own perceptions of disability and enhance their understanding and awareness. The theme for this year is ‘Access: How far have we to come? How far have we to go?’ Check out Kent Union’s webpage for the full calendar of scheduled events for UKDHM, or follow #DHMKent2020 on social media for updates on what’s coming next.

At Kent, we provide disability support to students who need it in the form of 1:1 support from disability advisers, mentors and tutors, as well as peer support groups and social activities. We have an active student-led accessibility network, and collaborating with students, staff and Kent Union, we want to continue to strive to make Kent an accessible environment to learn, live and socialise, both physically and digitally.

Disability History Month is one month of the year, but let’s remember that we need to take positive action all year round to ensure that Kent is an inclusive environment for all students, staff and visitors. DHM is an opportunity to take a bit of time to listen to one another’s experiences, to consider what each of us can do to better meet the needs of people with invisible and visible disabilities, and to take that energy forward to continually improve the University and community experience – for every single person studying and working at Kent. Please check out the DHM programme, be part of a positive change, and help us #MakeKentAccessible.

Applying for work opportunities during lockdown

As we begin a new week, our theme for lockdown focusses on applying for work opportunities. Whether you are in your first, second or final year, there are vacancies advertised for all stages! Below we have covered graduate schemes, internships and placements, sharing a few ways to find opportunities and help when applying.

Graduate Schemes
If you are in your final year, you might be applying to graduate schemes. Graduate schemes are structured training programmes, providing you with responsibility early on, skills development and hands-on experience. Opportunities for 2021 start, are still available to apply to, but deadlines are coming up soon!

Where to find graduate schemes? careers.kent.ac.uk, Prospects, Milkround, TARGETjobs, Times Top 100 Graduate Employers and Bright Network all advertise schemes!
Access our Finding a graduate job workshop on Moodle: DP4450 for advice when applying
Attend our skills workshops to prepare for the assessments (virtual assessment centres, application forms, interview workshops coming up!). Book online Target Connect

Internships
If you are in your first or second year, you maybe applying for summer internships. Although opportunities have been affected due to Covid-19, there are still internships advertised for next summer, particularly with large graduate employers.

Where to find summer internships? careers.kent.ac.uk, Prospects, e4s.co.uk, RateMyPlacement and Bright Network all advertise summer internships!

Which industries are offering internships? Finance, Law, Tech, Consulting, Retail and more!

Attend our skills workshops to prepare for the assessments (virtual assessment centres, application forms, interview workshops coming up!). Book online Target Connect

Book a Quick Advice appointment to have your CV/application checked, before applying

Industrial Placements
If you are looking to complete a year in industry, as part of your degree, placement providers are currently advertising! Below are a few starting points when searching for placements:

Where to find placements? careers.kent.ac.uk, Prospects, TARGETjobs, Milkround, RateMyPlacement all advertise placements!

Visit our placements page, for advice and resources

Attend our skills workshops to prepare for the assessments (virtual assessment centres, application forms, interview workshops coming up!)

Search placements on our jobs portal.

Care first webinars w/c 23 November 2020

Our official Employee Assistance Programme provider, Care first offers a numbers of services and provide useful advice and support, including weekly webinars.

This week’s (Monday 23 November – Friday 27 November) webinars are as follows:

Monday 23 November 2020 – ‘How Care first can support you’
Time: 12.30-13.00 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link.

Tuesday 24 November 2020 – ‘Celebrating Festivals and Occasions during the pandemic’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Wednesday 25 November 2020 – ‘Tips to be more productive whilst working from Home’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Thursday 26 November 2020 – ‘Budgeting for Christmas’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Friday 27 November 2020 – ‘Coping with Uncertainty in the months ahead’
Time: 12.00-12.30 – to register please click on this Go to webinar link

Changes to your Student Data System (SDS)

On Monday 30 November, the Student Data System (SDS) website will be unavailable while it is upgraded. The new site will be fully accessible and mobile friendly.

The look and feel of the site will change but the most frequently used features will still be available and can be accessed the same way.

(click to expand – view from phone and from desktop).

Coming soon on SDS

When the new-look SDS launches on Monday 30 November you won’t see the following features:

Updated Postgraduate Research (PGR) progression pages
Workshop sign-up form
Progression and outcome letters
Academic Advisor notes

This is because we are currently working hard to improve these features and they will be available shortly after launch. We thought it was important to provide you with improved access to the most frequently used features first!

Aches and pains caused by working from home? We can help!

We’re now over half-way through the second national lockdown in England, and it’s been eight months since the government advised that – those of us who can – must work from home.

Many of us aren’t equipped with ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks or even a permanent workspace at home, so we’re having to make do with temporary work stations such as the dining room table or the kitchen counter. All of this is a minefield for body aches and pains due to bad posture and a less-than-ideal work setup.

If you’re having an issue with back pain, it’s best to do something about it rather than letting the problem persist. The Kent Sport Physiotherapy Clinic remains open throughout the national lockdown, and offers online or face-to-face physiotherapy appointments. The experienced physiotherapist, Victoria Annis, has helped multiple clients with back pain issues throughout lockdown, and has availability in November and December.

To book an appointment, email physio@kent.ac.uk, or visit their website for further information.

Please read the FAQs to find out how they’re keeping their staff and customers safe during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Creative Industries Federation – FREE student membership

The Institute of Cultural and Creative Industries membership are offering Kent students FREE membership to the Creative Industries Federation (CIF).

The Creative Industries Federation is the membership body which represents, champions and supports the UK’s creative industries. Through their unique network of creative organisations, influential policy and advocacy work and extensive, UK-wide events programme they support and celebrate the work of their members.

Membership to the CIF will give you the following benefits:

Exclusive access to their carefully curated selection of launch resources that provide  insight into the industry
Practical guidance and tips to help advance your career
Access to all the best platforms you can use to connect to the industry and to your peers
 Extensive details of the creative opportunities and job boards out there to fulfil your creative potential
Exclusive access to parts of their busy events schedule, including recorded content from the landmark November 2020 Creative Coalition festival.

You can register on the online student membership portal, using your university email address.