Monthly Archives: April 2022

Talking about parenthood and birth workshops

Did you become a parent in the last two years?

Is English your second (or third) language?

We invite parents who have recent (within 2 years) experience of accessing birth and ante/post-natal services in Kent to participate in informal and creative workshops with artists from Birth Rites Collection to explore how language and culture shape our expectations and experiences of these services. Group workshops last two hours.

Workshop dates:

Thursday 28 April 2022 – 11.00 – 13.00

Friday 6 May 2022 – 10.00 – 12.00

Friday 6 May 2022 – 13.30 – 15.30

Location:

University of Kent campus, Canterbury CT2 7NZ

To attend this workshop please register by completing this form, or scan the QR code below.

For further information visit the Birth Rites Collection website or email Rebecca Ogden

Paid role: Curriculum Auditors for Sustainability Team

Our Sustainability Team are seeking student auditors to assess the extent of sustainability knowledge and skills in our undergraduate curriculum. The project will take place from the end of May through to the summer. Full training will be provided.

What is the pay?

The pay for this role is £10.29/hour.

What are the hours?

3 hours training (paid) – Wednesday 25 May 14.00-17.00. Attendance and participation in the full 3 hours of training is mandatory. We will be unable to provide catch-up sessions or recordings of the training.
Training will take place on Zoom
There will then be a minimum of 6 hours per student of additional work to be completed remotely at a time to suit you. Depending on the number of students who attend the training there may be up to 20 additional hours available.

What will the role involve?

Students will be mapping the Sustainable Develop Goals (SDGs) and some other key sustainability elements against modules from course and modules at the University of Kent
We will be using the online course and modules list that gives an overview of each Module
Students will read the overview of the module, and then fill in our online form with your scores mapping them to the SDGs and ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) framework
Once students have completed the mapping, we will collate the answers to get a picture of the University’s inclusion of the SDGs.

Application closing date is 8 May 2022.

Find out more and apply.

Destination Success Bootcamp – free 3 day programme

Our Careers and Employability Service are running an exciting 3-day programme – ‘Destination Success Bootcamp’. This is a 3-day intensive training programme with the purpose of helping you map out your journey to success and build confidence in your abilities. This programme is suitable to those across all years, including recent graduates.

This programme will be delivered face to face on the Canterbury Campus (Tuesday 24 May – Thursday 26 May). Each day will start at 10.00 allowing time for those traveling from Medway. You need to attend every day in order to gain a plan on the programme.

The programme will focus on:

Understanding you – This module aids self-reflection so you can better understand how you work, this will include completing a personality profile, exploring your personal values, your strengths and development areas, imposter syndrome and the power of positivity, finishing with looking at what you want to get out of life.

Navigating you – This module with focus on how to nurture and build good relationships, focusing on team dynamics, exploring learning styles and rules of teamwork, having challenging conversations and how to communicate in the workplace.

Universal Life Hacks – This final module will give you a toolbox of ideas to hit the ground running, including decision making, planning, prioritising and delegating, mapping your skills and looking at whether you would employ yourself.

See the website for more information, including the joining instructions and to how to book your place.

If you have any queries, please email studyplus@kent.ac.uk

Summer Term Ecotherapy sessions

Launching this term, join the Circle of Trees Group for seasonal sessions that aim to support good health and wellbeing by connecting you with nature. These sessions are run by East Kent Mind as part of the Kent Community Oasis Garden Partnership.

Benefits of Ecotherapy

Ecotherapy improves mental wellbeing and helps people to become more physically active. It gives people the skills to get back into work, training and education, and it helps people who are lonely or socially isolated to broaden their networks. These are all important factors that can prevent people developing a mental health problem to start with.

Summer Term Sessions

Session 1 – Thursday 12 May – 12.00-14.00 – Finding comfort in Nature at times of pressure
Session 2 – Thursday 19 May – 12.00-14.00 – Overcoming obstacles
Session 3 – Thursday 26 May – 12.00-14.00 – Honouring strengths and feelings
Session 4 – Monday 30 May – 14.00-16.00 – Finding power from within
Session 5 – Thursday 9 June 12.00-14.00 – ‘Old me, New me’
Session 6 – Monday 13 June – 12.00-14.00 – Shining our light

You are encouraged to sign up to all 6 to get the full benefits of the course but please do get in touch with us if you can only attend a few.

What does a session look like?

Each session will include a sensory awareness practice, a team-building nature based ice-breaker (30 mins) and a main task encapsulating the month’s energy (1 hour). All things we create will involve simple materials found in nature. The Group concludes with sharing and tea and biscuits!

How to book

You can book onto the sessions and ask any questions you may have by emailing kentcog@kent.ac.uk where the KentCOG Coordinator Debi will be able to sign you up and answer any queries. You can also visit the Ecotherapy KentCOG website to learn more.

Email kentcog@kent.ac.uk to book your place

Buying additional annual leave

Staff will soon be able to purchase additional annual leave via our Staff Connect pages.

From 2 May, you can buy 35 hours of additional leave (pro-rata for part-time staff) to be taken between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023.

The additional leave will be credited and monthly deductions will begin in July 2022.

The closing date for applications is 30 June 2022.

Further information on the Additional Leave Purchase Scheme, including how to apply, is available on our Additional Leave Purchase Policy and Procedure.

Vice-Chancellor Update: Becoming a University of Sanctuary

Spring is always a special time on our campuses as our fantastic spaces come into their own, with blossom, flowers and bluebells seemingly everywhere you turn. We are lucky to have such a wonderful environment to work in and such fantastic assets to offer our students; my thanks to our Estates and Maintenance teams across Canterbury and Medway who do such a brilliant job at making us look our best.

The Easter break also offers some welcome time for reflection after a busy term and I hope that many of you have been able to step away for a short while in recent weeks. A lot has happened already this year, from the return of in-person graduations to a further period of industrial action; I never lose sight of how much work goes into managing the ups and downs of each term and am hugely appreciative of your continued focus on delivering the best for our students throughout.

A lot has also been happening outside the University too, as like so many others we have watched with horror at the ongoing fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This, combined with the Government announcements on refugees seeking sanctuary now being ‘processed’ in Rwanda, have kept wider humanitarian issues around safety, dignity and compassion firmly in our minds. Those of us who live in the county will be aware of how closely felt this can be given our region’s deep current and historical links to the movement of people – it’s also an area where I’m keen we use our unique position to have meaningful impact as a University.

The activity across our community to support those affected by the war in Ukraine is a source of real pride and showcases the ways we work together across areas to benefit others. We are also developing wider recognition for our research expertise in this area through our signature theme of Migration and Movement, with events this year such as the visit of Amal, Abdulrazak Gurnah’s return to campus and workshops with Kent Refugee Action Network adding further depth to our work.

Bringing all of this together is our ambition to become a University of Sanctuary, with work ongoing on how we can develop a ‘whole university’ approach to opening our doors to those in need across the world. Our campuses are special places and the feeling of connection is real to many of us here; widening that sense of a place of sanctuary to those fleeing war and persecution wherever they are will deepen that further, while also being a compelling example of what a civic University like ourselves should offer.

I look forward to updating you all further on this important work as it develops and in the meantime which you all the very best for the remainder of the academic year.

Residential Life Assistant (plus accommodation discount)

Do you want to make an amazing student experience for students on-campus at Kent? Join the Residential Life Programme, gain invaluable work experience and get a huge discount on your on-campus accommodation for the 2022/23 academic year! Our Residential Life Assistants (RLAs) are at the heart of our College Communities.

You will build relationships both on and off campus, to develop the sense of belonging and community, whilst working together to create exciting events for your peers. This is an great opportunity to get flexible work experience alongside your studies, whilst actively contributing to a fantastic student experience at Kent.

Please read the Job Description, this provides a more in-depth description of the position available and requirements for applicants. To apply for the position, please provide us with a written statement, no longer than 500 words, expressing why you’d like to be considered for an RLA post and how your experience makes you the best candidate for the role. If you are successful, you will be invited to a short interview with the College and Community Life Team.

Please note, you will need to commit 12 hours a week and be in attendance at a training week on campus, to be arranged after the successful candidates have been selected.

Please send your application to hccl@kent.ac.uk by Friday 6 May 2022.

We look forward to receiving your application, and hearing about how you would like to make living on campus a fun and memorable time for all!

Nominations open: Kent Union VP Postgrad full-time officer

Kent Union have elected four of the full-time officers for the upcoming academic year and are looking for the fifth member of the team. They are running a by-election and asking students to vote for your representation once again.The Postgraduate Experience role is responsible for providing the postgraduate perspective on issues which impact their student experience. This role will be the lead officer on issues that may include postgraduate funding, training and support; academic issues such as supervision and GTA (Graduate Teaching Assistants) concerns; employment issues; welfare concerns such as finance and housing; and community development including events and activities out of term time alongside the Postgraduate Network.Election dates are as follows:

25 April 12.00: Nominations open
3 May 12.00: Nominations close
12 May 7.00: Voting opens
12 May 22.00: Voting closes
13 May: Winner announcement

A full job description can be found in the resources section on the Kent Union elections webpage. If you, or someone you know, is interested in running for the role, you can recommend a friend (or yourself, we won’t judge!)Important dates for the successful candidate:

Wednesday 18 May: Officer team induction day on Canterbury campus
Sunday 26 June – Saturday 2nd July: Residential training in Faversham, Kent.

If you have any questions please email elections@kent.ac.uk and a member of the elections team will get back to you as soon as possible.Good luck!

Sign up to Death in the Diner – a murder mystery event

In teams of up to 6, work together to catch the killer in this interactive murder mystery event! Get together a team of your friends and colleagues for this brand new show in Mungos on the 20 & 21 May 2022. Get your tickets here!

Knickerbocker Gloria’s is the gaudiest American themed diner in town, known for their milkshakes, roller skates and cheap chips. There was nothing unusual about the hustle and bustle of the evening crowd until a piercing scream of “murder” rippled through the diner. The body found stabbed, bloody and covered in sprinkles, Gloria’s murderer can’t have gotten far… But can your team deduce what led to the Death in the Diner?

In this interactive murder mystery event your team will interview the murder’s suspects, examine the evidence and try to avoid the sneaky red herrings. Put your sleuthing skills to the test and work together to catch the killer.

Tickets are £42 and include a table for up to 6 people (£7 per person when the table is filled)

Food and drink are not included in the ticket but there will be a menu available and a bar at the event.

About the University of Kent Players

Founded in 2013 we are a theatre group made up of staff and friends of the University of Kent from all walks of life with a shared love for theatre. We are thrilled to be back in 2022 with an original production.

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @unikentplayers

Facebook: University of Kent Players

Twitter: @UniKentPlayers

Belong and Grow Week 2022: 16 – 20 May

The T&OD team are happy to share the details for their upcoming Belong and Grow week, which will be coinciding with Learning at Work week, running 16 -20 May.

The main aim is to encourage you to take time during the week for your personal development and wellbeing, and we have created a programme of events that we hope you will find interesting and inspiring.

Full details of everything we have going on during the week can be found on their SharePoint site, which they will keep up to date with any changes to the programme.

You will find a blend of in person and virtual sessions, which cover a range of topics such as Tai Chi, creative writing, staff networks and CV writing skills. It will also include the return of the popular Coffee with a Mystery Colleague scheme, where staff have the opportunity to be matched with someone across the University who they may not normally get the chance to network with.

We hope to see lots of you join us for the week, and if you have any questions, please get in touch with the team at ldev@kent.ac.uk