Author Archives: Miriam Sandiford

Events roundup: 16-22 January

Welcome back to start of the Spring Term! Here’s a roundup of what’s on this week:

Monday: Find a part-time job, board games, Crafternoon

Would you like a part-time job but not sure where to start? This part-time jobs session will cover the types of jobs available, how to search and tools you need to start applying.

Want to play some games and make some new friends? Come along to the Venue to play some board games and retro games consoles.

Or if you’re at Medway campus, head to The Hub for a Crafternoon to try out a range of different crafts and meet new people.

Wednesday: Gardening, Sustainability and Internationalisation

Fancy getting outside more in the New Year? Consider joining an open gardening session at Kent Community Oasis Garden. Between 14:00-15:00 at the garden, you can also learn how to make art from leaf printing at this wellbeing in nature session.

Learn about Internationalisation and Sustainability within the curriculum at this Study Plus workshop. Share your experiences and help influence change at the University.

Thursday: CVs and cover letters and Dancing Queen

Join this online interactive session covering the essentials of writing an effective CV and cover letter.

K-Bar’s LGBTQ-friendly DJ night ‘Dancing Queen’ is ready to celebrate the new year with a bang!

Friday: Notetaking and Medway ACS DJ Night

If you need a boost to get you back into your studies after the Winter Break, try this online sessions on notetaking and getting the most from your lectures and seminars.

On Friday night, Medway’s Afro Caribbean Society presents ‘Wild ‘n’ out: reload it’ DJ night. A host of DJs will welcome you back to campus. Tickets cost £6.

See more student events.

Opportunities

New £3 meal deals at Medway campus
£3 meal deal returns to Rutherford Dining Hall (Canterbury)
Apply to be on our new International Student Advisory Board. Deadline 18 January.
Become more employable – add a Year In
Job opportunity: Join the IT and Library Support Team
Last chance to get a Student Art Pass for a fiver. Gives you free entry to hundreds of museums and galleries across the UK, and 50% off major exhibitions.

See more student opportunities.

Say goodbye to library fines!

We will no longer charge fines on overdue loan items. This improvement to the library service is one of many to support you during the cost-of-living crisis.

This change will come into effect from 3 February at the Templeman and Drill Hall libraries.

Already have fines for overdue items on your account? Good news – return any overdue items as soon as possible and any related fines will be removed.

Please remember that some other charges may remain on your library account until you clear them.

Support at Canterbury in the Spring Term

Welcome or welcome back to Kent! It can be hard to get going with dark days and cold weather, so check out our Tips to boost your winter wellbeing.

As we move into Spring Term, remind yourself of all the support on offer at our Canterbury campus and online.

Nexus – your campus help point

Not sure where to go to ask a question? Head to Nexus in Templeman Library. Enter the library through the main entrance, go through the turnstiles and take the first right.

As well as a social and study area, Nexus is your campus help point. The staff at Nexus can help with any query and point you in the right direction.

You can also access Nexus online.

Financial support including £3 meal deal

With the cost of living rising, you are probably thinking more about your finances. Our cost-of-living support webpage includes information about Campus Pantry, our £3 meal deal in Rutherford Dining Hall and our range of emergency financial support options.

Our financial help and advice webpage also includes tips on budgeting, getting a part-time job and who to contact for further support. Plus, we offer a range of emergency financial support options.

You can also speak to Kent Union’s Advice Service about any extra support or advice you might need.

Might you benefit from contact with Student Support and Wellbeing?

If you have a disability, chronic condition, mental health condition, specific learning difficulty or autism, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing to see how they can help you make the most of your university journey – you can access services at any time during your studies.

We have a team of expert staff who can help you face the challenges of studying, socialising and living independently, whatever else you might be going through, whether it’s something you’re experiencing for the first time at university or something you have dealt with for a while.

There is also a free confidential counselling service which offers you a safe space to address issues concerning you and can help get thoughts, feelings, behaviour and perspective on life back in balance again.

Support with your studies

Our Student Learning and Advisory Service (SLAS) can help you to develop your studying skills – everything from perfecting your essay writing to learning how to reference properly.

Don’t forget your School and Division is also there to help you with your studies and offer a range of study support.

College and Community Life

The friendly Colleges and Community Life Team can help you connect with other students in your College community through activities and initiatives, working with your College Committee and Residential Life Assistants. They can offer advice and refer you to other specialist services.

Kent Union

Kent Union is your Students’ Union. From money worries to housing issues, academic problems to visa support, Kent Union’s Student Advice Service is available to help through their free, impartial and confidential advice service.

You can also get in touch with your Kent Union full-time officers who are each responsible for specific areas within the Union.

Health services

Kent has its own NHS general practice on campus called the University Medical Centre, with an independent pharmacy next to it.

Our University Nursing Service provide advice for minor illnesses/injuries and contraception, and is staffed 24 hours a day during term time by registered nurses. Check out this Visual Guide: Finding Health Support and Emergency Services at University

Job opportunity: Join the IT and Library Support Team

We’re looking for part-time staff to join our team at the IT & Library Support Desk in the Templeman Library.

Location: Templeman Library, Canterbury Campus
Salary: £12.06 per hour

The role

Information Services is looking for people to join our team as Support Assistants, working flexible hours part-time to staff the IT & Library Support Desk in the Templeman Library. These vacancies will begin in January 2023 and continue until at least the end of the 2022/23 academic year. Training will be provided.

Responsibilities include:

assisting students, staff and visitors in finding and using library resources and public IT facilities
supporting students connecting their own devices to the University networks and services
supporting circulation functions within the Library and at partner institutions.

In an average week we aim to offer at least 6 hours of work, though this is not guaranteed. The Support Desk is open 7 days a week, up to 12 hours a day, with most shifts between 09:00-21:00 Monday to Friday and 12:00-18:00 Saturday and Sunday.

Initial pay will be at least £12.06 per hour. Upon gaining sufficient experience there is an opportunity to progress to a higher rate.

The person

The successful candidates will have a keen desire to help others and excellent communications skills, coupled with a good understanding of the library and IT facilities provided by the University of Kent.

They will be confident, friendly and willing to approach others to offer assistance and enforce regulations.
Advanced knowledge of both IT and library resources is desirable but not essential for this position.

We expect all Support Assistants to be available to work during Welcome Week (September), as this is our busiest time of year.

For full details of the role and the selection criteria please refer to the job description linked below.

The department

The IT and Library Support team is part of User Experience within the Information Services department at the University of Kent.

More information

Closing date for applications: 14 March 2023

If you’re a Kent student and need advice on job applications and interviews, contact the Careers and Employability Service.

Due to the volume of applications expected for these posts there may be a delay between the closing date and receiving a response from us. Please do not contact us for updates on the status of your application; we will contact every applicant with the outcome of their submission in due course.

Interviews are scheduled to be held in early January, however we will continue to accept applications until 14 March from people who are available to work later in the year.

Got a new phone, tablet or laptop? Do this to stay connected

Got a new phone or laptop recently, or hoping to get one this Christmas? Stay connected to all Kent systems by adding a second authentication method (such as a home phone number and/or mobile number) now to your account. It’s quick and easy to do.

Choose a method that won’t be affected if you change device or mobile phone number. For example, if you use an authenticator app on a device you’re replacing, this won’t transfer to a new device unless you’ve backed it up. Adding a secondary method such as your home phone number or mobile number (if you intend to keep the same number) will help avoid any loss of access.

This will be especially useful during the vacation when the University is closed and our staff won’t be around to help reset your account.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is required for off campus access to email and other Kent IT systems and online services. It adds an extra layer of security to your IT Account. It provides a 99.9% reduction in compromised accounts and will also help to protect your own personal information.

User guide

MFA at Kent user guide

Help and support

If you have any questions, please contact IT and Library Support:

Nexus Self Service
helpdesk@kent.ac.uk
01227 824888
Use the website Chat to us button to launch online chat
Visit us: Block D, Ground Floor, Templeman Library

Kent Stars: Kudos for Korfball

This month’s Kent Stars are the Korfball Society. They went from having very few players during the pandemic, to coming second in the national BUCS competition! A fantastic achievement. Hear from team members Gemma and Josh:

Josh – Hi, my name is Josh Jardine and I’m currently doing a master’s by research in Sport and Exercise Science. My main interests are mostly anything sport related, I’m a big QPR supporter and enjoy going out with friends and family.

Gemma – I’m Gemma Bealey and a Law and Politics LLB Student. Among other interests I am a very keen korfball player. I started playing korfball at age 7 after I was introduced to it at primary school and have played ever since. This has included playing for Kent Junior age groups and now playing in the National Korfball League. I’m also a qualified coach and have been able to coach in my old club for many years as well as coaching one of the Kent Youth Teams.

Tell us about Korfball and Kent’s national success.

Gemma – Korfball is a mixed-sex game which originated in the Netherlands and has similarities to both netball and basketball. It is very fast paced and relies on a diverse team where all players can attack and defend. I joined UKC Korfball last year and was grateful to be able to join such a welcoming and social club. Due to not running for a year as a result of the pandemic, the club was much smaller than it is now, and nearly every member was new to Korfball.

Josh – Last year we competed in three tournaments: prelims, regionals, and nationals against other universities all over the country. After winning regionals we qualified for the national championships. At the nationals we managed to reach the final but unfortunately lost by two goals against UEA but being second in the country is nothing to be ashamed of!

What advice would you give to other students?

Josh – Advice would I give to other students would be to join a society. Societies provide a great way to meet like-minded people or people with the same interests and hobbies as you.

Gemma – I would advise any students to just get stuck into university as much as they can through joining societies. This gives a student an instant social circle and an easy opportunity to make more friends. It also offers students with a better work/life balance to take the pressure off their studies. Korfball is a very welcoming and inclusive game with players of all abilities and level of experience. As not many players have played before we offer the opportunity learn a new sport together as a team which isn’t always possible in other games. Being mixed also gives the game a rare dynamic which is very refreshing.

What are your plans for the next year?

Gemma – I will graduate from Kent this year and know that I will continue to play korfball following this. I have continued to play with clubs outside university while I have also been representing the University at BUCS tournaments and while I will miss being able to play BUCS, I’m glad I will still be able to play the game at a competitive level. I also hope to be able to continue my coaching once I have left university and I have always enjoyed this.

Josh – While completing this master’s degree, I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to work for Gillingham Football Club while collecting data. So, my aim after this year is to hopefully get a job in a Sport Science department at a professional football club.

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

Events roundup: 5-11 December

Here’s a roundup of our top events this week, including lots of Disability History Month (DHM) and festive events!

There are more chances this week to collect tickets for our magical candle-lit Carol Service at Canterbury Cathedral on 12 December.

Monday: Your Uni Your Say Festive Giveaway and Christmas events

Let us know your feedback in Nexus in Templeman Library and win a free gift including Kent drinking bottles and travel mugs, plus festive treats and cakes! #YourUniYourSay

Come and channel your inner Mariah Carey for some Christmas Karaoke in Mungo’s. Or for a creative Christmas activity, make some festive themed suncatchers in K Bar.

Tuesday: DHM exhibition and short film screening and finger casting workshop

Join us from 17:00 in Marlowe for the Disability History Month exhibition viewing and short film screening featuring current and former students and staff on their experiences of disability. Refreshments provided. Book your place.

Rescheduled from last week, come along to the finger casting workshop on Tuesday. Create a Plaster of Paris sculpture by casting your fingers and try your hand at Foil Embossing to create your own miniature wonders of art with local artist Wendy Daws. They make the perfect Christmas gifts!

Wednesday: DHM events and festive activities

Get that festive feeling by making your own snow globe in the Venue, or head to Grimond Lecture Theatre 3 for a festive movie night. The film will be ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ and free popcorn will also be provided.

As part of Disability History Month, Chloe Timms, author and Kent alumnus will be presenting her debut novel ‘The Seawomen’. The book is an atmospheric dystopian story, portraying a tale of oppression, love and bravery on an island controlled by a misogynistic cult. Chloe is passionate about disability rights, having been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at 18 months old.

Change 100 matches talented university students/recent graduates with any disability or long-term condition with progressive employers. Find out more about Change 100 internships and meet the alumni.

Sunday: Community Tennis Open Day

On Sunday Kent Sport are opening their doors to everyone at the Kent Sport Community Tennis Open Day. Come along and try out our indoor tennis facilities and enjoy some top class coaching from our Lawn Tennis Association qualified coaching team!

See more student events.

Opportunities

See more student opportunities.

Reminder: Industrial action 30 Nov and reimbursement (direct costs)

Following last week’s strike days, some members of the University and College Union (UCU) will be going on strike this Wednesday (30 November). This is happening at all universities across the UK and is part of a national dispute – as such our influence over this is limited.

We’re sorry for the further disruption this is likely to cause to your week. We are here to help and will do all we can to minimise the impact on your studies – we’ve put together some key links and info below, including information on how you can claim back any direct expenses as a result of the strikes.

What to expect on strike days

Some of your classes may be cancelled; union members don’t have to tell us if they are taking strike action so we won’t always know in advance.
You might see UCU members picketing on campus; these are peaceful protests which will be stewarded by the union.
Other services may be affected but we’ll work to make sure all essential support services are running as usual. Our libraries and catering outlets will also be open as usual.

See industrial action support.

How to claim back direct expenses

We will refund you for any direct expenses you incur as a result of industrial action.

To claim back any direct expenses, you will need to:

Keep receipts of any direct expenses incurred due to strike action.
Complete the Student Incidental Expenses Claim Form.
Sign the claim form (an electronic signature is fine).
Email scanned receipts and the completed claim form to expenses@kent.ac.uk by 22 January 2023.

See student expense claims guidance.

“Thank you for patience throughout last week’s strike days and I apologise again for any disruption to your studies – we are working hard to mitigate any impact on our work and will continue to do so around the additional disruption on Wednesday.”

Professor Richard Reece, DVC Education and Student Experience

World AIDS day, 1 December

To mark World AIDS Day on 1 December, we are fundraising for the Terrence Higgins Trust.

Working to end the HIV/AIDS crisis

World AIDS Day is a time to come together to remember those lost to HIV/AIDS, and to work together to end the global HIV/AIDS crisis. Remember that if you are sexually active, you can protect yourself and others by using protection, including PrEP. It’s also important to get tested regularly, share your test results with your sexual partners, and where possible ask them for their test results. HIV-positive people can go on to lead healthy, happy lives, but it’s important to catch an infection early on to maximise the efficacy of treatment.

We must also campaign for fair distribution of PrEP and other preventatives, as well as sex education, not only within the UK but also to the Global South – more than a million adults and children die of AIDS each year on the African continent alone. Western governments and corporations control much of the supply of HIV-preventatives, and as citizens it is our responsibility to push to redistribute these more fairly.

How to donate

Terrence Higgins Trust are the UK’s leading HIV and Sexual Health charity. They support people living with HIV and amplify their voices, with the aim of destigmatising sexual and reproductive health and HIV/AIDS in particular.

On Thursday 1 December, it will be 40 years since the first case of HIV/AIDS in the UK. We will be taking the time to remember all those who were lost in the epidemic. If you’d like to wear a red ribbon to show your support, you can find these in Nexus, located in the Templeman Library, available for a small donation either in cash, online or via phone:

Text RIBBON1 to 70580 to donate £1

Text RIBBON5 to 70580 to donate £5

World Cup: Support for our LGBTQ+ community

We take the safety and wellbeing of our staff and students extremely seriously. Working with Kent Union, we want to capitalise on the world wide attention currently on the FIFA World Cup and the political standpoint of its host country, Qatar, to draw attention to where LGBTQ+ individuals still continue to suffer from a lack of rights, safety and belonging across the globe.

As part of this work, we want to ensure that all staff and students are aware of the support that exists for our LGBTQ+ communities at Kent.

Support at Kent

Rainbow lanyards are available for staff and students from most college and library receptions at Canterbury and Medway. Designed around the ‘Inclusion Flag’ which incorporates the Pride rainbow flag with pink, blue, brown and black representing the trans community and people of colour within the LGBT+ community. Wearing the lanyards shows students that they can ‘bring their whole selves’ to you without fear of judgement or an unsupportive reaction.
There is a support group in Canterbury that meets twice a month. It is open to trans, intersex and non-binary people at Kent. The group is run by trans/non-binary people for trans/non-binary people. Family and partners are welcome.
There are gender-neutral toilet facilities across our Canterbury and Medway campuses.
Student Support and Wellbeing offer free mental health support, counselling and peer support groups to all students and have an advisor with specialist LGBTQ+ support knowledge.
Kent Union run the LGBTQ+ Student Network and various student societies focused on support for students within the LGBTQ+ community.
For staff members, we have the LGBT+ Staff Network that is open to any staff member or student.
The Transgender Student Support Policy and the LGBTQ+ Study Abroad Guidance offer practical advice and information for students.
Check out our directory of LGBTQ+ self-help resources including details of free, confidential, specialist helplines and support group networks, such as Metro, The Be You Project, and Gendered Intelligence.
You can also update your gender and preferred name (which shows on your Microsoft Teams account) on KentVision.
Have you heard of the Gender Affirmation Fund? In early October 2022, Kent released a new Gender Affirmation Fund to support students who identify as transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming with the purchase of gender affirming items such as binders, clothing, packers, makeup, hair extensions, pouches, Stand To Pee devices, gendered religious headwear or clothing and minor cosmetic procedures such as ear piercing or for managing body hair. You can access the Gender Affirmation Fund via the link above; you must be a University of Kent student on a registered course and use the funds to support your purchase of gender affirming gear. Applications are capped at £100 per person.
Interested in running events or activities to help raise awareness or support our LGBTQ+ community? The LGBT History Month Planning Group (planning activities for LGBT History Month in February) has started meeting and any staff member or student is welcome to join. Email StudentEDI@kent.ac.uk to learn more.

Experienced hate or discrimination because of your gender identity?

You can report incidents of assault, harassment, and hate via the REPORT + SUPPORT tool, with or without giving your name. Even if you don’t choose to request support, by reporting an incident you will help to make the University a safer place for all. Staff members can report under Ordinance 42. We also have Harassment Contacts available who can provide support and guidance.

Help us create a university community which belongs to all students, and where all students feel they belong by sharing this information on support for LGBTQ+ individuals at Kent. #InclusiveKent