Category Archives: Finalists

Creative Access workshops – exclusive for Kent students

We have teamed up with Creative Access, one of the UK’s leading diversity, equity and inclusion organisations, to offer two exclusive career development opportunities to Kent students who are interested in roles within the creative industries.

The creative industries encompass a broad range of sectors – including music, journalism, advertising and PR, theatre, TV, film, fashion, IT and software, museums and galleries, and publishing – as well as a variety of roles. You do not need to have studied a creative degree to work in the creative industries!

To support students considering a career in these areas, Creative Access are running two online events in May and June that are exclusively available to Kent students. Book your place now using the links below:

Creative Access Training Session (via Zoom) – Thursday 26 May, 10.00-13.00.

Join Creative Access and a music professional for this online group training session via Zoom. You will get step–by–step guidance on standing out in the application process, a chance to hear from a music industry professional, and tips to kick-start your creative career!

CV Consultation (via Zoom) – Monday 6 June, 15.00-17.00.

Join this online group consultation with Creative Access to learn how to celebrate your skills and experiences in your CV and cover letter, making for an outstanding application!

Note: These events are aimed at students from backgrounds that are typically under-represented in the creative industries. This may relate to ethnicity, socio-economic background, and/or disability (including self-identified mental health conditions), or those facing significant barriers to employment. If you have any questions about eligibility, please contact careerhelp@kent.ac.uk.

We hope to see you there!

Kent Stars: Diversity Champions Hannah and Jireh

This month’s Kent Stars are Global Officers Hannah and Jireh. As part of the Global Officers Leadership Development (GOLD) programme, they have been involved in a wide range of activities including the organisation of WorldFest, our annual celebration of cultural diversity at Kent. Hear from our Diversity Champions Hannah and Jireh:

Hannah – My name is Hannah Kirabo, and I am studying Law. I am an international student originally from Uganda and Eritrea, but I live in Eswatini. My main interests include going out to eat and working creatively. I also like to read, take pictures, and spend time with friends and family.

Jireh – Hello! I am Jireh Akandwanaho, a final year Law with French student and an international student from Uganda. Moving to the UK sparked my interest in diversity, especially in cultures and languages. Some fun facts about me are that I am the last born out of seven, I speak five languages and I love Jesus.

Tell us about the Global Officers Leadership Development Programme and your involvement with WorldFest

Hannah – The Global Officers Leadership Development Programme is a programme run by the International Programmes department of the University. It comprises of a series of workshops on cultural intelligence, leadership skills, planning and effectively executing tasks. The bulk of the programme comes from involvement in various activities including Global Hangouts, Campus Tours, Orientation Activities and WorldFest, and I have had the pleasure of taking part in all of these. Leading up to WorldFest I was involved in the marketing and communications, launch video and world quiz. I edited the launch videos that went up on the Global Officers’ Instagram and the University’s instagram story. I took part in the planning of the world quiz – formulating questions, setting up the quiz and running it as an in-person Global Hangout. I also attended the weekly planning meetings for feedback. I thoroughly enjoyed being part of such a successful celebration of cultural diversity!

Jireh – I applied for the GOLD programme because I was interested in working with the Dean of Internationalisation and wanted to support and contribute to making the University a more conducive environment for the international community. My experience as a Global Officer has been so enriching to my cultural intelligence and has developed my leadership skills through various activities for example participating in Worldfest. We were given opportunities to put forward ideas and organise various events for Worldfest as well as handling the marketing aspects. I was part of the marketing team where I got to write a newspaper article about Worldfest in the student newspaper, as I have always wanted to do, and I also made a virtual tour video of my beloved country, Uganda. It was such an incredible experience, thanks to the creative freedom and support we were given by the university to implement and plan our ideas.

What advice would you give to other students?

Hannah – Try new things. The worst-case scenario likely will not happen and, you will be glad you tried. You meet many interesting people through getting involved and it is a great way to put yourself out there, make friends and discover who you are and what you may be interested in.

Jireh – I would advise students to get out of their shells and get involved in the various activities available to them during their stay at university. Not only do these activities increase their skill set but are also opportunities to network and meet new people. Plus, they are usually fun too.

What are your plans for the next year?

Hannah – I hope to get more involved in the Kent Student Law Society, focus on my studies and look into placements and internships for the vacation period both here and at home. I also plan to continue to try new things and explore more of Canterbury and England at large.

Jireh – My plans after I finish Kent is to go on to take a year out doing some legal internships or graduate roles as I also utilise my creative skills to create various sources of income for myself. Then, I would like to do a Masters and qualify as a solicitor.

Applications for the 2022/23 Global Officers Leadership Development (GOLD) programme will open in July 2022.

Learn more about the Kent Stars campaign.

Events roundup: 16-22 May

Here’s a roundup of this week’s top events:

Summer Term: Gulbenkian Summer Festival

Throughout the Summer Term, you can get involved in the Gulbenkian Summer Festival at the Canterbury campus. Enjoy live music, outdoor cinema and a pop-up food stall with a different theme each week. Take some time away from your studies to wind down, spend time with friends, and have fun.

All week: Life After Uni Week

This week is Life After Uni Week at Kent, a week of online talks and workshops to help you prepare for graduation and beyond.

Monday: Get prepared for the world of work

Life After Uni Week kicks off with a range of events on Monday, from a session on CVs, cover letters and application forms to making yourself impossible to ignore in the jobs market.

Plus find out why you might want a job in the creative industries, the fastest growing sector in the UK. and jobs in the creative industries. These sessions are taking place online and are open to all students.

Wednesday: Time to de-stress

Take some time to relax with this Exam Calm breathing online session 13.00-13.30 with Kent counsellor and mindfulness teacher Lorraine.

Or if you want something more physically active, join this community bike ride on campus with other students and College Life Officer Tom (who also happens to be a professional Mountain Bike Coach!)

Medway students can also destress with a free 15 minute relaxation massage between 11.00-15.00 at the Drill Hall Library.

Thursday: Revision techniques, goal setting and outdoor cinema

Brush up on your exam techniques with this 15 minute online bitesize session from our Student Learning Advisory Service.

Whether you love goal setting or have given up on it, consider joining this Study Plus Goal Setting and Goal Achieving interactive workshop, 14.00-15.30. Learn more about the benefits of goal setting and common pitfalls.

As part of Gulbenkian’s Summer Festival you can watch American Horror ‘Get Out’ on the big screen in the open air. Take a seat on the hay bales at 21.00 on the Gulbenkian Lawn.

Friday: Stress management workshops

Looking for ways to manage stress better? Why not try a Journaling Tools workshop to help manage time, efficiency and wellbeing, 11.00-12.30 online.

Or if you’re got a lot on at the moment, try this Stress workshop: how to manage it well when you are busy or have a heavy workload, 14.00-15.30 online.

Saturday: Lawn games and Post Office Horizon System event

Take a break from studies and join your College Residential Life Assistants for some light-hearted fun with lawn games in Darwin Rose Garden, 12.00-16.00 on Saturday afternoon.

Learn more about one of the largest miscarriages of justice with this Post Office Horizon System event at the Gulbenkian. The event will be joined by ex-sub-postmasters and mistresses who were wrongfully convicted for theft and false accounting, legal and IT experts, and investigative journalists. Join us 13.30-17.30 to hear stories, panel discussions and a Q&A session.

Browse all student events.

Events roundup: 9-15 May

Welcome to the Summer Term. We wish you the best of luck with your exams – you’ve got this!

All week: Kent Giving Week

Take a break from revision and join Kent’s first ever fundraising week. Events include a 5k run/walk, Rock Choir Concert, stress buster massages and more!

Monday: 5K Your Way

Whether you’re based at Canterbury or Medway, you can get involved in the Kent Giving Week 5K Your Way. You can walk, run or dance your way around the route and help raise money for our new Parkinson’s Centre for Integrated Therapy.

Tuesday: Exam support and find out about proposed changes to the academic year at Kent

Get into exam mode with this bitesize online session to learn exam techniques with the Student Learning Advisory Service, 12.00-12.15. Look out for more of these sessions throughout the exam season.

Pick up some free fruit and snacks from Templeman Library Welcome Hall 13.00-15.00, plus some great advice on library resources to help with your revision.

Join Professor Richard Reece, DVC Education and Student Experience at a student webinar, 16.00-17.00, to find out more about the proposed changes to the academic year at Kent.

Wednesday: House Plant Hospital and mindfulness sessions

House plants looking a little sad? Bring them along for House Plant Hospital so the team can diagnose them and give you some advice on how to restore them to their former glory.

If you need a breather from exams, try out this Exam Calm online mindful breathing session, 13.00-13.30. The short, guided meditation will be followed by a discussion about how mindfulness can help us cope better during the exam season.

Or if you prefer to be outside, you can join the outdoor mindfulness session, 17.00-18.00 for a guided meditation at the Kent Community Oasis Garden.

Saturday: Cambridge Day Trip and Bee Walk

Join the Chaplaincy Team for a Cambridge Day Trip! Meet new people and spend time exploring ancient lanes, colleges and university buildings. This trip costs £18 with a coach leaving Canterbury campus at 8.30 on Saturday.

Get out in nature and learn how to identify and record different Bumble Bee species at this Bee Talk and Walk, starting at the Kent Community Oasis Garden, 10.00-12.00.

Survey: Help shape Kent’s anti-racism strategy
Complete the Race Equality Charter Student Survey by 17 June for the chance to win one of three £50 gift vouchers.

Browse all student events.

Ready to start building your digital skills?

Your Digital Pathway is a new, free digital skills course from Santander in
collaboration with the Institute of Coding, and the award winning
TechUP initiative based at Durham University.

With 50,000 places available, the course is designed to help if you want
to take the first step on the pathway to building your digital skills, and
can support you to:

Return to, or start education
Return to or start work, or to pivot your career
Set up a business online

We know that everyone has a different digital skills starting point.

The course is taught at an introductory level and includes up to 8 hours
of content which can be completed in your own time, and at your
own pace.

Everyone who completes the course will receive a certificate of
achievement and will also be entered into a prize draw for the chance
to win one of 88 Santander grants worth up to £2,500 (T&Cs apply),
available to use on the tailored Santander Aspire webstore to purchase
a range of items including laptops, tablets and Chromebooks.

Registration for Your Digital Pathway is now open and applications
close on 29 June 2022.

Find out more about the course and how to apply.

Enhancing your mental health during the Summer Term

The start of the Summer Term coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week. We appreciate the Summer Term can be stressful as you manage your exams and other deadlines and commitments.

Here are some ideas for boosting your mental health this term:

Connect with others – reach out to friends and family. Plan when you can next meet up, so you have something to look forward to. You can also check out the Student Support and Wellbeing events calendar for ways to meet new people such as the Walking Buddy and Just Coffee initiatives.
Get out in nature – spending time in nature can have huge benefits for our mental health. If you’re at Medway, the Rochester Lawn has benches, a covered area and a trail gym for you to explore. Based at Canterbury? Check out the new Canterbury Wellbeing Map and discover more places to relax and unwind. We’re super lucky to have the Kent Community Oasis Garden at our Canterbury campus (located at the end of Park Wood). Join students, staff and members of the community on Wednesdays and Fridays 10.00-14.00 for a relaxed gardening session.
Exercise regularly– exercise is a great way to let go of frustrations and improve your mood as well as increase your fitness. Kent Sport’s ALL Active programme is back this term with plenty of non-competitive, turn-up-and-play sessions. No experience or equipment needed. You could also join a community bike ride with other Kent students.
Get enough sleep – sleep is vital to allow both your body and mind to recharge. If you struggle with your sleep, check out this free online Togetherall course: How to Improve Your Sleep.
Eat well and stay hydrated – we all know that eating well and drinking plenty of water is good for us, but we often forget just much it can affect our mood. Check out the Blurt foundation’s blogpost about foods that boost mood and energy.

Mental Health Team at Student Support and Wellbeing

The Mental Health Team consists of Mental Health Advisers, Counsellors and Student Mentors. Mental Health Advisers are specialist practitioners who can offer mental health advice and support. They can provide short term focused interventions to promote wellbeing and support students to develop coping strategies and help put in place an ILP or ‘inclusive learning plan’ if required. We also have a free confidential Counselling service for all Kent students, offering a safe space to those experiencing problems such as anxiety, depressed feelings, and emotional difficulties that may or may not be connected to student life.

Togetherall – 24/7 support

Togetherall offers 24/7 online mental health support by peers, with free courses, message boards, self-assessments and articles on many topics. It’s overseen by qualified therapists and free for Kent students.

Mental Health Partner organisation: Spectrum Life – out of office hours support

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or need emergency in the moment crisis support outside of Student Support and Wellbeing working hours, our external partners Spectrum Life can offer you online, text and telephone support from qualified counsellors and mental health professionals.

Student Support and Wellbeing Services Survey

Have you used Student Support and Wellbeing Services at Kent this academic year? If you’d like to give your feedback and be in with a chance of winning £50, complete this online survey.

Learn more about mental health support at Kent.

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

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!