Get your 5-a-side team registered for the SoccerZone Cup tournament taking place on Thursday 30 March 2023.

It’s just £10 to register a team, existing SoccerZone teams can enter for free. The tournament is open to all staff, students and alumni.

Register before 26 March 2023, to secure your team’s place!

League competition

Event date and time: Thursday 30 March, 17:00 – 20:00

Location: The Pavilion 3G

Entry fee: £10 per new team

Visit the SoccerZone webpage for more information and to sign up your team!

Young people are increasingly the major victims of fraud. Victims don’t only lose their money – they can lose their family savings, their businesses, their trust in other people, their mental health and plenty more.

One of the most important enablers of fraud are money mules – this is where you let someone else use your bank account to send money into.

Around six in ten money mules are under the age of 30 and most are recruited between the ages of 17 and 24. Many criminals target their recruitment of money mules at universities or colleges – either online, in person or via friends and family.

By using money mules, criminals try to ensure that the consequences hit the mule instead of them.

Money mules usually get recruited because they get a cut of the stolen money. This means they are involved in money laundering. This is a serious criminal offence, with a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

How can I protect myself?

• Be suspicious of job adverts that offer the chance to earn quick and easy money. Stick to reputable job sites and remember that if something looks too good to be true, then it probably is.
• Don’t sign up for any opportunity without undertaking some proper research. E.g., Google any prospective employer, do they have an online presence? Are the contact details legitimate? Is it based overseas? Don’t engage with any online posts offering large sums of money.
• Don’t accept message requests from people you don’t know, and if you receive a message with a link to click from a friend, speak to them in person before you respond.
• Don’t share bank and personal details with anyone that you don’t know or trust – even among friends or family. If someone asks to ‘borrow’ your bank account, say no.
• Always remember that if you aren’t sure about the source of the money, it could have come from criminal activity, and you could unwittingly be laundering money and end up with a criminal conviction.

What should I do?

If you or someone you know has been approached, break off all contact, don’t receive or move any money, and ask for advice from someone you trust. Criminals operate in silence – by talking about it, you are protecting others.

Report it by calling local Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Contact the HMRC Fraud Hotline quoting ref: IFMM23. You do not have to give your name or contact details unless you want to.

Contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers 100% anonymously online or by calling 0800 555 111. Please quote ref: IFMM23.

If you see it online, click the button to report it to the social media companies to get it taken down.

If you think someone you know is already involved, go to the NCA website for advice.

If criminals have already got your personal information report it to Action Fraud National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre on 0300 123 2040.

Additional information

• We Fight Fraud “Crooks on Campus”
• BBC iPlayer Scam Stories: The money drop
• National Crime Agency 

Photo by Daria Nepriakhina 🇺🇦 on Unsplash

Here’s a round-up of what you can get involved in this week at Kent, including fun fundraising events as part of Kent Giving Week and getting ready for the job market with regional employers sharing their top tips as part of Working in Kent and Medway Week.

Show your support for Team Kent at Varsity this week!

Monday: Exam support and free dance class

As we get closer to exams season, take time to read our exam webpages which include loads of support and events to help you get ready, such as a session on how to prepare for online exams.

On Monday you can also try Kent Union’s Booiaka dance class which is a cardio workout to music – as much dancing fun as a night out with friends!

Tuesday: Jobs Fair, revision workshop and Cooking Show

Kent Union’s Jobs Fair is happening from 11:00-14:00 in Eliot Hall. This is a great opportunity if you are looking for part-time, temporary or seasonal work.

Not sure where to start with your exams revision? Go along to SLAS’s free revision workshop on Tuesday.

Grab one of 100 free tickets to see Kent Giving Week’s ‘In The Kitchen Cooking Show’! Local chefs will share how you can recreate their signature dishes on a budget and you can then eat what they cook for lunch!

Wednesday: Graduation message board, Diamond Orchard planting and Relaxation Sessions (Medway)

Are you graduating this July? Head over to Nexus on Wednesday between 10:00-14:00 to write a message to your friends and/or family and we will share them at your graduation ceremony.

Help us plant the 300 trees for our Diamond Orchard celebrating the University’s 60th anniversary!

At The Hub, you can choose between a 15 minute back massage or a gel manicure on Wednesday to help you relax.

Thursday: Spring Careers Fair, 5k Your Way and Windrush Talk

Talk to leading graduate employers to find job and placement opportunities at our Spring Careers Fair in Eliot Dining Room between 10:00 and 15:00 on Thursday.

From midday on Thursday, walk, dance, scoot or run ‘5k Your Way’ at our Canterbury and Medway campuses for free with a student ticket. Register now on the Kent Giving Week website.

In honour of the 75^th anniversary of the Windrush Landing, join a talk by Dr Mark Ledwidge about the historical and cultural significance of the Windrush Landing.

Friday: Find a graduate job (Medway) and free yoga

Working in Kent and Medway Week concludes on Friday with an advice session at Medway on how to find a graduate job.

Unwind and stretch at this free yoga session in the Sports Centre (Canterbury) on Friday afternoon.

Reminders!

• Industrial action this week. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are UCU strike days, so your teaching may be affected on these days. The College and Community Life Team are offering drop-in support sessions on these days in Locke Building between 9:00-17:00. How to prepare for a strike day.
• Online Module Registration is open. If you’re returning to Kent as an undergraduate student for the 2023/24 academic year, you need to choose your modules by 26 March. If you haven’t already, complete Online Module Registration now.
• Apply for student finance. Full-time undergraduate 2023 to 2024 Student Finance applications are now open.
• Final year student? Your invitation to your graduation ceremony was emailed to you last week. Make sure to check your emails for more info including key deadlines.

As part of the National Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence, learn about what you can do if you or someone you know experiences bullying and harassment.   

At the University of Kent, we want to create a safe and supportive environment for all students and staff, and make it clear to all in our community that bullying and harassment are not acceptable.

Bullying only happens in the playground, right?

Bullying and harassment can take subtle forms and happen at universities and in workplaces. Bullying is defined by ACAS (the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) as ‘offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the other person’. If you’ve been talked down to at society meetings, if there’s a housemate who makes jokes at your expense when you’ve asked them not to, if you feel singled out or excluded in social settings, if you’ve received unwanted messages or been put down on social media – you have experienced bullying, and can get support. These behaviours could also be prompted by discrimination for a protected characteristic, such as being made fun of/ excluded/ insulted because of one’s faith, disability, race, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and age. Bullying and harassment undermine the core values of the University and create a negative working, learning and living environment, and we think everyone in our community deserves better.

How can you get help?

If you or someone you know is experiencing bullying or harassment, you can get help from the University by visiting the Report + Support tool, which can help you get support and report an incident.

Listed below are some useful guidance links:

• I’m experiencing harassment and/or bullying
• Someone I know is experiencing harassment and/or bullying
• Further support and resources available (Online Harassment and Stalking).

You can submit a report or get support through the Report + Support tool. If you are unsure on how to submit a report, take a look at this video guide.

Even if you report anonymously, you’ll be helping our campuses stay safe. Our team will review information monthly to identify any areas of concern that need to be addressed, and we’ll intervene as necessary. Remember, we’re here to support you. You can also learn more on this topic and how to be an active bystander by accessing the Expect Respect module in Moodle. #GetSupport

Who can help at Kent?

‘I’m Ally, I am a Specialist Wellbeing Adviser supporting students who experience bullying and harassment, discrimination and/or hate incidents. I provide practical support and can help students to process information about further support, and how to make a formal report if they wish to. There is never any pressure or judgement on students to report, and my main aim is to provide a safe space for students to talk about what they have been through.’  Ally Staddon – Specialist Wellbeing Adviser

If you would like to speak to specialist staff about an incident, contact Student Support and Wellbeing and ask for a specialist wellbeing adviser.

Join us in making our university the safest it can be – take control, get support, and build a safer community. #InclusiveKent

Written by Kamila, Ally and Natalia, Student Services staff, on 07.03.23

Get tailored employability support:

• Finding disability confident employers: Online workshop for Kent students on Tuesday 14 March 12:00-13:00 – book online to receive details of how to join.
• How to manage the uncomfortable when looking for employment or navigating challenges at work: Online workshop for Kent students on Thursday 16 March 11:00 – 12:30 – book online to receive details of how to join.

From Professor Richard Reece | DVC Education & Student Experience 

At the time of writing there has been no major update from the national negotiations on industrial action currently taking place. While talks are continuing, this means that unfortunately we expect strike days to return this week for six consecutive days starting on Wednesday: 

• Wednesday 15 – Friday 17 March 
• Monday 20 – Wednesday 22 March 

I can only apologise for this continued disruption which I know has had a real impact on you this term. As always, the nature of strikes can be very different in different areas so do check in with your lecturers or Division directly and they will advise where they can on what it might mean for you. 

What else is on this week 

While I know it doesn’t make up for missing classes, lots of university activity will carry on as usual across the strike days. Do look at our events roundup to see what is happening, which includes a number of free exam prep sessions. Kent Union has lots of activities running this week too, while our Student Support and Wellbeing team host regular events to get people together throughout the year. 

You can read more on how to prepare for a strike day and how to claim back any expenses directly caused by strikes on our industrial action webpages. 

Ensuring you can progress this year 

I know that many of you also have concerns around the rest of this year with UCU balloting for potential further action. I want to reassure you that we have plans in place to make sure you can progress as normal whatever happens over the coming months. We’ve put together some FAQs with more on the background to this. 

I know upcoming exams are also a worry – our general approach is that you shouldn’t have to answer anything in an exam that hasn’t been covered in one of your classes. Your teachers will bear this in mind when they are preparing your exam papers – some modules will also have multiple exam questions to choose from, meaning that in these cases you can avoid questions that you don’t think have been covered in a lecture or seminar if you prefer.   

Getting advice and support 

Talks are continuing at national level regarding the strikes so it remains my sincere hope that an agreement is reached that avoids further disruption. I will update you again if we hear more; in the meantime, if you are worried about the effect this is having then do contact us for further advice or support. 

Many of us have heard of the difficulties or ‘deficits’ associated with Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLDs), like dyslexia, dyspraxia, and ADHD.  But are we aware of the positive aspects that can make dyslexic individuals so successful?

Difficulties with attention and concentration? Time management and planning issues?  Short term memory concerns? Persistent difficulties with reading and spelling? Word retrieval problems? Many notable individuals – such as businessman Lord (Alan) Sugar, poet Benjamin Zephaniah and Nobel prize-winning microbiologist Carol Greider – have not just overcome but have harnessed the power of their Specific Learning Difficulties in their lives and careers.

The ‘dyslexic advantages’

Dyslexic minds can be predisposed to specific strengths because of the unique ways they process information.  The book, The Dyslexic Advantage, suggests that these strengths arise from the same variations in processing that cause dyslexic difficulties with literacy, language and learning.

Dyslexic advantages include:

• Strengths in spatial visualization,
• Perception of relationships,
• Narrative reasoning, and

• Abilities to perceive and use patterns in changing data sets.

So, the flexibility in visual thinking that can cause persistent problems with letter or number reversals when writing (eg b/d/p/q, 6/9 confusion), can also generate a flexibility in spatial visualization that is highly advantageous to a dyslexic working in 3D. This strength in spatial visualization facilitates success in fields such as architecture, engineering and science – see the iconic design of  London’s O2 Arena, by dyslexic architect, Richard Rogers, for example.

Beyond dyslexia

And it is not just dyslexia: dyspraxia too is often associated with strengths in big picture thinking, being able to identify patterns, and problem-solving skills.  Likewise, positive attributes of ADHD are recognized to include strengths in energy, divergent thinking, and adventurousness. Indeed, some individuals with ADHD describe how their divergent ‘outside the box’ thinking inundates them with ideas, providing a great source of creativity.  Some also describe an abundance of physical energy that they can harness productively, and that makes them feel younger than their peers!

Recognizing these positive strengths for individuals with SpLDs is important for building confidence and encouraging success.

Written by Cathy Myers, Specific Learning Difficulties Adviser in Student Support and Wellbeing, 24.02.23.

Are you a Kent student who might benefit from support?

Student Support and Wellbeing have expert staff who are here to offer you support during your studies. If you have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD), or feel that you experience difficulties, register with Student Support and Wellbeing and make an appointment with an SpLD Adviser. Want to know more? Please view this visual guide on How to get Specific Learning Difficulty Support.

Get tailored employability support:

• Finding disability confident employers: Online workshop for Kent students on Tuesday 14^th March 12pm-1pm – book online to receive details of how to join.
• How to manage the uncomfortable when looking for employment or navigating challenges at work: Online workshop for Kent students on Thursday 16^th March 11:00 – 12:30 – book online to receive details of how to join.

Find peers:

Attend the neurodiversity cafe on Monday 13 March from 12:00 – 14:00.

What do you think?

Would you like to contribute your experience and perspective to conversations, podcasts or articles on this or other topics covered by Student Services (employability, support services, student wellbeing, faith and belonging, inclusion, student healthcare)? Please email StudentServicesWeb@kent.ac.uk – we welcome student and staff contributions.