St Hilda's College JCR

Access

The JCR is also keen to promote widening access to St Hilda's College, Oxford University and higher education in general.

• Oxford university Access

• Alternative Prospectus 2008-2009 [pdf]

St. Hilda’s aims at providing a welcoming environment for students regardless of their academic or socioeconomic background. The college is currently involved in an e-mentoring initiative, as well as holding access open days and specific school visits. Currently, 52% of the student population are from state sector schools and the University aims to increase this significantly. The University runs more than 1,000 outreach events a year, including summer schools, school visits, student shadowing schemes, e-mentoring, aspiration days and events for teachers. If you are interested in outreach work there are many ways that you can get involved. Helen Etty coordinates the e-mentoring programme at St. Hilda’s as well as volunteer opportunities for University-wide visits. Please email Helen if you would like to receive emails about upcoming visits, or if you wish to become an e-mentor. The University Access office provides training for all outreach work, usually in Michaelmas term.

Target Schools is an initiative run by Oxford University Student Union (OUSU) and is a fast growing campaign. The scheme provides training and materials for students to return to their former schools and sixth forms in order to share their experience of Oxford. Target Schools recognises that misperceptions about Oxford are most effectively tackled by current students providing information directly to school pupils and their teachers. If you would like more information about Target Schools, or if you already know that you would like to be involved, please contact Clare Barnard, who is the Target Schools college rep as well as JCR Officer for Access and Equal Opportunities.

2008-2009

During 2008-2009 the JCR is looking to expand the Access work that St. Hilda’s participates in. However, as of this year there is no college outreach officer, so the success of this aim will depend largely on student participation. Proposals for improving Hilda’s Access work include:

• Creating a committee which would help with Access events as well as other volunteer opportunities, such as being a ‘runner’ during the interview period.
• Increasing the number of open days, and reviewing the time of the year that Access open days are to take place.
• Expanding the e-mentoring scheme
• Creating a Hilda’s specific Access guide, and perhaps a small website
• Increasing the participation of Hilda’s students in the Target Schools scheme
• Looking at what can be done to make Hilda’s more welcoming for students once they arrive; ‘In reach’ Access work.

Clare Barnard, the JCR Officer for Access and Equal Opportunities liaises with college and the university via a number of members of staff and committees. If you would like to be involved in Access work, whether college, university or OUSU based, please contact Clare.