Skip to navigation | Skip to main content | Skip to footer
Menu
Search the University of Manchester siteSearch Menu StaffNet

Estranged Students Solidarity Week: support available

22 Nov 2022

Estranged Students Solidarity Week runs from 21 until 25 November - make your students aware of support available

Our University offers enhanced support to estranged students. Estranged students are those studying without support of a family network, which is usually due to a long-term breakdown in the relationship with their parents or guardians. 

This enhanced support includes a £1,000 bursary via the Undergraduate Access Scholarship, and having named contacts. Emma Lewis-Kalubowila from Widening Participation offers pre-entry support and Ailsa Skelly from the central student support and wellbeing team offers support to estranged students during their studies. There is currently a vacant position for another named contact for current estranged students.

As part of Estranged Students Solidarity Week, it's important that if a student discloses to you that they are estranged, you can liaise with our team who can provide support. A message from Ailsa:

“Students may self-identify as estranged to staff members they know well and feel comfortable with. If a student discloses to you that they are estranged, please ask them if they are already receiving support from us. If they are not, the student can contact us themselves by emailing us on studentsupport@manchester.ac.uk, or you can ask for consent from the student for us to contact them instead.

"A student can become estranged at any point of their studies, and we want to make sure that all estranged students have access to the enhanced support package and opportunities that they are entitled to, such as the option to meet with other estranged students from across the University. You can check if a student meets our University’s definition of an estranged student.

"Please try to avoid confirming whether or not a student will receive the £1,000 bursary as there is a verification process by us that must be followed. Thank you for all of your support.”