Student Success: Disability History Month

This year’s Disability History Month theme is ‘livelihood and employment’. We know these topics are important for our disabled and neurodivergent study body and the disability employment gap remains stubbornly high at around 30 per cent across the UK. Education is a great leveller and with the right tools and resources for both educators and students we make progress for our students in making sure they can access the support they need to thrive at UCL and beyond.   

For Disability History Month the Student Success Office have a series of workshops and talks which range from how we can support neurodivergent students to how we use artificial intelligence as a tool for inclusive learning.

For any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the Student Success team at smss.studentsuccess@ucl.ac.uk.

Please sign up if you are unable to attend but would like access to the recording.

Thursday 28 November (1.30-3pm) - Supporting Blind and Partially Sighted Students

The Education Team at Thomas Pocklington Trust work closely with blind and partially sighted students, their families and professionals to provide high quality, direct support to improve student outcomes. This session will focus on how participants can develop their knowledge and understanding of how to support blind and partially sighted students.

There will be advice, activities and opportunities to share experiences and best practise, as well as a more in depth look at example case studies and policy work delivered by Thomas Pocklington Trust.

There will be opportunities for Q&A at the end of the session.

Donna Korn Morris is the Education Training and Projects Coordinator at Thomas Pocklington Trust. Her work specialises in delivering training to a range of professionals, from secondary, Further Education, Higher Education, Careers and Disability specialists. 

Prior to joining TPT Donna was a teacher for 35 years. Specialising early on in her career as a teacher English as an Additional Language (EAL) in a large multicultural secondary school, then for 6 years as the Head of Language and Curriculum Development. She then specialised in specific learning difficulties, focusing on EAL and dyslexia teaching.  Donna became a Qualified Teacher of Visual impairment (QTVI) in 2001 and worked with blind and partially sighted children and young people for 22 years. As a Senior QTVI she led on Secondary and Post 16 education in a local authority. 

Nicole Bassett is the Student Support Service Manager at Thomas Pocklington Trust managing the service delivery of information, advice and guidance to blind and partially sighted students and the parents/carers and professionals that support them.

Nicole has over ten years’ experience in Disability and Wellbeing Services in Further and Higher Education developing and embedding inclusive support services for UK and international students. She is a senior accredited member of NADP and has a post graduate certificate in Social Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties (SEMH) in children and young people. Her professional aim is to foster inclusivity and accessibility for blind and partially students through advocacy and awareness raising.

Sign up for this session here.

Register now

Monday 2nd December (1-2pm) - Inclusive Education

Paddy Turner (SFHEA; SAMNADP) has worked at Sheffield Hallam University since 1998 covering all aspects of disabled student support from direct student support to management and research. He has at all times retained a passion for improving access to and inclusion within, the academic and cultural environment.

He was Head of Inclusive Practice (Disability) until 2011 and is now an Education Developer supporting academic and learning support staff towards Advance HE (HEA) Fellowship recognition and developing inclusive teaching and learning practice.

Paddy will be delivering a workshop on what Inclusive Education looks like and what you can do to incorporate it in your practice.

Sign up for this session here.

Register now

Thursday 5th December (2-3pm) - Neurodivergent Staff and Students 

Join Michael Woodrow and Zoe Gallant who will discuss strategies and techniques they’ve employed themselves and what they find works for their neurodivergent students.

Michael Woodrow is a full-time Lecturer in Engineering Education, with experience in both research and industry. Skilled in fire engineering, integrated design, critical thinking and engineering pedagogy. A professional with a PhD in Fire Engineering Education from the University of Edinburgh. Michael is the programme director of the Fire Safe Design MArch at UCL. He joined UCL in 2019 from Foster+Partners, where he was an Associate Fire Engineer for almost seven years. Throughout his time in professional practice, he participated in the design of over 300 unique projects in our built environment.

Zoë Gallant is a Chartered Psychologist based in Psychology and Human Development (IOE). Her research interests range from the cognitive neuroscience of ageing, to education based projects looking at feedback literacy, understanding marking criteria, and student wellbeing and belonging. She is currently the departmental Inclusion Lead and part of the Accessibility Champions network at UCL.

Sign up for this session here.

Wednesday 11th December (2-4.30pm) - Disability History Month Conference 

UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Servies and UCL Student Success have curated an exciting line-up of speakers with a variety of expertise and experience to talk about 'Disability Livelihood and Employment'. The session will finish with a Q&A panel discussion. There will plently of opportunity to ask questions throughout the session. 

This conference is being held online for UCL students and staff, and members of the public. 

You can find out more about the speakers and sign up for the conference here.