The impactful work of University of the West of Scotland’s WeCare Team has been recognised with two industry awards.

The University has been celebrated for its particular support to estranged students by charity, Stand Alone, coinciding with Estranged Student Solidarity Week.

Estranged students are young people studying without the support and approval of a family network.

UWS was awarded in the categories ‘Pre-entry Information Advice and Guidance’ and ‘Estranged Students' Voice & Engagement’ at the Stand Alone Pledge Awards for 2023.

Discussing the award win, Alison Hillis, Senior Team Leader for Colleges and Widening Participation at UWS, said: “UWS signed the Stand Alone Pledge in 2017 and has worked closely with the charity since then, to share best practice and put in place appropriate processes to ensure we carry out our commitment to support estranged students from pre-entry through to graduation.

We are so pleased that our work with estranged students has been recognised by these awards and it is a testament to the ongoing hard-work and commitment of the UWS WeCare Team.

Alison Hillis, Senior Team Leader for Colleges and Widening Participation at UWS

The UWS WeCare Team supports students who are care experienced, student carers and estranged, and works to identify these students pre-entry, and provides support from the moment they declare their status through their application.

The UWS WeCare Team offers key support to estranged students and works efficiently across the Institution in a partnership between UWS’s Widening Participation, Student Success and Student Services teams to provide the right advice and support to students during their time at the University.

The UWS WeCare Team also works closely with local organisations within the community to support widening access students and provides links to these organisations for students as well as working with them pre-entry before coming into the University. 

The team also collaborates with the Carers Trust Scotland and was proud to be awarded the Going Higher for Carers in Scotland Award for Higher Education Institutions in March 2021. The UWS WeCare Team also work closely with Who Cares Scotland to support care experienced students. 

To find out more, email wecare@uws.ac.uk or visit the website here.