Read: Overcoming the barriers to higher education

Spotlight on Lucy Murray and Make Happen

Make Happen is targeting hard to reach communities to encourage more children into higher education in Essex, as we report here.

Make Happen is the Essex partnership of the Uni Connect programme, funded through the Office for Students. Based at the University of Essex, the programme works in partnership to reach areas where higher education (HE) participation is lower than might be expected given the GCSE results of children who live there. The programme works to open up opportunities for young people in Essex and raise awareness of the opportunities HE can provide. 

There are 29 Uni Connect partnerships of differing sizes across the UK. Make Happen receives one of the largest funding allocations due to a high number of areas being identified through the Uni Connect programme. The county has a diverse demographic with rural, urban and coastal areas, as well as London borders. Essex is also home to some areas of high deprivation and low progression to HE including towns such as Southend, Thurrock and Clacton. 

The programme works on a school-led model with all target schools being linked to a Collaborative Outreach Officer. Each school is unique and therefore activity is different depending on  the specific barriers and needs of the students. Make Happen also has strong relationships with further education (FE) colleges, recognising the fact that progression is lower from FE than it is from sixth form colleges. 

Make Happen works in partnership with a number of higher education institutions, including University of Essex, Anglia Ruskin University, Writtle University College and the University of East London. The universities are part of the governance of the programme, helping to steer and support operations and to ensure complete collaboration across the county. The programme relies on all of its partners working together to develop targeted and relevant outreach which complements existing outreach activity within HE institutions. 

There are many barriers that exist to people going to university - it could be that university hasn’t ever entered their family group, whether that be a cousin, a sibling or parents, or the perception that university “isn’t for someone like me”. Research from Make Happen has shown that having a role model that has come from the same background as students is really key in breaking down some of these barriers. Other barriers include confidence, understanding the financial side of going to university or other responsibilities, for example caring for relatives. 

Due to the coronavirus pandemic all of Make Happen’s work is currently online which, although challenging at first, has given the programme a massive opportunity. Previously, the majority of activity has been directed through schools or colleges but Make Happen is now looking into ways of engaging directly with students. Online content has been created to continue engagement through taster sessions and webinars. Content isn’t just centered on the specifics of university (what it is, the benefits and finances) but everything around it which gives students a wider understanding, as well as the confidence to attend.

Make Happen has seen an increase in engagement during coronavirus with young people having more time on their hands to explore future opportunities. In the last year Make Happen has delivered 186 activities to over 10,000 students, of which around 70 per cent are coming from low participation neighborhoods. The programme has also had greater engagement with parents and carers, who are traditionally harder to reach. With parents and carers being a key influencer in a young person’s choices, it is key that those from under-represented backgrounds feel empowered to support their young person through the decisions around HE. The programme has had to be delivered in more creative ways, with virtual learning festivals for over 600 students and parents a good example of this. 

Lucy Murray

While moving online has been successful, it has also highlighted the issue of digital poverty and the digital divide that still exists in society. Those children who are least likely to go onto higher education often don’t have access to devices or Wi-Fi to be able to take part in school or Make Happen activity. Work is ongoing to ensure that everyone has access to the same levels of activity and are not hindered by digital poverty. 

Moving forward, the most successful aspects of online engagement will be kept but there is definitely still a desire for face-to-face interaction. That aspect of outreach work will never disappear - it is incredibly important for young people to see buildings and campuses, meet student ambassadors and experience university first-hand. 

An important part of the work Make Happen does is to provide mentoring to children, giving them a positive role model who has come from a similar background can be crucial. Seeing someone thriving at university who has come from the same under-represented area and perhaps the same non-traditional qualifications, such as BTECs or an access course, gives students hope and confidence that they can achieve anything. 

Make Happen runs a number of different mentoring programmes, pairing current students with those from under-represented areas, discussing topics such as personal barriers, strengths and weaknesses, SMART goals and first-hand experiences. Pre-pandemic, there was a strong online mentoring presence across outreach at a national level, so this is one area of activity that has not been impacted too badly by the pandemic. The programme also engages with local charities or providers for academic tutoring, motivational speakers and careers advice. 

Moving forward a proposed cut in funding is likely to impact the level of activity that the programme can deliver. Higher cost activity, such as residential camps and mini-projects with PHD students, might need to be cut despite often having the greatest impact. The Make Happen team will be able to continue their centralised programme but some of the more specialised activity will be reduced. 

Make Happen has developed a really strong infrastructure in Essex, working impartially to ensure that young people, regardless of their background, have all of the options in front of them so that they can make an informed decision on their future. The programme of activity is proven to have an impact on outreach to areas where higher education participation is lower than expected and any funding cuts could stifle the great work currently being done. What is needed is a patient policy of giving programmes that are already succeeding the time to have a proper impact on the communities they are working with.