Winchester Students’ Union is passionate about ensuring you have every opportunity to get the most from your student experience while at Winchester, and that you feel supported and represented throughout your time as a student.
We also recognise that all students have an individual student experience complete with different challenges, so this guide is written in partnership with students from Access (Disabled Students Network), Winchester Students’ Union, and the University of Winchester to provide you with support and tips to help you enjoy life as a disabled student at Winchester
ACCESS- DiSABLED STUDENTS NETWORK
Access - The Disabled Students Network is a representational network under Winchester Students’ Union Representational networks are student-led groups which have an increased focus on advocating equality, diversity and accessibility within specific underrepresented student groups to directly improve the experience of students from the background they represent.
Whether professionally diagnosed or self-diagnosed, Access is a place for all disabled students Access is a support system for disabled students, where you can meet other disabled students and bond over similar experiences Access hosts weekly drop-in sessions where the committee runs accessible games, crafts and much more!
HERE’S WHAT A MEMBER OF ACCESS HAD TO SAY:
“Joining university as a disabled student was nerve-wracking to say the least! I was very conscious regarding my disabilities and wanted to find a place where I was accepted. I then heard about Access at Freshers Fayre, and have participated ever since Access has given me a place of security, and has allowed me to get more involved within university life as a disabled student. It’s given me part of my social life that my disabilities had taken away from me initially. If you ’ re feeling similar to how I did, or just want to meet some amazing people, I highly recommend joining Access! It’s been many disabled students’ go-to since day one. ”
You can join Access via the Students’ Union’s website here: www.winchesterstudents.co.uk/networks join via www.winchesterstudents.co.uk/networks
GOOD THiNGS TO KNOW
ACCESSIBLE ROUTES
Finding accessible ways around the University can be tricky, especially as the local area is quite hilly. If you find yourself struggling to get around campus, make sure to check the campus map, linked via the QR code at the bottom this page. . On this map, you can filter the information displayed by selecting the icons at the top This is particularly helpful if you need to find a specific facility or service (eg whether buildings have lifts)
For those with mobility challenges, when getting between different quarters of the University, the best route from the West Downs Quarter to the King Alfred Quarter is to use the traffic lights by the County Arms Pub Head down Queen’s Road until you get to Florence Portal House on your left
Turn right into the road that is in front of Florence Portal House to go towards the hospital entrance by Costa Coffee.
Then turn left again to descend to Burma Road You then have two options depending on your mobility, to enter the quarter by St Swithun’s Lodge, or use the entrance to the Herbert Jarman Building (HJB) on Burma Road, then use the lift in HJB to access the King Alfred Quarter
You can also choose to continue travelling down Burma Road to the Main Reception area of the King Alfred Quarter.
On the next page you can see the route mapped out on Google Maps:
Scan here to access a campus map.
Route from the West Downs Quarter to the King Alfred Quarter:
Winchester Students’ Union Advice Centre Winchester Students’ Union Advice Centre offers free, independent, confidential and impartial support and guidance on a range of issues that may be impacting upon your university experience We specialise in supporting students through the academic processes of appeals, misconduct or complaints, and the Advice Centre also provides support on issues such as wellbeing, money, and housing.
Visit: www.winchesterstudents.co.uk/advice for more information, to read our toolkits, or to book an appointment with our Advisor & Wellbeing Coordinator.
Student Listeners
This is a peer support scheme run for students, by students who have received training in listening and support skills. They support the Students’ Union’s weekly Wellbeing Café, held from 2-4pm on Wednesdays on Level 2 of the King Alfred Centre. You can speak to our Student Listeners about anything from homesickness, low self-esteem, es, to course worries, and more.
SUPPORT & FUNDiNG WHiLST STUDYiNG
https://wwwgovuk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa or scan the QR Code below:
Trust grants & bursaries
There are many different trust grants that are available to disabled students that all disabled students can apply to. These grants are usually given to help students with extra costs relating to your disability that are not otherwise covered by your University or DSA.
There are two main trust grants that are available to all disabled students; Snowdon Trust grant and the Student Health Association:
To learn more about and apply for the Snowdon Trust grant, please check out their website: https://www.snowdontrust.org/financialawards/grants/what-can-i-apply-for or, scan the QR Code below:
To learn more about and apply for the Student Health Association bursary, please check out their website: https://studenthealthassociation.co.uk or scan the QR Code below:
GETTiNG TO & AROUND UNiVERSiTY
If you are a student who regularly uses lifts on campus, you may be interested in joining our mailing list to be kept informed about any issues with lift access. Lifts on campus are crucial, especially for individuals with disabilities or mobility challenges From time to time, there may be issues with access to lifts, and we want to ensure that those who want to know are able to be informed as early as possible. Please scan the QR code below to be added to our mailing list, which will send you timely notifications of issues with lift access, and will update you when service returns to normal. If you have any issues accessing this service, please email disability@winchesteracuk
Scan this QR code to be signed up to the Lift Notifications Mailing List.
Scan this QR code for more information on the University’s Disability and Inclusion team, including some helpful videos on how you can access lifts
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
If you are going to be travelling on public transport, there are a few schemes that are open for people with disabilities to help them get around. In particular, you can get a disabled bus pass, alongside a disabled railcard. There are also options available to get free disabled parking on campus. The link to apply for parking can be found on the University’s intranet or is often emailed out during the beginning of Semester One. You must have a disabled badge in order to receive a parking permit for free on University grounds
Buses are an essential means of getting around Winchester, with services covering almost all of the city. People with disabilities are entitled to free travel on buses through the use of a disabled person ' s bus pass. To find out more about this opportunity, and apply, visit: https://www.hants.gov.uk/transport/publictransport/buspasses/disabledpersonsbuspass
Additionally, students with disabilities may be eligible for a disabled persons railcard. This railcard allows the bearer and one other person to save 1/3 on the cost of tickets, making it incredibly useful in keeping costs down - especially if you require a carer or assistance when travelling To learn more about the railcard, and apply, visit: https://wwwnationalrailcouk/tickets-railcards-offers/promotions/disabled-persons-railcard
There are also several websites and resources to assist in getting around Winchester. The Winchester Accessible Trail (available at visitwinchester.co.uk) shows the most accessible route through the city, while websites like Euan’s Guide (available at euansguide.com) and AccessAble (available at accessablecouk) provide great information on accessible places to go (including pubs, shops, and more!) for cities across the country
REPORTiNG DiSCRiMiNATiON
The University and Students’ Union have a strict zero tolerance policy on any form of discrimination. Together, we are committed to tackling any hate crime, harassment, bullying or violence, and we hold the view that bullying and harassment is never okay. A hate crime is any crime that is motivated by hostility or prejudice based on race or ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, sexual identity or gender identity
There is support available for you if you have experienced or witnessed anything that has made you feel uncomfortable or which has given you cause for concern We would always encourage you to report any incidents, big or small, because it can prevent similar things from happening to other people, and it sends an important message about what behaviour is acceptable within the student community. It can also help us to understand the prevalence of hate crime, harassment, bullying or violence within Union and University activity.
If you should ever find yourself in any harassing or inappropriate situations in which you are being discriminated against, we encourage you to take any of the following steps:
You can report harassment, bullying and violence (including anonymous reporting) via the University's Report + Support system: https://reportandsupport.winchester.ac.uk
Get in contact and seek advice from our Student Support and Success team (search for ‘Student Support and Success’ on the intranet, or email: studentsupport@winchesteracuk
Winchester Students’ Union Advice Centre can support you with an academic appeal if you have evidence of prejudice or bias against a mark on your work: www.winchesterstudents.co.uk/advice
For Winchester-specific support with online harassment visit: https://stoponlinebullying.winchester.ac.uk
For a full list of online links within this guide, please visit https://wwwwinchesterstudentscouk/ and search ‘Disabled Students Guide - Online Links’
WiNCHESTERSTUDENTS’UNiON
Winchester Students’ Union is run for students, by students. We are an independent organisation from the University itself, and we are dedicated to representing and supporting you as students, as well as providing a wide range of opportunities, activities and events for all students across our Education, Welfare, Activities and Commercial Zones.
Student welfare is a priority for the Students‘ Union, and we understand the challenges many students face when going to University. The Students’ Union President leads on the Union’s work to represent all student demographic groups, ensuring the equality, diversity and accessibility of the Union and liaising with the University. You can email them directly at SU Pres@winchester.ac.uk to get involved, to raise issues you may be facing or to suggest campaigns or areas of focus for the Union The Students’ Union runs campaigns throughout the year based on issues faced and areas raised by students, such as the introduction of Representational Networks and OneWinchester All demographics from our representational networks are represented at Student Senate.
To have this guide in an accessible format, please email StudentUnion@winchesteracuk
For a full list of online links within this guide, please visit https://www.winchesterstudents.co.uk/ and search ‘Disabled Students Guide - Online Links’
WiNCHESTERSTUDENTS’UNiON
Winchester Students’ Union is run for students, by students. We are an independent organisation from the University itself, and we are dedicated to representing and supporting you as students, as well as providing a wide range of opportunities, activities and events for all students across our Education, Welfare, Activities and Commercial Zones.
Student welfare is a priority for the Students‘ Union, and we understand the challenges many students face when going to University. The Students’ Union President leads on the Union’s work to represent all student demographic groups, ensuring the equality, diversity and accessibility of the Union and liaising with the University. You can email them directly at SU Pres@winchester.ac.uk to get involved, to raise issues you may be facing or to suggest campaigns or areas of focus for the Union The Students’ Union runs campaigns throughout the year based on issues faced and areas raised by students, such as the introduction of Representational Networks and OneWinchester All demographics from our representational networks are represented at Student Senate.
To have this guide in an accessible format, please email StudentUnion@winchesteracuk
For a full list of online links within this guide, please visit https://www.winchesterstudents.co.uk/ and search ‘Disabled Students Guide - Online Links’
