REF:66-2111-9056129 - Communication skills for students

Your comment: Please can information be shared with students about how best to talk to people who may normally struggle more (e.g. people with a hearing impairment, people who have a stammer etc.)? I feel like this is something many students aren't aware about, and it can lead to severe feelings of loneliness and isolation. (Preferably on social media instead or as well as through emails because not everybody reads their emails, but they might be more willing to read the information if it came up on their social media feed.)

Our response:

Thank you for taking the time to share with us this feedback – it is very much appreciated. This is an area of work that we are actively working on; in particular following the publishing of the recent ‘Supporting Students who Stammer in Higher Education report’. We are as such developing guidance and advice for students and staff within our community to help them understand the challenges that others may be experiencing but also to help increase their awareness and confidence to be supportive and help ensure that students with hearing impairments or who may have a stammer do not feel isolated or disconnected from others within our community. We will also be looking to build this into our Welcome and Transition Support arrangements for new and returning students each year from the 22/23 Academic Year. Your observation and experience is noted and we will be acting upon it.