STAART

STAART (formerly the *AccessAbility Project) supports students with a disability, long-term health condition, neurodivergence (autistic and dyslexic spectra), and/or mental health condition to thrive at university.

An introduction to STAART

STAART complements the academic support provided by our Wellbeing team. Disabled and dyslexic students at the University of Greenwich and in the local area (Year 11 onwards) can join up at any time. Here’s an introduction to STAART from our ambassador, Becca.

Join as future student Join as current student

STAART Principles of Disability (SPoD)

These principles have been created by self-selected University of Greenwich (UK) disabled students, disabled graduates, and disabled staff:

  1. Disability includes physical impairments; neurodivergence (autistic and dyslexic spectra); mental health conditions; long-term health conditions; and/or potentially life-shortening illnesses.
  2. We are not embarrassed and/or ashamed of our disabilities.
  3. Some days are better than others.
  4. Sometimes it may take us longer to work or study than our non-disabled peers, although sometimes we are quicker than our non-disabled peers to achieve the same results.
  5. We are capable of great achievements.
  6. Ninety-two per cent of our disabilities are not visible.
  7. Disabled peers can be our greatest allies and successful supporters.
  8. We are disabled people, not people with disabilities. We are (mostly) disabled by the environment and attitudes rather than our bodies and brains.
  9. We are experts by experience (of our disability/disabilities).
  10. We come in different shapes, sizes, colours, faiths, and genders.

Thank you to all the disabled students, graduates and staff members who contributed to the SPoD consultation.  If you have any comments/suggestions/queries, please email:

Dr Melanie Thorley
STAART Manager

M.Thorley@gre.ac.uk

Launched on 2 December 2022

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STAART SPoD Welcome from Jane Harrington

Thank you to all the disabled students, graduates and staff members who contributed to the SPoD consultation.

SPoD Launch presentation

Background

STAART is a disability focused initiative at the University of Greenwich. It was developed in 2007 in partnership with Aimhigher. We provide impartial information and guidance to post-16 future and current disabled students. We continue to develop to meet the requirements of disabled students.

STAART Logo Explained

The STAART (Support through *AccessAbility: Retention and Transition) initiative was developed in 2007 at the University of Greenwich in partnership with AimHigher to provide guidance and support to future and current students living with a disability, long term health condition, neurodivergence (autistic and dyslexic spectra), and/ or a mental health condition. The initiative continues to support disabled and diverse students to thrive at university.

STAART is a disabled people (led) organisation (DPLO) within the University of Greenwich. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) states that that DPLOs must be comprised of at least 51% disabled people, STAART is comprised of 100% disabled people. This is a deliberate decision.

As disabled staff and students, we are experts by experience which acknowledges that we have personal experience of navigating university as a disabled person. This is very different to second-hand knowledge. We are able to restrict our staffing to solely disabled staff and students by utilising positive action as stated in the Equality Act 2010 .

In terms of the STAART logo, it is made up of 7 different navy-blue squares with different disabilities represented which are in white. STAART is an all-inclusive group and so the logo reflects this with the different types of disabilities; long-term health conditions; autistic and dyslexic spectra; and mental health conditions represented. The seven squares are cogs, the word dyslexia jumbled up, the infinity symbol, the hearing loop symbol, an eye with a line through it, two hands signing and an individual in a wheelchair.

  1. STAART CogsThe cogs are used to represent an individual’s mental health. The stigma of mental health is slowly fading, and more people are talking about their unseen mental health struggles. Mental health support varies across the UK, however Mind, the mental health charity are able to signpost to other organisations that might be able to assist you. Mind have also set up an online peer community which is available 24/7, Side by Side.
  1. STAART Dyslexia SymbolThe word dyslexia jumbled up shows a pictorial representation of what it can be like to have dyslexia. The dyslexia umbrella consists of dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. The British Dyslexia Association is able to give advice on life living with dyslexia. Dyslexia and the other elements should not have a negative impact on your studies.
  1. STAART Infinity SymbolThe infinity symbol is often seen with a rainbow-coloured background. The infinity symbol is an international emblem. It is used to represent the broad and varied spectrum of autism and wider neurodivergence as there is no set way to learn. The National Autistic Society raises awareness of autism, reach out to them if you are looking for advice and support.
  2. STAART Hearing Loop SymbolThe hearing loop symbol is used internationally to represent individuals who are hard of hearing/have partial hearing. It is also used to show that users with hearing aids are able to connect to the audio system in order to hear clearly what is being communicated in a particular space. The Royal National Institute for Deaf People has been supporting individuals who are D/deaf, have hearing loss or have tinnitus for over a century to ensure that the world is inclusive for those with hearing loss or absence.
  1. STAART Visual Impairment SymbolThe eye with a line through it signifies an individual has a visual impairment which can either denote partial sight or blindness.  This symbol was adopted in 1982 by the Northern European Sector of the World Health Organisation as the International Symbol of Visual Disability. The Partially Sighted Society has raised awareness for over 50 years supporting those with visual impairments to make the best use of their remaining vision. The Royal National Institute of Blind People (formerly the RNIB) is a UK charity which provides information, support, and advice to almost 2 million people in the UK who have sight loss.
  2. STAART Sign Language SymbolThe symbol of two hands is the logo for International Day of Sign Languages which is a United Nations resolution, celebrated on 23rd September since 2018. The image denotes Deaf people who use sign language as their preferred/native/home/first language. The purpose of this day is to ensure that sign languages are recognised as fully-fledged natural languages and the importance of preserving sign languages as a part of linguistic and cultural diversity. Although there is an international sign language, most sign language users in the UK use British Sign Language (BSL) or Sign Supported English (SSE).
  1. STAART Restricted Mobility SymbolThe last symbol represents individuals with restricted mobility, although not restricted to wheelchair users. This logo is a more relevant, and less patronising version of the International Symbol of Access (ISA). This image is more dynamic and less passive of the original image of a person in a wheelchair, possibly waiting for someone to give them a push. This modified ISA was created in 2013 and has been adopted by many different organisations in a whole host of countries.

Bethany Howell

LLB and STAART Graduate

LLM International and Commercial Law Student

October 2023

STAART Ambassadors & Graduates

The University of Greenwich have employed students as student ambassadors since 2004. In 2007, the university realised that we did not have any disabled student ambassadors. As we are a university which strives to be both inclusive and reflective of our local populations, it was decided that we would have a specialist cohort of self-selected disabled ambassadors. Originally know as *AccessAbility Ambassadors, they are now STAART Ambassadors (& Graduates).

In 2007, we (myself and the widening participation team)  invited self-selected and self-identified current University of Greenwich  disabled students  to apply to become specialist ambassadors. We interviewed and appointed three disabled students. Initially, the *AccessAbility Ambassadors took part in   occasional school/college visits, provided student life presentations at our campus events, which progressed to having a desk at open days and similar events.

In the past 16 years, we have trained nearly 400 *AccessAbility/STAART ambassadors. They have been undergraduates & postgraduates; international & home students; full time & part-time students; and a variety of shapes, colours, genders, ages, personalities, etc. They are an astounding  and exceptional group of individuals. STAART Ambassadors are mostly undergraduates and STAART Graduates are students who worked as STAART Ambassadors before undertaking their postgraduate studies with us at the University of Greenwich.

STAART has continued to change and evolve over the years. We started on a very small scale, and STAART is now bigger and better than it has ever been, although our initial reason for employing specialist disabled ambassadors is fundamentally the same. STAART Ambassadors undertake both standard ambassador work and specialist STAART work. We have STAART Ambassadors who work with the outreach and recruitment teams, student engagement team, provide peer mentoring, are involved in clearing, and many other opportunities.  Our STAART Ambassadors and Graduates have a different uniform (t-shirts are currently white with blue writing) from the standard ambassadors (their t-shirts are blue with white writing).  This is to differentiate the two groups as STAART Ambassadors are involved in so many aspects of the university but they are proud to be positive role models for future disabled students. You can find a variety of blogs and articles about our STAART Ambassadors & Graduates dotted throughout the STAART webpages and wider University of Greenwich webpages.

STAART Ambassadors and Graduates

STAART Ambassador and Graduate Spotlights

Having STAART during my degree was an immense support. It was like having cheerleaders all the way to the finish line. With every struggle, there was always someone there to give me support or listen to me. - João Martins

STAART is one of the main reasons I came to the university, and one of the biggest driving factors that kept me going. - Bradley Cory

I've made a lot of friends through STAART. I credit the group and Melanie for how well I've managed to juggle study, life, care responsibilities and work. I couldn't have got through it without them. - Zoe Robinson

STAART has been integral to my experience as a disabled student. It has given me the confidence and the opportunity to do things I would have never imagined possible two years ago. -Rebecca Cordina

Histories of Disability Anthology

*trigger warning

July is Disability Pride Month1, a time to remember and honour the history, celebrate the achievements, and recognise the struggles of people within the disabled community.

Disability Pride Month enables everyone to celebrate what makes them unique, promoting visibility and providing a platform for mainstream awareness of disabilities; including long-term health conditions and mental health difficulties. The month is a short period in time to remind individuals who are disabled or allies that many people have overcome barriers to get to where they are today. There have been amazing individuals throughout history who have made major differences in the lives of those living with disabilities.

Disability Pride was started as a single day of celebration in 1990 in Boston, USA. The USA also passed the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 which prohibits the discrimination of individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The UK followed suit much later commemorating and celebrating Disability Pride Month for the first time in 2017 in Brighton.

The Disability Pride flag was adopted in 2015 and redesigned in 2021 (below)2 has a number of elements, the background, the road shapes and colours.

The disability pride flag which denotes different colours for different disabilities , graphics, line Description automatically generated

The charcoal background – to represent those in the community who have been subjected to ableist violence, as well as representing protest in the community. The “band/road” shape – represents how disabled people face barriers and have to navigate their life according to them. The different colours in the shape represent the creativity in navigating life, and how the community is breaking free from authority. The colours – the colours represent the various experiences and needs (mental illness, developmental disability, invisible disabilities, physical disabilities, and sensory disabilities) in the disabled community.

The University of Greenwich continues to champion the work of the late, Professor Mike Oliver who was a pioneer in disability studies. Professor Oliver is credited with coining the social model of disability. The University of Greenwich powers on accelerating the work of Professor Oliver through the initiative of STAART, Support Through *AccessAbility - Retention and Transition which was created to support disabled and dyslexic students through their higher education journeys. The STAART Principles of Disability (SPoD) could not have been created without the foundations laid down by Mike Oliver.

Disability Pride Month 2023 saw the joining of STAART, the University of Greenwich Disabled Staff Community (DSC) and the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN) together to create a unique exhibition: Histories of Disability: The Good, The Great, The Bad, The Ugly showcasing the experiences of disabled students, staff, and allies. The exhibition includes poignant moments in time; and figures of great importance to the disabled community and personal experiences. The exhibits have been allocated to each of the four sections in the exhibition title, with relevant emojis. There are also trigger warnings on the exhibits which maybe confronting. However, we also have joyful and celebratory exhibits. The official opening of the exhibition took  place on 14th July 2023 on the Greenwich Campus where the University of Greenwich Vice Chancellor, Professor Jane Harrington provided the official welcome.

Jane Harrington standing next to one of the exhibits

The exhibition in place in the dreadnought atrium

The exhibition itself has been created to be portable. The exhibition will be showcased on our Medway campus (ME4 4TB) through Disability History Month from 16th November to 16th December 2023. The exhibition can then go on tour to other universities. Please contact staart@gre.ac.uk if you are interested in hosting our collective exhibition.

** We recommend the exhibits are for post-16s only due to some of the confronting content.

1 What is Disability Pride Month? | Inclusive Employers

2 Disability Pride Flag | Good Housekeeping

STAART is a Disabled People (led) Organisation

STAART is a disabled people (led) organisation (DPO) within the University of Greenwich. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)  states that that DPOs must be comprised of at least 51% disabled people, STAART is comprised of 100% disabled people1. This is a deliberate decision.

As disabled staff and students, we are experts by experience which acknowledges that we have personal experience of navigating university as a disabled person. This is very different to second-hand knowledge. We are able to restrict our staffing to solely disabled staff and students by  utilising positive action as stated in the Equality Act 20102.

1Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) | United Nations Enable

2Employers: what is positive action in the workplace? | Equality and Human Rights Commission (equalityhumanrights.com)

STAART Briefings

STAART Briefings are a summary of one particular topic. The briefings are created by our STAART Ambassadors and Graduates. We will cover a variety of topics which will be useful for any post-16 disabled students, family and friends of disabled students; and school, college & university staff. The information is in bullet points with a list of useful resources if people would like more information.

Our Active Partners

Special Educational Needs and Disability Progression Partnership - SEND PP

The SEND PP is an outreach activity coordinated by the Kent & Medway Progression Federation (KMPF) which provides education and careers opportunities for SEND/disabled students in Kent and Medway schools, colleges and universities. STAART has been an active member of this partnership since it began in 2020.

In 2023, the SEND PP published The Guide; Support available for Disabled Students at University which provides information about applying to university; support available at university; the benefits of sharing your disability/disabilities on application forms; the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs); and a collection of student journeys. The Guide has been produced in both paper and digital form. A digital copy of the Guide can be found here: The Guide: Support available for Disabled Students at University (kmpf.org)

In addition to The Guide, SEND PP have created the following:

To order a paper copy of the Guide and further information here Contact - Kent & Medway Progression Federation (kmpf.org)

Kickstart your Career: How STAART & Employability Can Support You

STAART has partnered with our colleagues in the Employability and Apprenticeships Directorate to encourage our disabled students to engage with the employability team in their first term of their first year studying with us at the University of Greenwich. We have created eight two-minute videos explaining what is available and the benefits of accessing the wide range of information on offer. We will be sharing the videos across the STAART and Employability social networks in addition to being hosted on the STAART webpages.  Whilst these videos were created primarily for University of Greenwich disabled students, all universities have employability/careers services and will replicate some of the support themselves. Here are the links to the videos:

Fiona STAART Ambassador: Fiona STAART Ambassador

STAART Social and Community

Find us on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp (for current students only) and discover other ways our members can contribute to the STAART community.

STAART Resources and Publications

Find the latest updates and view our articles and art competitions.

Adapting to university

These tips will help you adjust to university if you have a disability or require additional support.

STAART Principles of Disability (SPoD)

The STAART Principles of Disability (SPoD) have the potential to create a more disability-friendly environment for our students, staff and visitors. Working towards these principles has the possibility of having a positive impact.