In addition to our support mechanisms on and off campus, we have a number of platforms to share our knowledge and experiences.
If you would like more information about disability and dyslexia and higher education, and what our STAART Ambassadors are doing, you can find out more by following our social channels.
STAART on Facebook
Our STAART Facebook page has a wide range of members, both in the UK and abroad. Members include future and current disabled and dyslexic students, graduates, postgraduates, disability practitioners, charities, organisations, researchers, parents, and allies.
If you are aged 16 or above, you are welcome to join the group. You do not have to be a disabled student.
We use the page to share information, celebrate achievements and keep people updated with what is happening in the world and post-compulsory education which may affect our members.
Anybody can view our pages, but only members can post. To ensure the psychological and physical wellbeing of our members, all posts are approved before they become public.
All members must also abide by the STAART Netiquette Agreement below.
STAART on Twitter
We are @GRE_STAART on Twitter
The University of Greenwich STAART Twitter account is like the Facebook group. However, tweets tend to be more organisational/factual than personal.
STAART on WhatsApp
We have a closed WhatsApp group for University of Greenwich disabled students who are STAART members.
This is the most personalised form of support. It enables students to ask questions and/or support others. The conversations range from somebody not achieving the grades they were expecting through to graduation. This group is also used to arrange social events.
Disabled students who are members of STAART and have accepted a place at Greenwich can join the WhatsApp group once we receive confirmation of their status. This helps our incoming students to familiarise themselves with the university and to engage with current students and applicants.
Members of the WhatsApp group must abide by the STAART Netiquette Agreement below to maintain safeguarding.
STAART Newsletters
We have produced a quarterly e-newsletter since 2019. This enables our broad member base to contribute and access the newsletter from anywhere.
The material is mostly original, with a few referenced works available elsewhere. We endeavour to assign each of the articles and contributions to the Six Ways of Wellbeing: body, mind, spirit, people, place, and care.
How to contribute to the newsletter
All STAART members are welcome to submit the following:
- Art and craft work.
- Poems and short essays.
- Healthy eating.
- Celebrations and achievements.
- Advances in technology.
- Where are they now?
- Awareness raising events.
Contact channels are available at the end of each newsletter.
STAART Netiquette Agreement
- Be kind.
- Be respectful and courteous.
- Please check your grammar and spelling.
- Do not use sarcasm.
- Do not put anything in an email you would not put on a postcard.
- Be mindful of the tone of your message or how this tone could be interpreted by others.
- Do not write anything you are not comfortable sharing with the group and do not pressure other group members to share anything they are not comfortable with.
- Respect different cultures and lifestyles.
- If any concerns are raised, please use the report button and an administrator can assess your concern.
- Please do not private-message people in the Facebook group as this can cause anxiety. You can ask Melanie to pass on a message if needed and/or if it is appropriate to do so.
- The Defamation Act 1996 states it is an offence to publish untrue statements which adversely affect the reputation of a person or group of persons and/or the University of Greenwich.
- Facebook exchanges must not be used for the creation, retention, or distribution of disruptive or offensive messages, images, materials or software that include offensive or abusive comments about ethnicity or nationality, gender, disabilities, age, sexual orientation, appearance, religious beliefs and practices, political beliefs or social background.
These guidelines have been modified from information provided by the University of Greenwich, Microsoft and the British Psychological Society.
STAART Art
STAART ART was created in March 2020 as a mindful distraction from the COVID pandemic, and for people to stay connected. Our first STAART ART prize competition ran throughout March 2020. The competitions are open to anybody, of any age, and in any location.
In addition to the prize competitions, we have also created two online colouring books which people can download at no cost. We have a Cat Colouring Book and a Dog Colouring Book. All of the images were created by members of STAART ART.
Our most recent prize competition running throughout July is entitled 'spoons'. You can find out more and how to enter here
