Lancaster Success Programme
What to expect from the LSP
Students stay with the LSP for the duration of their degree, and by taking up a place, you will join a growing, supportive community of students and have access to a range of bespoke support. We work closely with other departments and support services across the University such as Careers; Transitions; Learning Development; Global Futures; Counselling and Disability. By getting to know you as an individual, we can help you to access the right opportunities to enable you to get the most out of every stage of your university journey. Find out more below:
What to expect from the LSP (Accordion) Accordion
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Pre-arrival
Opportunities to connect with other LSP students and key members of staff before you arrive
Once your place is confirmed, the Student Success team will keep in regular contact with you via email and will answer any questions you may have. You will also have an opportunity to join a Teams space to meet other new students on the LSP.
Prepare for Lancaster – on campus taster day in September
Prepare for Lancaster (PfL) is an orientation day for LSP students in September. This day will introduce you to the University, the LSP, your department and the range of services available to Lancaster University students. There will also be the chance for participants to get to know each other.
Student feedback from PfL 2019 (on campus):
"It made me feel less anxious and that when I come to live here I will be supported."
"I feel the university is very welcoming and I cannot wait to get started. The activities were very useful and have benefitted me a lot."
Student feedback from PfL 2020 (online):
“I didn't know there was so much help and support available so I think this will be really reassuring whilst studying to know that there is always someone you can speak to if you have any type of issue.”
“It allowed me to know people and gain a familiar face which would ease any anxieties of meeting new people and not knowing exactly who is available for support.”
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Transition to university
Introduction to Lancaster
Your induction to the LSP will take place in the first two weeks of term. You will be added to the LSP Teams space, where you can connect with LSP staff and students in years 1, 2 and 3. LSP students also have their own Facebook page which you will be invited to join.
Meet your Success Advisor
At the beginning of term you have your first one-to-one meeting with your personal Student Success Advisor, who will help you to settle in to life at Lancaster and support you throughout your student journey. These meetings are offered in-person and via video call.
Meet your LSP Advocates
We currently have five Student Advocates, whose role is to consult with students on the LSP and gather feedback, which is then communicated to staff via a termly committee. They also organise social events and help to publicise opportunities and events. We will be advertising for additional LSP Advocates from among our new LSP members at the start of term. All our Student Advocates are paid the National Living Wage.
Welcome to Lancaster event
Our LSP welcome event gives you an opportunity to meet other students on the LSP, Student Advocates and staff in an informal setting. Pizza is usually involved!
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Success at Lancaster
One-to-one personal development coaching
The regular one-to-one meetings with your LSP Student Success Advisor are designed to empower you to reflect and build on your current strengths and to learn from all of your experiences, whether positive or negative. You will be encouraged to develop core skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, planning for the future, resilience, managing new situations and communicating effectively. These meetings are student-led, and it is usual for students to have one or two per term, but if you need more you just need to ask.
We will also help you to make the most of the wide range of opportunities available at the University and through external agencies, such as access to internships and career development activities.
Student feedback from the end of year survey 2020:
“The one-to-one meetings were outstanding and really helped me develop as a student and helped me find information that I couldn't by myself.”
Enrichment fund
As an engaging member of the LSP, you will have access to an enrichment fund which you can spend on items to support your student experience. Typical purchases include: books, stationery and electronic equipment (such as a contribution to a printer or laptop). You can discuss possible purchases and how to claim with your Student Success Advisor.
Action Learning Sets (ALSs)
Action Learning Sets are a chance for you to get together in a small group of around 5 or 6 LSP students and meet regularly along with a Student Success Advisor. The aim is for the ALS members help each other identify learning needs and reflect and learn from issues they are facing. It is a really open, collaborative process which makes it easy to build up meaningful connections with people. ALSs will be offered online and in-person from 2021/22. Firm friendships have been forged in the ALSs and the feedback from two participants below speaks for itself.
Student feedback from 2020/21:
“It [ALS] feels like a genuine friendly connection between people and you get to know them in the process. In a very isolated time, especially for people who don't particularly feel the same as everyone else, it's a great way to realise that the internalised thoughts and criticisms you have about yourself are very common and a shared experience. When working through and listening to other people's problems then you also get an insight into the person and how you too might be struggling with similar experiences. It's very positive.”
“The last session was really useful, not only for receiving and giving help on how we can overcome and deal with certain troubles in our lives, but also for personal confidence building. I have always been nervous speaking to people, where I am the focus of a group and am being listened to. I’m not sure why, but I think it may be for fear of making a mistake or saying the wrong thing/something silly. However, the last session was really comforting to have a group listen to me. This has already improved my confidence speaking to new people already, and I’m ready/looking forward to doing this again the next time it is possible.”
Staff and student-led workshops
The LSP offers a series of workshops through the academic year. The workshops are intended to provide a safe and inclusive space for you to discuss and reflect on aspects of your university experience, as well as offering strategies and guidance to improve areas you wish to work on. The topics change according to student feedback. Past topics have included goal setting, confidence, resilience and preparing for next steps.
Student feedback from 2020/21
“I loved that we could interact.”
“Got everyone involved with the breakout rooms, so that people can communicate and discuss real life situations.”
“Was really useful to collaborate with others about each other’s goals and share ideas on how to meet them.”
Regular communications
Your Success Advisor will keep in contact with you via email and will offer you several appointment slots throughout each term. You can also get in touch with them at any time to ask questions. Staff regularly post links to events or opportunities which may be of interest to students on the student-staff Teams page, where students can also interact with each other and staff. There is also a welcome newsletter at the start of each term which highlights what is coming up on the programme.
Referral routes to support
We work closely with other departments and support services across the university such as Careers, Transitions, Learning Development, Global Futures, Counselling and Disability. We enable you to take advantage of the extensive range of support available across the university and, where appropriate, make referrals on your behalf.
In-person and online opportunities to be part of the LSP community
In addition to the one-to-one meetings, Action Learning Sets and workshops, there are many opportunities to play an active part in the LSP community. Through the Buddy Scheme, students can be matched with other LSP students to get to know one another, chat about university life or shared interests. The Student Advocates run social events throughout the year and there are opportunities to connect with other students via the online community spaces.
Application timeline
Here is the timeline for applications for the 2022/23 intake to the Lancaster Success Programme:
Applications open
Students who are eligible to apply for a place on the Lancaster Success Programme will be contacted by email in June 2022 and invited to complete a short online application form. You will also get the chance to register for an information event. Several online information events will take place between June 2022 and July 2022 which will explain in detail about what to expect from the LSP. You can attend one of these either before or after applying for a place.
Applications close
Applications to the Lancaster Success Programme close in July 2022. You will be informed by email about the outcome of your application shortly afterwards. If your place is confirmed, you will be invited to join the LSP Teams space where you can begin to connect with other LSP students straight away. The Student Success team will keep in contact with you by email over summer.
Clearing & confirmation offers
Eligible clearing and confirmation offer holders will be contacted in September 2022 with an invitation to apply for a place on the LSP. Places will be confirmed by email no later than the end of September 2022.
Prepare for Lancaster event
All students accepted on to the LSP will receive an invitation to attend a "Prepare for Lancaster" orientation event. We are offering an event on campus in September 2022. This day will introduce you to the University, the LSP, your department and the range of services available to Lancaster University students. There will also be the chance for participants to get to know each other.
Introduction to Lancaster
Your induction to the LSP will take place in the first two weeks of term; the emphasis will be on getting to know LSP staff and students. Our LSP welcome event gives you an opportunity to meet other students on the LSP, Student Advocates and staff in an informal setting. Pizza is usually involved!
Student stories
LSP student feedback
"The LSP has been a fantastic source of support since I started at Lancaster University. My Success Advisor has advised me brilliantly as to the avenues of support tailored to my personal situation."
"The one-to-one meetings are great, the enrichment fund is very helpful, the communication between the staff members and the students in the LSP through newsletter, social media or Microsoft Teams is great too."
"During meetings it helped me realise that I wasn’t alone in how I was feeling."
"Supporting, helped with the transition into university, informative."
The LSP and lockdown
These videos were recorded by LSP students studying remotely during the lockdown in Lent term 2021.
Meet LSP student Emily
Hi, I’m Emily and I’m in Cartmel college. I am studying Sports and Exercise Science and I love playing netball and can’t wait to get back to playing matches! Before starting university, I was worried about how the pandemic would affect my experience on campus which encouraged my decision to join the LSP. Although it has been different this year, it’s been great to have a Student Success Advisor to discuss things with, especially at the start of the year when I knew little about the University and what to expect. Your Success Advisor can offer support, answer questions and help you access additional opportunities to help you progress in your degree and employability skills. In addition to this one-to-one support, there are also several workshops held throughout the year that you can opt into for support in anything from maths to tips for progressing to year 2.
My advice to anyone joining university would be to grab every opportunity that you can. The Lancaster Success Programme is a great opportunity for anyone joining university who is eligible.
Opportunities for LSP Students
Undergraduate Research Internships - The Research Internships are paid work experience opportunities for Lancaster University undergraduate students who meet widening participation criteria.
GROW Your Future - Offers you the opportunity to take part in activities that support the development of key employability skills, professional networks and guided careers support.
Undergraduate Research Conference - Each year we host a conference where undergraduates from across all Lancaster Partners and all disciplines come together to showcase and celebrate their research.
Meet the Student Success team
Kate Dunbavan, Student Success Manager
I’ve worked in Higher Education for over 12 years in various roles, supporting students to succeed and have a positive experience whilst they’re at university. I have managed the Lancaster Success Programme since it started, working with a team of Student Success Officers to shape and develop the programme and I also have a small cohort of LSP students who I support.
I love to see students do well; essentially that’s what drives me to do the work that I do! Helping students to find mechanisms to overcome obstacles, however small or otherwise, is very satisfying. To then watch students learn from their experiences and develop in their confidence, knowledge and skills is inspiring to see.
Josh Cooper, Student Success Officer
I’ve been working with Lancaster Success programme students since October 2020. I think university is a real opportunity for growth and development for students, not just academically but in lots of different aspects of life. It is always a real pleasure to get to know students and hopefully contribute to their experience at Lancaster. I really value the huge range of conversations I have with LSP students reaching from really personal aspirations or career goals, useful academic books, through to where to get the best chips in Lancaster and the best bass guitar players.
I have a background working with younger students aged 14 – 18 before they enter university. It is great to now be involved in the university experience because higher education isn’t just a destination - it is a launch pad! It is always a privilege to gain a glimpse into someone else’s experience and hopefully give them the space and tools they need to take on whatever they want to do.
Kate Usher, Student Success Officer
I joined Lancaster University in 2013 and have been working as a Student Success Officer on the Lancaster Success Programme since March 2020. My passion is to enable students to get the very best out of their university experience and to connect with others in a mutually supportive way. I do this by using a variety of coaching-led approaches through one-to-one personal development sessions and with small groups of students in Action Learning Sets. I enjoy finding out what makes each individual student tick and encouraging them to work towards their personal goals, whether that is finding a dream placement, developing good revision techniques or starting a new pastime. Students bring whatever they want to the session and we take it from there. I feel lucky to be in a role where I get to work long term with students and really get to know them -supporting when things are challenging and also celebrating and building on their successes. The self-confidence which emerges in students through reflecting on and learning from all experiences is inspiring!
Joanna Gray, Student Success Officer
I joined the friendly community at Lancaster in June 2020 and spent a rewarding year supporting prospective students with their plans for when they leave school or college. I’m delighted to now be part of the Lancaster Success team, supporting current Lancaster students to positively engage with their education and wider experiences at university.
I strive to facilitate students in building positive relationships with their peers, teachers and support staff, and their own self-chatter; this is one way to help students notice, explore and challenge the way they think about themselves and the world. I’ve seen students build self-confidence and make fantastic progress towards a life they love, by making friends with the processes of reaching out, critically observing their feelings and thoughts and taking advantage of the resources around them, including other people, who can listen, ask questions and share experience.
Get in touch:
Student Success, University House, Lancaster University LA1 4YW