Students learn about graduate recruitment

Third year Geography students take part in a number of workshops facilitated by the University's careers advisors to help boost their employability.

This week the students tried out some of the activities used by graduate employers at Assessment Centres.

Getting started on the modelling clay activity

The first task was a 'tell me about yourself' activity. Students had 5 minutes to create an object that represents them using modelling clay, and then 20 seconds to introduce themselves to the rest of the group.

A wide range of objects were produced using the modelling clay

A lovely mammoth!

Then groups were given a scenario to read and had to discuss and plan a response to it.  They were required to present their work to the class.

Notes taken by one group in response to the scenario task

Presenting findings to the rest of the class

Careers Advisors and the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Science & Technology provided feedback on students' performance at the tasks and gave tips for how to be successful at Assessment Centres.

University launches Living Lab to help tackle sustainability issues in the local community

A project which connects researchers to members of the local community in a bid to address and tackle sustainability issues has been launched by the University of Northampton, which will further strengthen its commitment to social impact and being a Changemaker Campus.

The Living Lab is a virtual space in which partnerships of researchers, students, external partners, and communities, collaborate to test new technologies, services, products or systems in real-life contexts, with the aim of improving community or environmental outcomes.

It will focus on sustainability across all four of the University's Changemaker Challenges and will develop new relationships, connections and ways of working. It will also provide a framework in which the University can scale its social impact and ensure that local communities are at the heart of its efforts to overcome particular issues that may arise.

Dr Joanna Wright, Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography and Environmental Science, who is leading on the Living Lab, commented "Living Labs have a strong presence in Higher Education and have produced significant opportunities for staff, students and communities, to not only engage in research but to address real issues that affect their lives.

"Linking our Living Lab to the University's strategic Changemaker Challenges provides us with a fantastic opportunity to deliver a Living Lab that is unique in the UK."


Joanna is very keen to involve colleagues from across the University, so if you would like more information, or are interested in getting involved with the Living Lab please email Joanna.Wright@northampton.ac.uk

This article was first published here.

Geography students raise money for Wells for India

First year Geography students have been raising money for Wells for India.  The charity works with the poorest dryland communities in India, helping to secure access to safe water.

Senior Lecturer Dr Kevin Cook is a Trustee of the charity.  Kevin introduced the students to the work of the charity, and showed how charity's projects align with topics covered in class.

Caroline, Asifa, Georgia and Sarah looked after the stall in the morning.
Others helped out later in the day.

To raise money for the charity, the students ran a chocolate stall and an Easter egg raffle.

Staff, students and visitors to the library were given chocolate in return for a donation to the charity.

Geography students donate to local good causes

Second year Human Geographers have been learning about the experiences of socially-excluded groups in local communities. A range of guest speakers have explained how everyday objects that we often take for granted can make a huge difference to people experiencing food poverty, isolation, or homelessness. Students have responded brilliantly and made generous donations. For example…

Current third year student Olli Boyde, who volunteers at a local foodbank, described how foodbanks urgently need donations of tinned meats/fish and toiletries. Result: students donated 2 car-boots-full of tins and toiletries which we have shared between local foodbanks.

Olli Boyde and Dr John Horton

 

Jo Gunnett, Volunteer Coordinator for AgeUK Northants, described how many isolated elderly people experience fuel poverty, and can benefit from music and audio recordings. Result: students donated 15+ pairs of gloves and 7 pairs of headphones, which AgeUK volunteers will distribute to isolated elderly people this winter.

Dr John Horton models some of the donations!

Visitors from Northampton Hope Centre outlined the health and wellbeing problems that local homeless people experience because of wet clothing during winter months. Result: students donated 20+ pairs of socks for the Centre’s clothing bank.

Students learn about the work of Age UK in Northamptonshire

On 26/10/15 Jo Gunnett, Volunteer Coordinator for Age UK Northamptonshire, visited second year Human Geographers to talk about the organisation’s work in local communities. Jo provided some really valuable insights for students who can choose to do an assignment about issues faced by isolated older people as part of their second year studies.

Jo provided an overview of the services offered by Age UK Northamptonshire, issues faced by local older people, and challenges faced by services and charities ‘in the current climate’ of funding cuts.

Jo Gunnett, Volunteer Coordinator for Age UK Northamptonshire, with Dr John Horton

She also outlined some of the opportunities for students to engage in volunteering: as befrienders, charity shop assistants, sports coaches, knitters, fund-raisers, or friendly faces/tea drinkers/games-players at day care centres. 

For more information about Age UK Northamptonshire, see: http://www.ageuk.org.uk/northamptonshire/

Guest speakers talk about poverty, deprivation and austerity in Britain

Second year Human Geographers have been learning about geographies of poverty, deprivation and austerity in the UK.

Regular guest speakers provide really valuable first-hand insights into these issues. For example, third year Geography student Olli Boyde gave a talk about his experiences of volunteering, and conducting dissertation research, at a local food bank.

Olli gave a fantastic overview of issues faced by local users of food bank users. Following Olli’s visit, second year students donated more than 60 items to a collection for local food banks.

Olli Boyde with tutor Dr John Horton - they needed help to carry the students' donations!

A number of students have also been inspired volunteer at local food banks. To find out more about the work of local food banks, see: http://spencerbridge.foodbank.org.uk/ and http://www.restorenorthampton.org.uk/

Students raise money for Wells for India

First year geographers have organised a range of events to raise funds for Wells for India.  This charity (of which our very own Dr Kevin Cook is a trustee) works in some of the poorest rural communities in the drylands of India, providing water harvesting technology and supporting a variety of community programmes.  The students’ fundraising activities were inspired by a guest lecture given by the India Director, Om Prakesh Sharma, who visited the University earlier in the year.

Om Prakesh Sharma and Dr Kevin Cook

Activities included a cake sale, a sponsored silence, bag-packing at the local ASDA supermarket, and a tournament held at Game.

A successful Christmas-themed cake sale was held

A total of £654 was raised.  This money will be used to provide bio-sand filters to some of the poorest households in Rajasthan.  These simple, eco-friendly tools purify water, helping to prevent water-borne illnesses.

Second year Geography students learn about experiences of homelessness

‘Geographies of homelessness’ is a key topic within the second year module GEO2028 Issues in Human Geography. We had already spent some time reading, researching and debating about homelessness… But actually meeting people with first-hand experiences was a very different, eye-opening experience.

On Monday 10^th November, second year Human Geographers met two guest speakers with first-hand experiences of working with homeless people:

• Sarah Passam – Day Centre manager at the Hope Centre: a leading source of support for homeless people in Northamptonshire;
• Brian Hinton – a final year Geographer who is currently conducting dissertation research with homeless young people in Worcestershire.

Across a really interesting Q&A session we heard about:

• some of the significant everyday challenges and risks encountered by local homeless people (including some upsetting facts about mortality rates and violence against homeless people);
• impacts of drug and alcohol misuse, including some emerging issues associated with ‘illegal highs’;
• experiences of young homeless people;
• limitations of official statistics about homelessness (according to Local Authority data there are ‘15’ homeless people in Northampton… but the Hope Centre is used by 140+ people each day, and has 10,000 people on its books!)

Sarah Passam receives donations from some of the students

Human Geography students and staff brought in donations of food and clothing to be used by Hope Centre users. In an excellent display of generosity, more than 100 items were donated to the Centre. A number of students have also expressed interest in volunteering at the Centre in future.

Geography staff and students donated food and clothing to the Hope Centre