Tag Archives: Students

BPS Funded Summer Research Project – Divergent thinking & pretend play in pre-schoolers; Is the relationship reciprocal?

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Earlier in the summer we reported that we were delighted to have been two British Psychological Society Undergraduate Research Assistantship Scheme. Both projects have now been successfully completed and Ruth Pettitt, current Level 6 Psychology and Child Development student, reflects on her experience of working with Dr. Sarah Rose.

Ruth writes ‘I have thoroughly enjoyed working on the project throughout the summer. I was very apprehensive at the start, and wondered whether I was up to the task ahead. There were lots of “highs” and certainly a few “lows”, but I had lots of support and reassurance from my supervisor, Dr Sarah Rose confirming that this was completely normal when conducting research, especially with 4 year olds!’

‘My previous experiences of working with children certainly came in useful when collecting the data, you have to expect the unexpected at all times! Despite the timing of the project (just when all nursery children are about to leave, ready to start school!), we reached our target of 58 participants all between the age of 4 years 3 months and 4 years 9 months. Completing the project required perseverance and determination and there were many unexpected challenges to overcome. I had to be organised and manage the workload carefully, as it varied enormously from week to week. Despite Sarah being available throughout, the research frequently required me to work independently which gave me a real experience of the research culture. It was an invaluable experience that I can look back on and draw from in the future, and it has inspired an increased enthusiasm to be a future academic. I’ve gained a lot of practical experience, together with research knowledge far beyond that which I have already learned within my degree. This opportunity has certainly given me an increased confidence and I now feel better equipped to tackle my research project in Level 6.’

Ruth Pettit & Dr Sarah Rose

Dr. Sarah Rose says that ‘Working with Ruth has been an absolute joy. Research with young children always involves some highs and lows and problem solving is certainly a skill required when working in this area. Ruth has demonstrated her ability to think on her feet to make sure that the children taking part in the research had a positive experience while following the pre-planned experimental procedure. Together we have carried out novel research investigating the relationship between children’s play and creative thinking. We look forward to sharing our findings at conferences and through a peer-reviewed journal article.’

Current Staffordshire University Psychology students interested in gaining experience conducting research with young children can get involved with one of Dr. Sarah Rose’s ongoing projects by contacting her.

The Department of Psychology at Staffordshire University offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Psychology at the University’s £30 million Science Centre in Stoke-on-Trent.

Interested in a Psychology degree? Come to an Open Day – for further details and to book your place at an open day please click here.

For more information about the Psychology degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit the below pages:

Fourth Annual Staffs Psychology Student Conference held in March 2017

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Dr Louise Humphreys (Lecturer in Psychology & Level 6 Tutor) blogs about the Fourth Annual Psychology Student Conference held at Staffordshire University in March 2017, featuring talks by our current final year students on their Final Year Research Projects:

This year’s Psychology Student Conference was a huge success and an event that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was lovely to hear about all of the work the students had conducted over this last year. I was very impressed with the quality of the presentations (oral and posters), and the students’ enthusiasm for their work. The level 4 and 5 students that attended found it useful and inspired them for their final year.

Many congratulations to our Prize Winners, Emma Manchester (Best Talk) and Jade Martin (Best Poster), as well as to all our presenters who did a great job presenting their research! Tweets from this year’s conference can be found via #StaffsPsyConf.

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Comments from presenters

“The experience of presenting in front of my peers and lecturers was scary, thrilling, exciting and energising. Having people feedback to me afterwards and show interest in what I was doing has been such a huge confidence boost and it’s an experience I’ll never forget. I would definitely encourage anyone doing a final year project to take the time to present at the conference and I’d say to all other students that it really interesting, informative and great fun to attend. I also want to say a huge thank you to all the lecturers that attended and worked on pulling the conference together on top of all the other work you already have. It’s been such a valuable experience for me and I’m so grateful for the opportunity and support I’ve received. It really makes all the difference.”

Emma Manchester (BSc Psychology & Child Development Student)

“Being a part of the Psychology conference really sums up an amazing journey and how far I have progressed at Staffordshire University. The Psychology conference was one of the highlights of my degree. I was able to share my project with students and lecturers and never felt more accomplished than I did then. When I was in Level 5 I came to the psychology conference and it was great even helped me plan my own project and then to take part at Level 6 was just awesome!”

Steph Slade (L6 BSc Psychology Student)

“Presenting my project also gave me a boost of confidence and motivation after hearing people’s feedback and the general interest in my research. Presenting as a poster was also a great way to interact with people more one-on-one, and is particularly good for people who, like me, get extremely nervous in front of large crowds.”

Jade Martin (L6 BSc Psychology & Criminology Student)

“I really enjoyed the conference. I felt like it gave me the opportunity to use and improve on my presenting skills as well as giving me the confidence and experience to be able to present at other future events.”

Asmah Ahmed (L6 BSc Psychology & Counselling Student)

Comments from level 5 students attending the conference:

“I really enjoyed the conference and found it really interesting. It will definitely be something that I will recommend to my friends, and will myself aspire towards next year”

Ruth Pettitt (L5 BSc Psychology & Child Development Student)

“The conference was really interesting and I’m glad I was able to make it! It was also nice to see the professional relationships that have formed between the final years and staff through working together! Overall it was very useful and enjoyable.”

Sophie Potts (L5 BSc Psychology & Criminology Student)

The psychology conference was really useful to attend; it gives good insight into the vast topic areas you can do for your own project. Even if there isn’t a topic area of your choice, it is still helpful as it shows just what needs to be included and everyone broke each section down – which is really handy… plus the free cake is always a bonus!

Zoe Collins (L5 BSc Psychology & Child Development Student)

 

Staffs-Uni-Hi-Res_45-1024x683The Department of Psychology at Staffordshire University offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Psychology at the University’s £30 million Science Centre in Stoke-on-Trent.

Interested in a Psychology degree? Come to an Open Day – for further details, and to book your place at an open day, please visit: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/openyourmind/

For more information about the undergraduate Psychology degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit the course profiles below:

Student Blog: “Help! My child’s a neophobe!”

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Dr Sarah Rose (Lecturer in Psychology & Director of the Children’s Lab at Staffordshire University) introduces a blog by a current Staffordshire Psychology & Child Development Student:

Sharing the findings of research in psychology is important. To develop the skills required for this, our third year BSc Psychology and Child Development students have been writing informational blogs aimed at parents. These have been completed as part of a series of tasks designed to develop their ability to share psychological research findings in an informative and engaging way. The work below was written by current student Carol Ashley.

Help! My child’s a neophobe!

It’s official, I am a failure as a mother, I have raised a food neophobe, albeit unwittingly. Apparently, my child’s road to ruin began when she was just 14 months old. Researchers at Queensland University have indicated that the type of foods introduced at this age can determine whether or not a child will be a fussy eater (the neophobe in question) by the time they reach the (very precise) age of 3.7 years.

The 2016 study speaks grandly about “non-core foods” by which I’m assuming they mean the custard creams I gave her (I was trying to finish the ironing). However, on a serious note, I realise I may have been slightly lax when it came to introducing new vegetables and occasionally resorted to the fast food option.

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The research points out the difference between fruit and vegetables never having been offered rather than actually being refused. My daughter balked at her first taste of broccoli and turned up her nose at other vegetables too. Fruit was a different story, she liked every type I gave to her and, in my defence, she ate a lot more fruit than the dreaded non-core foods with their saturated fats, added sugars and salt. Nevertheless, the study suggests that being introduced to different vegetables at 14 months a child would later like more vegetables and fruit, yet eating fruit may not mean they will like more vegetables – still with me? Interestingly the research found no connection between the content of the diet with a toddler’s BMI score, but don’t be fooled – this could affect children as they get older.

As is usually the case there is another school of thought that restricting a child’s diet is counter-productive. In 2014, Rollins, and his colleagues suggested that there may be a link between inherited and environmental influences in the emergence of the fussy eater. So is it my fault that my daughter is partial to the odd chicken nugget or fish finger, has my horror of the “golden arches” and the eerie clown lit an unquenchable flame? Or could it be inherited from me? I cannot look a Brussels sprout in the eye!

Can this pattern be reversed? Well, Webber (2010) states that it takes 8-15 attempts before taste buds become accustomed to flavours, so armed with my trusty steam cooker, I am determined that at the grand age of 3.7 years my tiny neophobe will learn that broccoli is not the root of all evil.

Interested in Psychology? Come to an Open Day & find Staffs-Uni-Hi-Res_45-1024x683out more about Psychology courses at Staffordshire University.

Thinking about taking a Psychology degree or a related course? Come to one of Staffordshire University’s Open Days and find out more! Book your place via: www.staffs.ac.uk/openyourmind/

Find out about our Psychology degrees, including our highly rated BSc Psychology & Child Development degree and our Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses.

The Third Annual Staffordshire Psychology Student Conference a Great Success!

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Dr Robert Dempsey and Dr Louise Humphreys, co-organisers of this year’s Psychology Student Conference, report on a very successful event featuring a range of talks by current third year students about their final year research projects:

The Psychology Department at Staffordshire University were pleased to host the Third Annual Psychology Student Conference in March 2016. The Conference featured a range of talks and poster presentations by current Final Year Psychology Students and was well attended by current first, second and third year students, postgraduate research students, academic staff and invited guests from the University including Professor Allan Howells, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Enterprise & External Affairs).

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The students presented research using a variety of psychological methodologies and included presentations on diverse topics such as “Experiences of positive body image in women with a BMI above 25“, “The effects of cooperative gaming vs competitive gaming on spontaneous helping behaviour“, “The Effect of Fact vs. Myth-Based Interventions on Mental Health-Related Stigmatising Attitudes”, and “The effects of physical activity and hypnosis on physiological stress response and psychomotor performance”.

All our students did a fantastic job of presenting their research and presented in a confident, professional and engaging manner.

Student Awards Ceremony

The Conference was also followed by a Student Awards Ceremony where we acknowledged the contributions of our student presenters and also gave out prizes for Best Performance at each level of study, plus two student-nominated awards for Best Teamwork and Unsung Student (recognising a student who makes a valuable contribution to student life at Staffordshire). Professor Allan Howells, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University presented the awards and raised the students for their hard-work and their confidence in presenting their research in front of a large audience.

Staff attending the conference also voted for the Best Student Talk and Best Student Poster Presentation. We were extremely impressed with the overall quality of the students’ presentations and the hard work they had obviously placed into their final year research project. The two winners of the Best Talk and Poster prizes were:

  • Kondwa Thawethe won the Best Poster Prize for her poster titled: The effect of music listening on cold pressor pain perception and tolerance.
  • Paige Johns won the Best Talk for her oral presentation titled: Effect of different presentation modes and levels of negative arousal on an individual’s susceptibility to developing false memories.

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Dr Louise Humphreys, Level 6 Psychology Tutor and conference co-organiser, said “the conference was fantastic event and was very much enjoyed by all who attended. The presentations covered such a range of topics and the students were very enthusiastic about their research – I really enjoyed hearing about the work that they had done. I felt very proud to be part of the event. It was also great to see students from various years receive awards – to see their hard work and achievements being recognised.”

Dr Robert Dempsey, conference co-organiser and Award Leader for the BSc Psychology degree, commented: “I thought the conference was a great showcase for our students’ final year research projects and that our students did a fantastic job of presenting their work to an audience of their peers and staff. I was very impressed by the quality of the students’ talks and poster presentations and, like many who attended the event, I really enjoyed the conference and enjoyed hearing about great research being produced by our students“.

The School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University is a leading School in the UK for Psychology degrees and is situated in the heart of England.  We produce internationally recognized research which is driving knowledge in this area forward and we work with a variety of healthcare providers, charities, international sports teams and private sector organisations.

For more information or details of the wide range of Psychology degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit our website and our courses page.

Psychology Careers Fair 2016: Improving Students’ Employability!

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The Psychology department are pleased to announce that the Annual Psychology Careers Fair will take place on Wednesday 9th March 2016, 12-4pm, in the Science Centre Foyer.Psychology Careers Fair 2016

Careers Fair (March 15)

Students and exhibitors at last year’s Careers Fair

Attending this event will be a number of graduate employers and organisations including Saltbox, In Mind, Douglas Macmillan, and Think Ahead, amongst others. Each of these exhibitors will be able to discuss volunteering opportunities, potential job vacancies and information on careers with their organisations.

In addition to these external organisations, the Staffordshire University Careers team will be available to talk to students about the services offered by the University’s Careers Network including the use of E-Coach, CV writing, and job hunting. There will be also be stalls with information on postgraduate opportunities in Psychology at Staffordshire University with current postgraduate students willing to chat to attendees to provide insight from the students perspective on studying at postgraduate level at Staffordshire University.

Dr Heather Semper, Employability lead for Psychology.

The School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University is a leading School in the UK for Psychology degrees and is situated in the heart of England.  We produce internationally recognized research which is driving knowledge in this area forward and we work with a variety of healthcare providers, charities, international sports teams and private sector organisations.

For more information or details of the wide range of Psychology degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit our website and our courses page.

Student Blog – Iram: International Travel, Employability & Business Psychology

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Hi, my name is Iram and I am a final year Single Honours Psychology student here at Staffordshire University. Below is a post introducing a new module I will be undertaking as part of my degree studies:

During Business Week at the University I attended a talk by Louise Holland from Holland Alexander, who is also a Staffordshire University Graduate. She explained what challenges you would face when starting and running your own business and what individual skills and qualities are required. During the talk I was wondering how psychology would relate to business.

One of the great things about psychology is it can be applied to many different areas such as Health Psychology, Forensic Psychology and Counselling, but I had not heard a lot about psychology in the business area. But this was about to change when I attended a talk by Lesley Drumm, the award leader for BSc (Hons) Applied Computing. She introduced a new module: Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Application for Transforming Education in High Technologies, otherwise known as IDEATE High Tech. This module offers a unique opportunity for students from four different European countries; Finland, Lithuania, Slovenia and United Kingdom to work as a team and develop a business idea whilst building an entrepreneurial attitude.

Feb16 Iram 1 Finland

Turku, Finland

The aim of this module is to understand how to overcome contemporary challenges, environmental issues such as social equality and health and use important skills such as creative thinking and decision making for innovative business solutions. Students are required to work together online and travel to Turku, Finland as well as Vilnius, Lithuania to work together face-to-face. Even though most of the challenge information will be provided when we travel to Finland, we have been told the topic revolves around ‘technology addiction’.

Feb16 Iram 1 Vilnius

Vilnius, Lithuania

I was lucky enough to be one of the four students selected for this exciting module and I feel this will be a great opportunity to expand my psychological knowledge and work in a completely different subject. I am nervous as I have not studied or worked in the business area but being a Psychology student I understand how much of a growing topic ‘technology addiction’ is. So it will be beneficial to see how we can work together and use previous research to build new technologies with care to prevent negative health behaviours. I am also looking forward to placing my quantitative skills to gather appropriate market research. As well as of course enjoying the course, the travelling and working alongside international students and seeing how our ideas and work fit together.

The other fellow students selected for this module are:

Will, L5, BSc (Hons) Applied Computing: “I am nervous about the tasks ahead, but the experience of working in a different country is making me feel more excited.”

William, L5, BSc (Hons) Applied Computing: “I am excited to see how people from different cultures look and react to internet and technological addiction.”

Elizabeth, L6, BSc (Hons) Animal biology and Conservation: “I am really looking forward to studying in a different country and learning how students from other countries approach their work.”

Iram will be writing regular blogs as she works on the IDEATE module over the next few months – keep checking back for the latest updates on Iram’s business venture!

The School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University is a leading School in the UK for Psychology degrees and is situated in the heart of England.  We produce internationally recognized research which is driving knowledge in this area forward and we work with a variety of healthcare providers, charities, international sports teams and private sector organisations.

For more information or details of the wide range of Psychology degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit our website and our courses page.

Student Blog: “Don’t worry, there’s always help available”

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Hi there, I am a current second year Psychology student at Staffordshire University. I began my Undergraduate degree in the year 2012, however I encountered a series of unfortunate distractions along the way. With the help from my personal tutor, the Student Enabling Centre and the Student’s Union I was able to return to my studies as a full-time student. The purpose of this blog is just a gentle reminder and encouragement to other students to ‘speak out’ if you are experiencing difficulties.

Feb16 Student Blog Enabling 3The Access to Higher Education course offered at Stoke-on-Trent College’s Cauldon campus was my gateway into further education, I have no background of A level qualifications aside from a few certificates from a local community college. Prior to starting my first year at university, I endured a history of depression, exclusion and tasted the bitterness of emotional and psychological abuse and also domestic violence. University life for me would be the ultimate fresh start and a potential future ambition for my two children. It was almost too good to be true, I was accepted onto a course which I desired, I felt optimistic and this gave me a great sense of achievement.

University’s requirements are tremendously demanding, especially when you are solely responsible for two young dependants and struggling to fight the dreaded symptoms of depression. My moods would sway back and forth like the waves of the ocean. At times I felt physically numb and just rolling out of bed was progress. I sought help, desperate to be fully engaged in my studies.

Psychology I find extremely interesting, in saying so during the first semester of my Foundation Year, was like opening a can of unwanted worms. So many locked away emotions immersed through exploring modules during lectures and seminars. To the point of my unexpected emotional outburst during one of the seminars.

From that point I began to open up to my Personal Tutor. I was an emotional wreck, but the option to trust my tutor and present myself as a diagnosed depressed single mother gave me an outlet and an opportunity. I was able to entrust my tutor with my personal circumstances by simply speaking out. “I feel as if I’m sinking”, “I’m drowning”, “I can’t focus on my assignments and I am struggling to fight these daunting emotions of depression”. After having a short discussion with my personal tutor from the Psychology Department, I then approached the Student Enabling Centre as advised.

Student Enabling

Student Enabling Centre

It was there that I met with one of the Student Specialist Advisors, Elsa. The first time I met with Elsa was surprisingly positive. My moods of depression caused me to anticipate little or irrelevant help from the Student Enabling Centre or indeed from anyone. I was greeted with a very warm and sensitive embrace, I felt welcomed and encouraged to fully open up to Elsa. Elsa’s approach was impressively sensitive towards me. I was given an opportunity to expand on my personal circumstances and also talk about a painful past. Elsa was eagerly supportive and proved her capabilities as a Student Specialist Advisor. Elsa expressed her concerns and appropriately arranged a Learning Support Agreement in support of my academic learning. In support of my ill health Elsa arranged for me to start counselling sessions located at the Enabling Centre. This was exactly what I needed, in particular a fixed support agreement in which allowed me a separate room and extra time during exams, also a Dictaphone to record lectures. This was particularly useful as my depression resulted in my constant fluctuation of fatigue and dizzy spells (being one side effect of my antidepressants). Extra time and short breaks during exams gave me the opportunity to alleviate my anxieties related to exam assessments and also gave me time to refocus my thoughts and to stretch my limbs. Without this extra support I would have the pressure of constant worry, I would feel defeated and overwhelmed.

An Advisor at Staffordshire University's Student Enabling Centre

An Advisor at Staffordshire University’s Student Enabling Centre

In addition I was given a free laptop and a Personal Mental Health Mentor. I was so grateful for the laptop, as I could not afford one for myself, but more so that I was then able to access and continue to my learning at home. This meant that I did not have to travel to the University’s Library and have the trouble of finding a babysitter to care for my kids. The comfort of studying at home also ensured the comfort and safety of my young children. Also I was able to type notes during lectures and this improved my typing skills. As a student this made me feel more engaged with my studies. In addition to working with the Enabling Centre, I had repeated meetings with a Student Financial Advisor at the Student’s Union. My depression made me vulnerable, as a result I fell into financial debt and was seeking help via food vouchers and assistance with emergency energy tokens. I approached the Student’s Union and met with Mark and Martin, Student Financial Advisors. I was unaware of the financial help that the University could offer but the advisors informed me about the options which best suited my situation. I was advised to apply for a Financial Hardship Grant from the University and to my pleasant surprise after submitting the relevant evidence, my application was approved. This particular financial aid was so helpful and I had the freedom of not paying it back. This lifted my hopes as I had exhausted my emergency aid from the local council.

Some examples of the Learning Enabling technology available at the University

Some examples of the Learning Enabling technology available at the University

As mentioned I was assigned a Personal Mental Health Mentor, I was grateful that it was a female and also a qualified Mental Health Professional. I was offered the options of which date and time my mentor and I should meet. We met weekly and communicated quite often, via email, text and phone calls. This support was tremendous, Noreen, my mentor, was relaxed and non-judgemental, and I looked forward to our weekly meetings. This support made me feel more engaged in my studies and also I felt important, as my depression caused me to feel defeated, isolated and wasteful. I particularly struggled with my organisation and motivation. Noreen was able to guide me in constructing a study time table and an academic journal. This was particularly useful as I was challenged to set specific targets in working towards my assignments. I felt truly supported as Noreen was able to assist me in prioritizing my academic work , but also we spent time sharing thoughts and having light discussions on how I felt on the day, in terms of my mental health, while having a hot drink. This was excellent as I did not feel pressured or restricted to explain or not explain my fatigued expressions. I felt a sense of security in that Noreen knew and understood my circumstances.

An impressive combination of a Learning Support Agreement, counselling sessions, a free laptop, a voice recorder, an assigned Mental Health Mentor, financial support and advice, altogether aided my progression in my degree studies. I felt eager to continue with my studies and accessed all the available support from the University. But first all I had to do was to speak out. I have no regrets and I feel grateful to have accessed the available help. I would like to encourage anyone who can relate or who is facing a challenging experience, in which is negatively affecting your studies or learning experience, to please approach your Personal Tutor, your Student Advisor or Course Leader. The sooner the better.

100% Student Satisfaction on Staffordshire University’s MSc in Health Psychology!

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MSc Health Psychology students at Staffordshire University are 100% satisfied with the quality of their course according to Post Graduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2015 results. The Higher Education Authority’s annual Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) is the only sector-wide survey to gain insight from taught postgraduate students about their learning and teaching experience.

Dr Amy Burton and Dr Sarah Dean with some of our 2015 MSc Health Psychology Graduates

Dr Amy Burton and Dr Sarah Dean with some of our 2015 MSc Health Psychology Graduates

Staffordshire University is the home of Health Psychology with our MSc being the first programme of its kind in the UK to be accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). Our students have access to top of the range facilities including a dedicated base-room within the £30 million pound Science Centre, a thriving psychology visiting speaker programme and journal club, as well as high-level teaching from academics who are active researchers in the area of Health Psychology.

Our MSc continues to hold an excellent reputation nationally and is going from strength to strength. In the recent PTES poll overall satisfaction was 100% with all students surveyed indicating that they would recommend studying at Staffordshire to a friend or relative. In particular students were 100% satisfied with the quality of learning and teaching on the MSc including support, staff enthusiasm, and intellectual stimulation and 100% satisfied with their skill development feeling that the course helped to prepare them for future careers.

Dr Amy Burton, Course Director for the MSc Health Psychology, comments “I have been Course Director for two years now and really enjoy meeting our new students and hearing about their research interests and ideas. The MSc is the first step towards becoming a Health Psychologist and many of our graduates go on to become experts in their field, working in academia, research and clinical practice. I am delighted with our PTES results. Our academic team work hard to ensure that our students get the best out of the course and these results show that we are succeeding in our goal to provide a stimulating and rewarding experience”.

For more information or details of the wide range of Psychology related postgraduate degrees on offer at Staffordshire University please visit our website and our courses page.

The School of Psychology, Sport and Exercise at Staffordshire University is a leading School in the UK for Psychology degrees and is situated in the heart of England.  We produce internationally recognized research which is driving knowledge in this area forward and we work with a variety of healthcare providers, charities, international sports teams and private sector organisations.

 

StaffsPsych Student Blog: Mentoring GCSE Students

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Anthony Miller, a second year Sport & Exercise Psychology student at Staffordshire University, blogs on his experience working as a mentor with GCSE students:

An opportunity was advertised via the Psychology department’s Blackboard website to be a mentor at a high school in Stoke-on-Trent under the supervision of Penny Vincent. At first I was apprehensive, I had never done anything like this before! I plucked up the courage and realized how beneficial this could be for my professional development, so I decided to go for it!

I went to mentor some Year 11 students at Haywood Academy prior to the Easter break. Doing this really helped me realize what it takes to work in education, and how challenging it can be. For me, going into that situation blind (so to speak) really was difficult, but once the day was finished, I felt confident and competent. I gained the skills to help in a school setting and now I would not hesitate in doing more mentoring sessions.

A Miller Mentoring (March 2015)

Anthony mentoring Year 11 Haywood Academy students

What I actually did was indirectly help the students answer mock exam questions, by finding ways to help them get to an answer without directly feeding the answer to them. At first this was hard, especially without in-depth course knowledge. I also realized that each student is different, and adaptation to the needs of such students is key. Some are quiet, some are loud, and some just really struggle to listen, but this where experience comes in and I am glad I have started with this mentoring role now rather than later. The primary gain from doing this was the students realizing their potential, and learning through my guidance, making a genuine difference to their capabilities.

If you are interested in acting as a mentor please contact Penny Vincent at P.E.Vincent@staffs.ac.uk.

Keep up-to-date with regular student blogs and news via the Psychology Department’s blog and twitter feed.

Election Success! Staffordshire Psychology Student voted to the Staffs Students Union!

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Jaime-Lee Cunningham, a current Level 5 Single (Hons) Psychology student at Staffordshire University, was successful in her election as a Full Time Officer of the Staffordshire University Students’ Union with a Health and Sport ticket.JLC SU Office (March 2015)Jaime-Lee comments on her motivation for seeking election to the union and her hopes for her term in office:

“Unfortunately there are a lot of students not getting the full university experience and there are many different reasons for this. A big reason for me running for this role was to get students more involved in university life, and try to make it so there are no obstacles in a student’s way to getting the most out of the opportunities at university.

One way in which I hope to do this JLC SU Officer 2 (March 2015)is through reducing mental health stigma amongst students – mental health issues can be more common amongst students than many people realise. There is often a lot of pressure put on the individual to speak up about their difficulties, whereas more needs to be done to educate other students about mental health issues and ways in which they can help others, should, for example, one of their friends be struggling. This will hopefully make it much easier for an individual who is struggling to speak out and seek help.

Another change to help improve student involvement is through improving sports facilities and making access to rooms for training easier for clubs, societies and individual students. This would offer more opportunities for students to get involved in university life as often students find it difficult to fit their academic studies and their sports commitments into their timetable.

The biggest benefit for me would be to know I had helped other students get the most out of their time at university. If I was to hear that the reducing the stigma towards mental health campaign had improved someone’s university life that would be fantastic.”

The Staffordshire Psychology team would like to wish Jaime-Lee every success in her new Students’ Union role!