Inviting everyone to the HE dinner party and empowering them all to take part in the conversation!

Authors

  • Louise Roche University of Brighton image/svg+xml
  • Elizabeth Miller
  • Hasti Zare

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56433/mqfy1508

Keywords:

student voice, widening participation, transition, belonging, empowerment

Abstract

This vignette illustrates how listening to students’ voices can transform participation into empowerment.  It follows the journey of Bridging the Gaps, a pre-arrival transition course designed to reassure and empower new students; particularly those from widening participation backgrounds. By weaving student voices into its design and delivery, the course created a space where confidence could grow, and belonging could begin before university life officially started. In short, a story of the exclusive attempting to become inclusive.

Author Biographies

  • Louise Roche, University of Brighton

    Louise Roche is a senior lecturer in the University of Brighton Student Skills Hub and Lead on Transitions.

  • Elizabeth Miller

    Elizabeth Miller is a third-year Psychology with Counselling Studies BSc student at the University of Brighton.

  • Hasti Zare

    Hasti Zare is a third-year student in the Masters of Pharmacy (MPharm Hons) course at the University of Brighton. She has a role as Student Ambassador working for the Student Recruitment and Outreach Team.

References

Gall, T. L., Evans, D. R., & Bellerose, S. (2000). Transition to First-Year University: Patterns of Change in Adjustment Across Life Domains and Time. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19(4), 544–567 https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/transition-first-year-university-patterns-change/docview/1292187010/se-2

Gennrich, T &. Dison, L., (2018). Voice matters : students’ struggle to find voice. Reading & Writing (Cape Town, South Africa), 9(1), 1–8 https://doi.org/ 10.4102/rw.v9i1.173

Kift, S., Nelson, K., & Clarke, J. (2010). Transition pedagogy: A third generation approach to FYE: A case study of policy and practice for the higher education sector. The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 1(1), 102-111. https://doi.org/10.5204/intjfyhe.v1i1.13

McConnell, C., Smith, S., Olomu, K., King, E., Ghosh, O., & Hamshire, C. (2025). ‘My input was actually being listened to and could lead to real change’: Developing trust through student voice in student-staff partnerships. Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, 7(1), 219-236.https://sehej.raise-network.com/raise/article/view/1278

Richardson, A., King, S., Garrett, R., & Wrench, A. (2012). Thriving or just surviving? Exploring student strategies for a smoother transition to university : a practice report. The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education, 3(2), 87–93. doi: 10.5204/intjfyhe.v3i2.133

Stokes, J. (2024). Transition as transformation: developing student identities and academic literacies through university enabling pathways in Australia. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 26(2), 31–59. https://doi-org.ezproxy.brighton.ac.uk/10.5456/WPLL.26.2.31

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Published

2026-06-09

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 2 (part 1) (2026): EFYE Special Issue

Section

Vignette

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Louise Roche, Elizabeth Miller, Hasti Zare

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.