Stirling Cares Programme

Supporting Care Experienced, Estranged and Carer Students

The Stirling Cares Programme addresses challenges faced by care experienced students, estranged students and student carers that can discourage them from fully engaging with services and employers during their studies. The programme weaves together tailored careers education and practical work experience. The aim of the pilot is to deliver enhanced careers support, develop confidence, and provide valuable work experience to increase social capital.

How to get involved

We are looking for students to get an insight into sectors they are interested in working in, particularly in the Public and Third Sector which prove to be popular amongst care experienced, carer and estranged students.

Organisations can support this programme by offering:

  • Work experience of up to 70 hours (e.g. 7 hours a week over 10 weeks) Jan - April.
  • 2 weeks full-time work experience (normally 35 hours a week) during mid-January and late February when our undergraduate students do not have any classes.
  • A few days work shadowing or online insight programme for students not yet ready for a longer work experience.

Students may undertake a short project during their work experience to help support your business needs, but this should not be an urgent requirement. Examples of projects that students have undertaken in the past include desk-based research, evaluation, creation of social media content, and support with policy making and bid-writing.  

If this is something you would like to support, contact us at employers@stir.ac.uk. Please download, complete and attach this Stirling Cares work experience proposal form if you have any project ideas you would be happy to offer.

Thank you to the organisations who have supported us in making this programme successful so far. These include Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum, Creative Stirling, Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, FDM Group, National Library of Scotland, Phoenix Centre, STEP, Stirling Community Enterprise, Stirling Council, and TCV.