Jan Capper, Executive Director, CUBO and James Greenwood, Chair of CUBO Residence Life Group and Conference Host

Pride in Residence: Partnering with your SU to support LGBTQIA+ Students - Jamie-Lukas Campbell, Postgraduate Officer (former SU Officer), Queen’s University Belfast - Conference Suite 1 

Join us for "Pride in Residence," where we'll explore effective strategies for supporting LGBTQIA+ residents through collaborative efforts between residence life and Students’ Unions. This workshop will focus on practical ways to create inclusive environments in PBSA by leveraging the unique position of Student Unions. It will be facilitated by Jamie-Lukas, a recent former SU student officer and current PhD student and SU board member.

Key takeaways will include:

•    The importance of inclusive language and visible support for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
•    Techniques for partnering with Student Unions to enhance student engagement and advocacy with an emphasis on cost-effective and time-effective solutions.
•    Strategies for using feedback to monitor and improve inclusivity initiatives.
•    Inclusion is everyone’s job. Top tips for promoting a culture and community of belonging and inclusion from your halls to your offices from Pride Month and beyond with your SU as your partner.

Designed for residence life teams, property leads, and resident engagement and event planners, this session promises to be dynamic, providing tools to not only advocate for but actively implement LGBTQIA+ inclusive practices. Let’s work together to ensure our residences are welcoming spaces for all.

How to build strong digital communities for a Gen Z world - Anca Sticlaru, Digital Content Officer, LSE - Conference Suite 2

Discover new digital strategies to enhance student engagement within university communities. Explore innovative approaches from interactive WhatsApp Q&A sessions to leveraging the creativity of student influencers on Instagram and TikTok. Learn how to foster genuine connections through welcome webinars and centralised communication channels, while leveraging AI tools to your advantage with the Gen Z students.

Embedding sport into Res Life whilst keeping it inclusive - Daniella Dutton, Sports Participation Manager, University of Nottingham - Conference Suite 3 

This workshop will explore the benefits of embedding sport into Res Life and how this can impact positively on student experience, support with friendship building, increase mental and physical and mental wellbeing and provide a sense of belonging and pride in both the University and Hall. 

The workshop will cover partnership work, including with our Inclusive Sport and Engagement Teams, plans for Term 3 and a review of how the programme has grown from Year 1 to Year 2. 

Exclusively inclusive — a blueprint for supporting diverse communities in your accommodation - Sam Taylor & Mike Ritchie, CampusLife, Laura Maclean, University of Kent and Laura Palmour, University of Southampton - Banqueting Suite

A case-study based interactive panel discussion, sharing how the University of Kent, University of Southampton, and CampusLife have built inclusivity into the DNA of their teams. In this session you will hear what’s worked well, where challenges still exist, what we’ve learned, and how this approach can be adapted to support different student groups now and in the future.

Sessions are repeated at 15:15

Pride in Residence: Partnering with your SU to support LGBTQIA+ Students - Jamie-Lukas Campbell, Postgraduate Officer (former SU Officer), Queen’s University Belfast - Conference Suite 1 

Join us for "Pride in Residence," where we'll explore effective strategies for supporting LGBTQIA+ residents through collaborative efforts between residence life and Students’ Unions. This workshop will focus on practical ways to create inclusive environments in PBSA by leveraging the unique position of Student Unions. It will be facilitated by Jamie-Lukas, a recent former SU student officer and current PhD student and SU board member.

Key takeaways will include:

•    The importance of inclusive language and visible support for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
•    Techniques for partnering with Student Unions to enhance student engagement and advocacy with an emphasis on cost-effective and time-effective solutions.
•    Strategies for using feedback to monitor and improve inclusivity initiatives.
•    Inclusion is everyone’s job. Top tips for promoting a culture and community of belonging and inclusion from your halls to your offices from Pride Month and beyond with your SU as your partner.

Designed for residence life teams, property leads, and resident engagement and event planners, this session promises to be dynamic, providing tools to not only advocate for but actively implement LGBTQIA+ inclusive practices. Let’s work together to ensure our residences are welcoming spaces for all.

How to build strong digital communities for a Gen Z world - Anca Sticlaru, Digital Content Officer, LSE - Conference Suite 2

Discover new digital strategies to enhance student engagement within university communities. Explore innovative approaches from interactive WhatsApp Q&A sessions to leveraging the creativity of student influencers on Instagram and TikTok. Learn how to foster genuine connections through welcome webinars and centralised communication channels, while leveraging AI tools to your advantage with the Gen Z students.

Embedding sport into Res Life whilst keeping it inclusive - Daniella Dutton, Sports Participation Manager, University of Nottingham - Conference Suite 3 

This workshop will explore the benefits of embedding sport into Res Life and how this can impact positively on student experience, support with friendship building, increase mental and physical and mental wellbeing and provide a sense of belonging and pride in both the University and Hall. 

The workshop will cover partnership work, including with our Inclusive Sport and Engagement Teams, plans for Term 3 and a review of how the programme has grown from Year 1 to Year 2. 

Exclusively inclusive — a blueprint for supporting diverse communities in your accommodation - Sam Taylor & Mike Ritchie, CampusLife, Laura Maclean, University of Kent and Laura Palmour, University of Southampton - Banqueting Suite

A case-study based interactive panel discussion, sharing how the University of Kent, University of Southampton, and CampusLife have built inclusivity into the DNA of their teams. In this session you will hear what’s worked well, where challenges still exist, what we’ve learned, and how this approach can be adapted to support different student groups now and in the future.

Sessions are repeated from 13:45

Shaan Knan, Project Manager, GIRES 

Shaan Knan (he/him) will talk about personal experiences and thoughts on how we can support Trans People of Faith. 

‘I’m someone with first hand experience of the difficulties trans and gender diverse people of faith have to deal with. Despite our increased visibility, and the great work we’ve done at GIRES, including launching our landmark publication on ‘Supporting Trans People of Faith’, I still don’t always feel understood and included in community life at large. I believe we need to create more dialogue and awareness around gender diverse narratives. There is still lots of work to be done across our diverse UK communities and internationally to become truly inclusive, and especially when it comes to addressing religion and faith.’

James Greenwood, Chair of CUBO Residence Life Group and Conference Host

Accommodation for all delegates is in the Orchard Hotel which is located next door to the East Midlands Conference Centre

Meet fellow Reslife professionals in a relaxed setting at the East Midlands Conference Centre

Breakfast served at the Orchard Hotel

Charlotte Axon, Lead People Scientist, Tailored Thinking

People personalise all aspects of their lives - their cars, clothes and holidays. One area that we are often not encouraged to personalise is our work. This is despite clear evidence that shows the benefits of personalising and crafting work in terms of performance, wellbeing, engagement, and growth. An evidence-based way to personalise our work is through Job Crafting, which is an approach that encourages us to make small changes to how we act, interact and think about our work.

The practice of Job Crafting is an established and growing field of academic study, and up to 40% of workers are thought to be crafting to some extent. Yet many are not familiar with the concept, and if they are, they struggle with ideas of how to practically apply it within their role. Tailored Thinking are experts in bringing Job Crafting to life within teams and organisations, and believe that anyone can job craft with the right tools and support.

Job Crafting can also be a powerful personalisation tool for enabling people to individually and collaboratively explore, harness and amplify their talents and strengths in their work. Job Crafting and EDI both have their roots in recognising and valuing difference. There is also some research suggesting that there could be differences in crafting behaviours depending on people’s characteristics.
 
This talk will explore the what, why, and how of job crafting, including how it can help foster more healthy and inclusive workspaces. It will be focused on practical steps and tools you can use to craft your role, and support others to do the same. 

Phyllis Akua Opoku-Gyimah, CEO, UK Black Pride

Lady Phyll (she/her), speaks about her family life, why inclusive education matters and how representation shapes us. 

Does LGBT+ student accommodation work? - Greg Pevy,  Residence Life Manager, University of Sheffield - Conference Suite 1

'Ghettoising LGBT+ students'... this session explores the reasons for developing LGBT+ accommodation at The University of Sheffield; the controversy this caused in the media; and how this this offer has developed and evolved over time in response to student feedback.

Bossing your Residence Life Career and Developing your Leadership Skills - Rebecca O'Hare, Interim Deputy Director of Residential Services, University of Leeds - Conference Suite 2

Feeling stuck? Keen to progress and get your work noticed? Perhaps you’re trying to overcome difficult leadership challenges or don’t see yourself as being the leader you think you need to be? In this session, Rebecca will discuss the approach you can take to get your hard work noticed and that of your team, the essential skills, qualities and attributes required to step up in to leadership and importantly why a great manager isn’t the same as a great leader!

LGBTQ+ Student Experience – how are we getting it so wrong? -  Hollie Snowball, Client Partnership Manager, WAU Agency - Conference Suite 3

With responses from over 100,000 student participants, Investor in Students have identified a large and alarming gap in the living experience of LGBTQ+ students. This is particularly stark within students who do not identify as cis-gender in key experience pillars including safety and ability to integrate into a community.
 
In this session we will take attendees through a deep dive into our research as well as highlight some of the key student stories that sit behind the data. We also want to invite attendees to participate in the session, sharing their stories of serving this customer group and what can be done to improve their experience.

LGBTQIA+ Identity Development: theories over time from an academic perspective - Megan Janasiewicz, Head of Residential Experience, University of Nottingham - Conference Suite 4

This session will explore LGBTQIA+ identity development theories from early studies, current approaches and critiques, as well as how further studies could be constructed in the future. The session will start with a brief overview of the various waves of student development theory. Then it will move into early attempts to understanding the LGBTQIA+ community through theories published by Cass, D'Augelli, Bilodeau, Rankin and Beemyn, etc. We will then review the evolution of these theories and how they have informed student support over time. Finally, we will look at critiques of identity based research and how to use this information to influence practice. This session is an excellent introduction to student development theory and for anyone who seeks to understand the "why" of this work. 

Sessions are repeated at 14:45

Does LGBT+ student accommodation work? - Greg Pevy,  Residence Life Manager, University of Sheffield - Conference Suite 1

'Ghettoising LGBT+ students'... this session explores the reasons for developing LGBT+ accommodation at The University of Sheffield; the controversy this caused in the media; and how this this offer has developed and evolved over time in response to student feedback.

Bossing your Residence Life Career and Developing your Leadership Skills - Rebecca O'Hare, Interim Deputy Director of Residential Services, University of Leeds - Conference Suite 2

Feeling stuck? Keen to progress and get your work noticed? Perhaps you’re trying to overcome difficult leadership challenges or don’t see yourself as being the leader you think you need to be? In this session, Rebecca will discuss the approach you can take to get your hard work noticed and that of your team, the essential skills, qualities and attributes required to step up in to leadership and importantly why a great manager isn’t the same as a great leader!

LGBTQ+ Student Experience – how are we getting it so wrong? -  Hollie Snowball, Client Partnership Manager, WAU Agency - Conference Suite 3

With responses from over 100,000 student participants, Investor in Students have identified a large and alarming gap in the living experience of LGBTQ+ students. This is particularly stark within students who do not identify as cis-gender in key experience pillars including safety and ability to integrate into a community.
 
In this session we will take attendees through a deep dive into our research as well as highlight some of the key student stories that sit behind the data. We also want to invite attendees to participate in the session, sharing their stories of serving this customer group and what can be done to improve their experience.

LGBTQIA+ Identity Development: theories over time from an academic perspective - Megan Janasiewicz, Head of Residential Experience, University of Nottingham - Conference Suite 4

This session will explore LGBTQIA+ identity development theories from early studies, current approaches and critiques, as well as how further studies could be constructed in the future. The session will start with a brief overview of the various waves of student development theory. Then it will move into early attempts to understanding the LGBTQIA+ community through theories published by Cass, D'Augelli, Bilodeau, Rankin and Beemyn, etc. We will then review the evolution of these theories and how they have informed student support over time. Finally, we will look at critiques of identity based research and how to use this information to influence practice. This session is an excellent introduction to student development theory and for anyone who seeks to understand the "why" of this work. 

Sessions repeated from 14:00

Jake and Hannah Graf

Jake and Hannah will take us on a journey through their childhoods as young trans people, sharing their early struggles with puberty and dysphoria, growing up feeling different in the 80s and 90s, the influences that affected them and their eventual arrival at a place of peace via their medical transitions. They will highlight some of the low points but also the many highs and successes they have experienced since transitioning: falling in love, marrying, their journey to parenthood and their new found position as the most visible transgender couple in the UK. Jake and Hannah are open books and happy to answer all and any nagging questions that your audience might have around trans people, while also detailing how best to support trans colleagues and make your workplace as inclusive as possible.

James Greenwood, Chair of CUBO Residence Life Group and Conference Host

Tonight we recognise six outstanding student leaders and reveal the Acuho-i & CUBO Residence Life New Professional of 2024!

With entertainment from Kitty Tray and Charity Shop Sue.

Dinner Menu for the evening - Vegan/Vegetarian must be pre-ordered