Author: claudiamccready

What’s your excuse?

Author claudiamccready | Posted on

This week’s blog is written by Senior Lecturer Micah Hassell, part of the UWE Bristol Policing Team. Micah has written a snapshot of his impressive career within Policing, so I won’t waste words repeating it. Part of that varied career includes time specialising on the Roads Policing Unit (RPU), where he dealt with serious and fatal road traffic collisions. Most of us have either been in an accident ourselves, or know of those that have been unfortunate enough to experience them.

2021 saw a 23% increase in deaths or serious injuries from accidents involving alcohol from the year before (ONS, 2023). In the same year, Avon and Somerset stated that alcohol was a factor in 1/3 of all their road traffic collisions (ASC, 2023). Each year local police forces run anti-drink and drug drive operations, educating and stopping drivers within their areas.

This festive period offers a poignant moment to consider the risks associated with driving under the influence, the impacts is has on loved ones and the services that attend to help. Over to Micah…

Image of Senior Lecturer, Micah Hassell wearing graduation robe and colours.

After starting a new role in May 2023 as a senior lecturer within the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship programme, I have been given a fantastic opportunity to deliver a programme of learning to newly appointed police officers to ensure their operational competence meets the highest standards expected within Policing (College of Policing, 2014). My core interests in policing extend to Police ethics and the causes of corruption after serving the latter part of my career within the Professional Standard Department, but some of the most interesting and demanding responsibilities I have experienced were related to road death and its causation whilst performing the role of senior investigating officer with the Roads Policing department.  As an ex Chief Inspector with 27 years operational Policing experience, I have investigated more than 120 collisions where a death has occurred and in 80% of those incidents’ intoxication has featured as a contributing factor to the cause of death.  Although this is somewhat of a grim topic of discussion, I wanted to bring into focus the impact drink driving has, to prompt a discussion about your thoughts and behaviours when it comes to making that decision about drinking and driving.

Lived experience

One of my last fatal road traffic investigations occurred during the summer months just after midnight where a single vehicle carrying four occupants collided head on with a lamppost. On my arrival I was confronted with an horrific scene. The driver had been ejected out of the vehicle and came to rest some distance in front of the vehicle and had tragically died from her injures. The front seat passenger was deceased, and two rear passengers were seriously injured. One rear passenger died at the scene and the final passenger made it to the hospital before sadly passing away hours later.  Almost immediately a strong smell of alcohol emanated from within the vehicle and those involved at the scene. I vividly remember that the speedometer on the vehicle had frozen at the point of impact and rested at exactly 31 miles per hour.  During my investigation it transpired from witnesses that the four friends had decided to take a risk because they wanted to travel to another local pub approximately 2 miles away. Unfortunately, they never made it, and their lives were taken forever leaving families, police officers and communities with questions to this day about the decisions they all made on that tragic night.

Why?

Did you know that in the past year one of your friends, relatives or work colleagues will drink and drive and could even be over the legal limit today? You might have even drank last night feeling worse for wear this morning, but drove into work unsure of whether you were actually over the prescribed legal limit, or you could have car shared knowing the person driving was feeling pretty poorly from the night before.  The reasons why people decide to drink and drive are complex, but more often than not the decision to use your car after drinking alcohol is done so with very little thought about the potential consequences that could occur. Government Statistics provide a comprehensive picture about the numbers killed or seriously injured on our roads within the UK…  

In 2021 alone, over 27,000 people were killed or seriously injured on our roads. 

In 2020, Police conducted over 46,000 roadside breath tests. Over 2,500 people failed these .

Department for Transport, 2022.

Alcohol as a factor

Qualitative research undertaken by Keatley et al, (2020) examined the reasons why people decide to drink and drive. After interviewing 83 participants between 18 and 64 years of age they identified five key themes that influenced their decision to drive after consuming alcohol. Unexpected reasons to leave the pub, peer pressure, only a short drive to the next destination, having an appointment they needed to be at and finally the effects of alcohol affected their judgement where they knew they should not drive, but carried on regardless. Most, if not all of us know about the effects of alcohol, but there are concerning gaps in a person’s ability to understand how much alcohol can be consumed or what strength of alcohol is contained within their drink.  In each case recognising what their chosen drink contains remains a mystery and, in many cases, presents a misunderstanding about what people can tolerate. In a study conducted by Walker et al, (2016), 209 University students were asked to rank in order of alcohol strength 10 alcoholic drinks. Their research highlighted that people could not judge the strength of alcohol within an alcoholic drink, but instead chose their selected drink preferring to use taste instead. The more appealing the taste the more likely a person would choose to drink it rather than consider the strength of alcohol.  This disparity highlighted the need to ensure more people should take a greater interest in the alcohol content of their preferred drink. There are also other studies undertaken by Stephens et al, (2017) that indicate people who worked full time or worked from home between 26 and 39 years old with  “High Risk consumption patterns”  are more likely to drink and drive, but also have a reduced perception about the risk of having a collision after consuming drink.

There are other causation factors that will always feature within any collision, but my lived experience has shown that alcohol contributes to the death of a high proportion of people who are involved in collisions. The example I provided at the beginning detailed the death of four friends travelling at the legal speed limit within 10 minutes of leaving a local pub, attempting to travel to another local pub a short distance away. You can see from this article that high risk drinking behaviours, having limited awareness of how strong your alcoholic drink is and only driving a short distance away all feature as contributing factors to causing road death. So before you decide to drink and drive think about the consequences of your actions and what excuse you are going to make before you get into the car!

Final reflections & the PCDA

Light bulb graphic with cog inside - reflection

The work of the PCDA team is extremely important. Within the operational competencies modules drink driving is taught throughout all three years. Legislation and exploring key prevention and detection strategies are all included.  Working alongside Avon and Somerset Police UWE’s 2030 Strategy provides an inclusive programme designed to solve the future challenges policing faces. It focusses on student development using some of the most experienced police officers and staff to support them; using some of the best facilities throughout the region and beyond. The reason I chose to apply for a job within UWE was because it not only boasted one of the best programmes in the country, it also centred their interests around my own teaching practice and development. It’s been a fantastic transition from policing into higher education. There are always opportunities for staff and students to be part of the PCDA journey where most modules run practical sessions to develop students offices as they progress through their degree if you want to get involved you can contact me or any of the PCDA team here.

Helpful Resources

Keatley, D. A. et al. (2020) Perceptions of drink driving legal limits in England: a qualitative investigation. Psychology, crime & law. [Online] 26 (8), 733–744. [Accessed 6 July 2023]

Stephens, A. N. et al. (2017) Alcohol consumption patterns and attitudes toward drink-drive behaviours and road safety enforcement strategies. Accident analysis and prevention. [Online] 98241–251. [Accessed July 2023]

Walker, S. et al. (2016) Estimates of the Absolute and Relative Strengths of Diverse Alcoholic Drinks by Young People. Substance use & misuse. [Online] 51 (13), 1781–1789. [Accessed 10 July 2020]

Editorial Team

Image of a paper plane to mean 'email' or 'send'

Paul Williamson (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Eve Middleton (Tripartite Assessor – Policing); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer) & Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

Taking Youth Work Week 2023 as a moment to pause & reflect on our work with children.

Author claudiamccready | Posted on

Welcome to the latest UWE Policing blog, where we’re excited to celebrate Youth Justice Week. At UWE Bristol, we take immense pride in our commitment to cultivating a diverse and expert Policing Programme. As we delve into the important discussions surrounding youth justice, it’s crucial to acknowledge the ever-growing diversity within our teaching team.

This week’s additional blog is written by Claire Bowers in light of Youth Work Week 2023. Claire recently joined us as a Senior Lecturer and brings a wealth of experience and expertise of working in various fields reflecting the real-world complexity of policing in today’s society. With experiences ranging from community policing, probation and risk management to tackling international organised crime, our programme teaching team is uniquely positioned to equip our students with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in modern law enforcement.

As we celebrate Youth Justice Week, we invite you to explore the perspectives, insights, and initiatives shared by Claire.

Shining the spotlight on our staff…

Senior Lecturer, Claire Bowers joined UWE in 2023 having spent an impressive and varied career within the Criminal Justice System. Claire brings extensive experience in crime reduction initiatives, prisoner rehabilitation, and youth justice diversion and preventative work – including specialisms in safeguarding, harmful sexual behaviour and trauma informed working, as a Manager of North Somerset Youth Offending and Prevention Service. Claire is also a passionate advocate for young victims of crime and domestic abuse having managed Avon and Somerset’s Young Victims Service for four years. Claire holds two masters with distinction in Psychology and Criminology & Criminal Justice, and has a varied and expansive teaching career.

This week is Youth Work Week.

This week is Youth Work Week, and so it seems the perfect opportunity to shine a light on the important work carried out with children by the youth work sector, as well as taking a moment to contemplate the current challenges facing children and their families and our approach to working with them.

Blue icon of laptop and internet.

We are living in uncertain times, with the cost-of-living crisis, living through a pandemic and the rise of technology and social media to mention just a few. In their 2022 report, Barnados highlighted the top issues facing young people from a practitioners’ perspective. This included increasing mental health issues and insufficient support, poverty and financial instability, potential exposure to sexual exploitation and online abuse and lack of safety and cohesion in the home.

Blue icon of male. female and girl.

This is a very real threat for children as one in seven will have lived with domestic abuse at some point in their life (Radford, 2011) and domestic abuse related crimes increased 7.7% in 2022 (ONS, 2022). Every generation has its struggles, however, the children of today are facing a unique set of challenges. However, despite these concerns youth services such as youth clubs and youth workers have been cut by 69% since 2010 (Local Government Association, 2023) and children’s services have never been under more pressure. 

Representations

Blue icon of downwards statistics.

Negative representations of young people is commonplace (Guardian, 2004). However, the statistics show that youth crime rates have consistently been in decline for many years (ONS, 2022; ONS, 2023) . Most children are not involved in crime, and those who are, still spend much of their time leading law-abiding lives. Working with children can be challenging at the best of times, however it is a child’s job to push boundaries! Ask any parent coming towards the end of the summer holidays, let alone the police officer who is having to deal with repeated incidents of anti-social behaviour and disrespect. That being said, I am sure we can all reflect back and think of examples of behaviour from our younger selves that we would rather forget.

Working with children requires a specific attitude and skill set. Youth workers often adopt a PACE approach (Hughes, 2006). Standing for playfulness, acceptance, curiosity, and empathy, the focus is on building rapport and high-quality relationships. Maturation of the brain is not accomplished until 25 years old (Arain et. al, 2013).

The law is clear. The term ‘child’ is preferred practice for any young person below the age of 18 (CPS, 2023). A young person may well look and act as if they are an adult, but they are not and we must not treat them as such. Children that do come to the attention of the youth justice system should be seen as children ‘first’ and ‘offenders’ second” (CPS, 2023). This recognises that children may make mistakes, but this should be viewed through a rehabilitative lens, rather than a punitive one. Research outlined in the The Punishing Abuse report (Chard, 2021) argue that 9 in 10 children in the youth justice system are known or suspected to have been abused, with 7 in 10 having lived with domestic abuse (MOJ, 2013). Over 60% of people in youth justice estate have difficulties with speech, language or communication (Gateshead Council, date unknown).

Icon of 5 hands touching

Youth work emphasises education, mentorship and support to help guide children away from criminal behaviour and contribute to their positive development. The primary focus is on prevention, diversion and early intervention to avoid criminalisation of children.

What can we do to support young people?

So what can we do to support young people? In their book “the power of showing up” Dr Daniel Siegel and Dr Tina Bryson outline 4 fundamental needs for children. First children need to feel ‘safe’.  When children feel unsafe, they are not able to access their upper ‘thinking’ brain. They go into survival mode. Children who have experienced trauma may already be hypervigilant and struggling to self-regulate, having learned to always be on the lookout for danger. Once they know that they are safe, the young person has access to more resources to enable them to cope and manage their behaviour. Tone of voice and body language is key. Anxiety will be reduced by slow movements and a gentle voice.

The second factor is being ‘seen’. In children, behaviour is communication and language matters. Being curious about what is happening for a young person and viewing them through a trauma-informed lens helps us to help them. Are they ‘not engaging’ or do they simply not feel safe enough to engage?

‘Soothed’ is the third need and this is based on the adult- child interaction. Children need to learn how to self-soothe through modelling by adults. Letting children know that we are there for them and we want to connect with them is fundamental. This can be achieved through being calm, actively listening to them, showing empathy and offering strategies for ‘brain breaks.’ The final ‘S’ is ‘secure’. This means showing up for the child and being a ‘safe base’. It can take time for a young person to trust, especially if they have learnt that people let them down. Youth workers show reliability by agreeing a time and place to meet and ensuring that they are there every week, even if the young person is not. Over time, trust can be established and meaningful interactions can take place.

Blue icon of footprints.

It sounds like a cliché (or the lyrics from a famous song) but children literally are our future. Whilst youth work week specifically recognises and celebrates the achievements of youth workers in particular, these are not the only people that have an impact on a young person’s life. Police, teachers, social workers, and doctors to name but a few, all leave footprints on a young person’s journey. We all therefore have a responsibility to consider what type of imprint we want to make.

I will leave you with the words of trauma specialist, Dr Karen Treisman (2020):

“Every moment and interaction can be an intervention…can be change agents…Every moment has the potential to open a door or to close a door.”

Dr Karen Treisman, 2020.

Helpful Resources

Arain, M., Haque, M., Johal, L., Mathur, P., Nel, W., Rais, A., Sandhu, R., & Sharma, S. (2013). Maturation of the adolescent brain. Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment, 9, 449–461. https://doi.org/10.2147/NDT.S39776

Hughes, D. (2006). Building the bonds of attachment: Awakening love in deeply troubled children. Oxford: Jason Aaronson

National Youth Agency – Youth Work Week 2023

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Eve Middleton (Tripartite Assessor – Policing); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer) & Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe.ac.uk

Other Blogs

‘Movember’ – Shining a light on Men’s Mental Health

Author claudiamccready | Posted on
Outline of a cartoon moustache

This week’s blog has been written by Senior Lecturer Carly Lawrence, who was inspired by the upcoming ‘Movember’ campaign. Carly hopes to shine a light on Men’s Mental Health, offering some signs to look for, linking some of the support open to those struggling or looking to help their loved ones. Carly also shares details on upcoming challenges aimed to get us all talking about the important subject of Men’s Mental Health.

‘Movember’ in November

As we welcome November, with the days seemingly getting shorter & the nights longer, sometimes it feels as though we are living in the dark. Those working shifts may feel this more and it is important that we take the opportunity to shine a little light where we can.

November importantly brings Bonfire Night, the beginning of the countdown to Christmas but, perhaps more poignantly, it also brings Men’s Mental Health Month.

Outline of a stickman

It’s a topic that should not be a taboo; 74% of suicides in England and Wales – that’s nearly 3 of 4 – happen to men (ONS, 2021). This makes suicide the largest killer of men under the age of 50 (Campaign Against Living Miserably, 2023). It is time that the stigma associated with talking about mental health in men to be removed. It is time to support each other.

There is no getting away from the sad fact that the above figures only involve cases that come to the fore. With so many incidents unreported, this may be linked to the stigma surrounding mental health in men.

With phrases like ‘men don’t cry’ still unfortunately prevalent today, and historic views about masculinity and the expectation of men to be strong and resilient equally as significant, does that suggest that mental health struggles make men weaker? Or would talking about the issues impacting men, helping those seek support – whether for depression, stress, anxiety – actually make them stronger?

Everyone has a role in making change, so let us seek to show those men in our lives that we support them and do not want them to suffer in silence as so many often do.

What to look for?

Image of rocks piled on top of each other

There are many factors that impact men’s mental health which we need to understand better. The factors of course will vary from man to man; from relationship break downs, workplace pressures, physical health problems, exposure to trauma, unemployment, and in today’s climate financial pressures. This list is of course not exhaustive but starts to paint a picture of how day-to-day life can have an impact. It’s important to remember that it’s not always those big moments that cause a decline in mental health but can be lots of smaller stressors that can build.

When we consider some of these factors, is it any surprise that police officers are and can be often significantly impacted by mental health problems? Collectively officers had 571,000 days off in 2022 due to their mental health, that’s the equivalent of having 1,600 less officers a year (Police Federation, 2023). Between 2011 – 2021 we lost 157 male officers from all ranks, and 20 female officers, to suicide (ONS, 2022). It is as important as it has ever been that we stand united and supportive of each other in these moments.

Each and every one of us plays a key role in supporting those men in our lives – whether that be friends, family, partners or colleagues  – but in order to provide that support we need to be able to recognise some signs.

The NHS state that those experiencing mental health problems may exhibit the following signs:

  • Increased irritability
  • Disturbed sleep or sleeping more than usual
  • Becoming anxious
  • Becoming forgetful
  • Avoiding situations
  • Change in eating habits (eating more or less)
  • Lack of concentration
  • Headaches and/or dizziness

So how can we help?

Picture of Senior Lecturer Matt Gaunt from 2022 with his attempt at 'Movember', raising money for Bowel Cancer.
Matt Gaunt’s 2022 ‘Movember’ in support of Bowel Cancer charities.

There are several support agencies who can help with understanding how best to support those struggling, we’ve listed some below.

That said, here are some suggested things that you can do to show support; Let them know you’re there to listen to them without judgement, remember someone who is experiencing mental health problems may find it hard to reach out, so try to keep in touch. A text message or a phone call could make a big difference. If it’s the right time, then help get them help.

The Police Federation England and Wales (PFEW) are showing their support by taking part in MOVEMBER.  You can show your support along with the PFEW for Movember in a number of different ways, whether that is by growing a showstopping moustache, arranging some fundraising events that encourage social and mental wellbeing, donating to a great cause (link below) or just talking openly about men’s mental health –  every little bit helps.

Outline of male walking

The campaign recognises that globally 60 men an hour take their own lives – that’s a man a minute. In recognition of this, members are being encouraged to walk the same number of kilometres (60km) over the course of November. This will not only show support but aide your own mental health with exercise shown to improve mental wellbeing.

The Movember site gives some ideas and challenges, along with the opportunity to compete head-to-head with fellow colleagues in the Emergency Services, friends, family or strangers & it’s all in the name of charity.

A reminder from 28 times Olympic Medal winner:

‘We’re supposed to be this big, macho, physically strong human beings [but] this is not a weakness, we are seeking and reaching for help.’

Michael Phelps, 2018.

Links to support

Oscar Kilo are running a Wellbeing of investigators week of action between 13th – 17th November. Find out about their sessions here.

Link to the Police Federation of England and Wales’ Movember fundraising page: Movember – Team.

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Eve Middleton (Tripartite Assessor – Policing); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer) & Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, please contact paul.williamson@uwe.ac.uk

Read our previous posts

Applied Criminal Justice – Top Up Degree

Author claudiamccready | Posted on
UWE Bristol Logo

This week we explore the Applied Criminal Justice – Top Up Degree at UWE. This will enable professionals to use previous experience or qualifications, along with some study, to achieve an undergraduate degree within 1 – 2 years.

An introduction into programme lead – Dominic McVeigh.

Programme Lead and Senior Lecturer, Dominic McVeigh

I joined the police in 2004, working for both Gloucestershire Constabulary, and then Avon and Somerset. During my time in both organisations, I had plenty of training opportunities, qualifying as a Tutor Constable, a role which explores coaching, mentoring and teaching. I was a qualified taser carrier and an experienced interviewer. Whilst working within the professional development unit, I was lucky enough to be in post when the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) commenced, allowing me to see the qualifications that new officers attain. I looked at the criteria set by the Police Education Quality Framework (PEQF) and College of Policing (CoP) and realised very quickly that I had a lot of knowledge and just as important, experience ‘in the job’. Unfortunately, I was not able to re-enrol and obtain the qualification, a BSc (Hons) in Professional Policing Practice, which was hugely disappointing for someone who has a thirst for development. It suddenly became apparent that the knowledge and experience I had gained over the past 12 years was not recognised by anyone other than the police.

Fast forward to 2023, I find myself in the fortunate position of being the Top-Up Programme Leader. I have achieved a post-graduate qualification in higher education teaching and can provide an opportunity for those in the police and wider criminal justice sector to have their occupational experience and expertise recognised towards a recognised undergraduate degree.

What is the Applied Criminal Justice Degree – Top Up?

The Applied Criminal Justice Top-Up is an undergraduate degree programme that recognises the expertise of those within the criminal justice sector as an entry pathway. Using an evidence-based approach it exposes practitioners to the underpinning theoretical concepts of criminal justice, encouraging a deeper and more informed approach to problem solving and critical thinking; an opportunity to engage in research to further theoretical understanding and the development of a more critical workforce.

When I speak to ex-colleagues and friends who have retired and who have chosen to leave policing, the same theme becomes apparent when in conversation, which is “What can I offer to other employers?” “What skills have I got?”. Those within policing, who joined prior to the commencement of the PCDA can ‘top-up’ their skills and be recognised for their expertise.

The niche that is policing, is that the skillsets are very bespoke. Trying to explain to a prospective employer that you have a taser qualification, which means that you make quick time decisions, following legislation, national policy, whilst assessing the wider impact of that decision on the reputation of the police and the media perception that will likely follow is quite hard. Those within policing will acknowledge those skills. To communicate positively with someone holding a knife, to ensure a safe resolution, can be hard to quantify in an interview/CV setting.

This is also true of other criminal justice professions where work in crime prevention, reduction, desistance, and victim protection entails a particular set of skills and knowledge in many key areas, yet no formal certification is achieved.

Powerpoint title slide discussing ‘Ethical approaches to policing diverse communities’
Image of F Block on Frenchay Campus.

Who can apply?

The BSc (Hons) in Applied Criminal Justice Top-Up acknowledges the work of criminal justice practitioners and utilises them as proven criteria for entry onto the programme. At UWE we are introducing the BSc (Hons) in Applied Criminal Justice Top-Up, as an option for those who are already working in the sector. The recognition of prior learning and experience will be based operational knowledge and expertise. For those police officers wishing to undertake the programme, the Initial Police Learning Development Programme (IPLDP) and other police training will provide you with a springboard to top up the knowledge that you already have.

The course itself is flexible, designed to meet the needs of the applicant. There are full (one year) or part time (two years) options available, with modules that have a blended approach, with online and on campus teaching. On completion of the degree, students will have the necessary skills and knowledge to apply in their current occupation.

The programme will be launched in September 2024, so these are exciting times ahead. Policing is evolving and this will be something to provide further development for those who want to improve their knowledge, not just of police practice but widening understanding of the multi-agency environment. For those in the wider criminal justice sector who do not have an undergraduate degree, the programme will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding at a recognised level. Continuing Professional Development for those who are competent within their roles is a fundamental principle in most employer’s arsenal to ensure that staff are provided opportunities.

Is it just for Police Officers?

No, it’s not just for police officers. It’s for anyone who doesn’t have a recognised qualification who works in the criminal justice sector. The programme is about levelling-up the professional practice arena.

What is Accredited Prior Learning?

The skillset and occupational experience that applicants already have will contribute towards Accredited Experiential Learning (AEL) and other Accredited Learning (AL). What is this?  Being experienced and skilled in investigations, understanding emotional intelligence, communication skills or development planning. Being solution focussed and managing problem solving plans, undertaking internal training and development, such as sergeants’ exams and tutor qualifications. For those from prison, probation or private sector criminal justice backgrounds, this might be training in risk assessment, or coaching and mentoring or skills gained from initial training courses. These will help demonstrate the necessary prior experiential learning that is needed to undertake this course.  

Watch this space for further updates or for posters that will be sent out to your organisation.  For any enquiries or questions in relation to the programme, please contact Dom McVeigh at Dominic2.McVeigh@uwe.ac.uk or via my LinkedIn.

Watch this space blue wave graphic

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Eve Middleton (Tripartite Assessor – Policing); Eve Smietanko (Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer) & Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, please contact paul.williamson@uwe.ac.uk

Let’s talk about the student voice

Author claudiamccready | Posted on
An image of Constable Luke Walters with two horses from the mounted unit.
An image of Constable Luke Walters with two horses from the mounted unit.

 This blog welcomes the thoughts and experiences from current Student Representative, Luke Walters, who is completing his final year on the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship whilst volunteering time to feedback on the programme and create change for the current and future students.

A bit about Luke

Undertaking a degree 10 years after finishing education, the highest achievement being a level 3 in professional cookery and 9 years being a chef, I had my reservations about the PCDA programme. However, with support coming from both UWE and my constabulary, achieving a degree has never been closer. With 5 months left of a three-year programme, I am currently writing my final written assessment.

Luke’s experience of the programme

With a full-time job as a response police officer, getting married, moving house, going through a Tourette’s syndrome diagnosis and achieving marks at degree level I never thought I could shows that the workload is tough, but a manageable, amount. The degree programme is set up as a blended approach, meaning teaching days are a mix of on-campus sessions and online learning. This is extremely beneficial as when you are working from home you can work at your own pace (and it cuts the travel time). On the other hand, working on-campus gives you benefits such as practical scenarios, in class support and socialising with other police officers from different areas of your constabulary.

UWE has been extremely supportive regarding my disability. They provide a range of reasonable adjustments that can best assist the learner – both in class and with assessments – whether it’s for dyslexia, ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome or even others.

Undertaking the PCDA programme has made me a better writer, more reflective, a critical thinker on the job. I am a better police officer than I was 2 years ago without the input from lecturers who have their own experiences in our role.

His role as a rep

Representation: proud to be a student rep

Whilst undertaking the PCDA programme and working with my constabulary, I was also elected student rep for my cohort. Being an active and approachable student rep has developed skills I may not have had a chance to being sat in a classroom, for example leadership, organisation and communication. These skills have been developed over the last three years by being someone other students come to with praise, or constructive feedback, or even criticism. It has been my duty to report between the students and the teaching team at UWE, the skills that have developed as a result will hold me in great stead for my next goal after the PCDA – becoming a Sergeant on a response team.

An image of a group of UWE Student Reps from the Handbook
Sarah Williams, a senior lecturer and programme lead on the PCDA

Sarah Williams, a senior lecturer and programme lead on the PCDA, also shares the importance of listening to the student voice and her experience of Student Representative Staff Forums. This blog hopes to shine a light on those students and staff that are committed to making a difference here at UWE and encourage others to get involved…

Sarah’s role – listening to the student voice

As the year one programme lead on the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, my role has many responsibilities, but few more important than listening. Listening is a much under-rated skill. Much attention is paid – and rightly so – to why policing must listen to the public. However, in this blog I want to talk about the importance of listening to the student voice.

When top brands release new products to the market, it is usually preceded by months (if not years) of design followed by extensive product testing. This is such a well-known strategy it hardly seems noteworthy, but it can be helpful to consider student representation in the same way. In this example, the ‘product’ is the PCDA, the ‘consumer’ is the student officer, and we replace the term ‘product testing’ with the term ‘student voice’.

If we really want policing education to work, we must listen to those who have experienced it. What brought a subject to life so well that it was instantly recalled by the officer when dealing with an incident in real life? What fell so flat that the same officer forgot they’d even had an input on it? This is incredibly valuable information we can use to make things better for future student officers.

Student Rep Staff Forums

There are several ways in which student officers on the PCDA can make their voices heard, but one of the main ones is through Student Rep Staff Forums (SRSFs). These take place every three months and are an opportunity for student officers, via their chosen student reps, to give us their perspective – positive or negative. The feedback received at SRSF is fed into the PCDA Programme Management Committee or PMC (universities love an acronym just as much as the police), where the programme leadership discuss how they will take student feedback forward. Being a student rep is not particularly demanding. The main expectation is to attend SRSFs and provide feedback and disseminate the response to the colleagues on their cohorts. However, its importance cannot be overstated.

The PCDA programme at UWE has evolved significantly since its inception. Gone are the Covid days of online lectures. Today, we prioritise learning on campus because of the greater interactivity it allows. Power-point dominated lectures have been replaced with more interactive, discussion-based sessions and a significant increase in practical, scenario-based learning. This is all in response to student feedback as well as the adoption of evidence-based principles about what works best to help students learn. Student feedback makes a difference!

Could you join us?

An image of the process of feedback from student reps.

The PCDA is fortunate to have a small number of dedicated reps who have already been invaluable in helping the PCDA improve (Ross Windsor and Luke Walters can be singled out specifically). But we need to hear from more student officers. The student voice is at its loudest and most influential as a choir, not a solo act, and on average there are 10-12 cohorts enrolled on the PCDA at any given time. That’s a lot of student officers who can provide their perspective and influence the programme’s development. We want to hear from them.

Being a student rep is also an excellent opportunity to develop leadership skills. Representation is a two-way process. It is a genuine opportunity to influence the programme’s development and the student office’s engagement in it. Student police officers are not a list of collar numbers meeting recruitment targets, expected to absorb unthinkingly what they are told in training. They are the next generation of police officers, possessing critical thinking skills, the knowledge to achieve evidence-based change, and the potential to change public perception for the better. Their voices need to be listened to in our ambition to achieve outstanding policing for everyone. In the words of Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai, “the little grassroots people can change this world”.

Further resources

UWE Student Rep Handbook

You can learn more about becoming a student representative here:

Freshers’ Fair 2023 (thestudentsunion.co.uk)

Student Reps Handbook by The Students’ Union at UWE – Issuu

We would encourage readers to share your thoughts on the UWE blog series and if you are interested in writing a blog, please contact the Policing Editorial Team.

Editorial Team

Paul Williamson (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Eve Middleton (Tripartite Assessor – Policing); Eve Smietanko (Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer) & Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer).

If you would like to contribute as a guest blogger, please contact paul.williamson@uwe.ac.uk

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