This week’s blog is written by Sarah Williams, Associate Director in Policing at UWE Bristol. In this article, Sarah reflects on an inspiring initiative aimed at widening participation both within higher education and across professional pathways. Brought to life at UWE by Kane Allen, Programme Leader in Primary Education, the initiative highlights the power of targeted outreach in raising aspirations, building confidence and providing practical insight into routes into university.
Initiatives like this help ensure that talent is recognised and nurtured, by creating inclusive spaces where students can see themselves represented, ask questions without judgement and explore opportunities that may previously have felt out of reach. This is particularly important in professions such as policing, where trust, understanding and representation are essential to serving communities effectively.
Author: Sarah Williams
In 2023, UWE launched ‘Raise the Bar’ – an outreach event outreach event for Black, Brown and Asian students who may be considering higher education but who may also face additional barriers to transition. Introduced by the School of Education and Childhood, Raise the Bar has now engaged well over 400 young people and is continuing to grow. This year, Policing is proud to have supported this fantastic event.
On February 3rd 2026, 150 students from St Mary Redcliffe and Temple Sixth Form, Fairfield, Montpelier, St Brendan’s, John Cabot, Bristol Cathedral, Redland Green and Cotham School attended UWE Frenchay campus. Starting with a session aimed at raising and addressing barriers to higher education, the students also had a tour of the campus, taking in Future Quest and attending a Graffiti workshop.
Across the day, students threw themselves into a brilliant range of activities, including music, cookery, finance, robotics, and art.
About 70 students attended the Policing, Criminology and Forensics workshop in UWE’s simulation suite. This included a presentation about the programmes of study available, guidance on how to apply, and tips on how to understand and investigate crime and manage a crime scene. They then had the opportunity to practice their skills by investigating and processing a crime scene staged in the simulation rooms.
A great time was had by all, with many of the students reporting it as the “highlight of the day.”
UWE is committed to inclusive and widening participation in higher education and this great example of outreach shows how seriously UWE takes its position as a local gateway to our young people’s future.
We look forward to welcoming some of these students onto our programmes in the future and hope that their enjoyment of the day really does raise the bar.
Editorial Team
Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief), Claudia McCready (Lecturer), Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer), Eve Smietanko (Senior Lecturer) and Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer).