Spring 2012 issue (pdf) - York St John University

NEWS
Guarding
presidents
and royalty
Mark Sullivan, a Senior Lecturer in Sport,
has been busy as a member of the
Queen’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of
the Guard since his appointment last
year. The Guard provide ceremonial
duties for, amongst others, state
openings of parliament, the Maundy
service, the Garter ceremony in Windsor
and royal garden parties. Sworn in at a
ceremony held at St James’s Palace at
the beginning of March, his first
engagement was the state visit of
President Obama in May. His role
included providing a ceremonial guard
to welcome the President and being
present at a state banquet. He has since
been present at events such as
Investitures, including one with Sir Bruce
Forsyth and Colin Parkin MBE. He was
also on duty in January at the Epiphany
service held in the Chapel Royal, the
first of several events for this Golden
Jubilee year.
Mark Sullivan in uniform.
Launching
the annual staff
awards
The first annual Celebrating
Exceptional People Awards have
been launched at York St John,
with a special awards’ ceremony
taking place on 11 June.
The theme for 2012 is Enhancing the
Student Experience. Vice Chancellor
Professor David Fleming said, “The awards
will be made to colleagues and teams
who deserve special recognition for their
initiative, effort, creativity and contribution.
All staff can have a positive impact on the
achievement of an outstanding student
experience in a number of different ways,
and I encourage nominations from across
all areas of York St John.”
Nominations are open from 1-31 March.
The awards’ committee, made up of senior
members of staff from across the University,
a representative from the Students’ Union
and an external stakeholder, will then select
three winners from a short list of six.
What are we looking for?
Do you know a colleague or a team that:
• enhances services to students that are
responsive to student needs and
demonstrates a commitment to
excellence
• promotes the student voice, providing
opportunities for student engagement
in aspects of campus life throughout the
student lifecycle
• enhances the campus environment
and community
• embeds inclusive practices in policies
and practices, promoting and celebrating
diversity
• delivers or facilitates exceptional learning
and teaching
• enhances the student offer?
If you would like to nominate a colleague
or a team for the Celebrating Exceptional
People Awards, please complete the
nomination form on the HR web page at
www.yorksj.ac.uk/hr. For further details,
please contact Jo Thompson, T: 6461,
E: j.thompson@yorksj.ac.uk, or Emma
Wilkins, T: 6618, E: e.wilkins@yorksj.ac.uk
Student applications:
bucking the trend
York St John University has experienced an
11 per cent increase in applications for its courses
starting this autumn, according to official statistics
published by UCAS on 30 January.
UCAS released statistics for the first main
deadline for applicants in mid-January.
Despite these statistics showing that
nationally applications have dropped by
an average of 7.4 per cent, York St John
has witnessed an increase in applications
of 11.2 per cent compared to the same
time last year. This placed York St John
fifth out of all universities in England in
terms of the biggest increase in
applications.
The rising popularity of the University’s
courses is part of a longer term
trajectory of growth in demand, the
result of a well-developed strategy. Since
2008, undergraduate applications have
risen by almost 60 per cent and for 2012
entry it received 9,068 applications by
15 January. International applications are
up by over 25 per cent this year, those
from the UK are up by almost 11 per cent
and there has been growth in the arts,
business, theology, education and health
and life sciences.
Commenting on the increase, Vice
Chancellor Professor David Fleming said,
“The community on campus and in the
city makes this a great place to come and
study. We’ve invested in the quality of our
teaching, the campus environment
and opportunities for students to get
fully involved in student life. Potential
students and their families are
recognising how much we are able to
offer and this has had a real impact on
our applications.
“We’ve also put together a strong
package of fee waivers and support and
coupled this with increased work with
schools and colleges and the provision of
more information, advice and guidance.
We want to get the message across that
a university education remains an
excellent choice.”
talk
CONTENTS
02 News
07 Widening participation
07 Research news
08 Focus on…
Learning & Teaching
Development
10 Student Services
update
11 In the spotlight
12 The view from the
Students’ Union
13 Opinion:
Bob Garvey reflects
on coaching and
mentoring
14 Announcements
16 Notice board
02
03

NEWS
Showcasing youth
studies’ research
The Unit for Child and Youth Studies,
based in the Faculty of Health & Life
Sciences, held a free one-day event on
25 January for over 50 professionals
working with children and young people
from across the region.
The day aimed to showcase the research
undertaken by members of the unit and
their partners and included presentations
on cyberbullying, e-safety, motivation in
sport, inclusion in PE, and time and stress
management. Presentations were also
delivered by external partners including
John Stead, Head of Safeguarding and
Education at the NSPCC, and Val
McFarlane and Vicki Cheetham, directors
of the Bullying Intervention Group.
Nathalie Noret, Director of the Unit, said,
“The day was a great success and provided
us with the opportunity to raise awareness
of the work that we do. In addition, it gave
all present the opportunity to meet other
professionals working with children and
young people and develop new and
exciting partnerships.”
The Unit for Child and Youth Studies will
be holding more events later in the year.
To find out more, visit www.yorksj.ac.uk/
childandyouth
Professor Pam Dawson, Dean of the Faculty
of Health & Life Sciences (centre), and Nathalie
Noret, Senior Lecturer in Psychology and
Director of the Unit for Child & Youth Studies
(right), with delegates at the launch.
Striped Pyjamas
provides inspiration
Film & Television Production
students were given a master
class on 27 January by an
illustrious team of production
professionals, all of whom had
worked together on the
award-winning film, The Boy
in the Striped Pyjamas.
The event was organised by the Faculty of
Arts and it provided a unique opportunity
for aspiring film-crew professionals to
receive professional advice, support and
encouragement.
Sessions included an adaptation class
led by York St John Honorary Fellow Mark
Herman, the film’s screenwriter and
director. Celebrated editor Mike Ellis
delivered a workshop with advice and
tuition on the film-editing process.
Students with a particular interest in
production design attended a session
with the Oscar-winning production
Aviva success
designer, Martin Childs. Libbie Barr, the
film’s script supervisor, offered students the
opportunity to learn about script
supervision, continuity and production.
In addition, production sound mixer John
Casali shared his expertise.
Martin Downie, Dean of Faculty of Arts,
said, “As the leaders in their fields, our
esteemed guest speakers are a source of
inspiration and motivation; they represent
the pinnacle of achievement and success
in this industry.”
Mark Herman (centre left) and Martin Downie
(centre right) with students Benjamin Allen (left)
and Sebastian Synowiec (right).
The Career and Employability Team are pleased to have secured
their first paid Student Internship with Aviva UKL in York.
Matthew Higgins, a third-year Media student, and Peter White, a second-year
Psychology student, were successful in gaining the internship which they will undertake
on a part-time basis over an eight-week period. The internship will focus on the Aviva Life
Planner tool and its promotion to the under 25s.
The Student Internship Programme allows students to undertake a paid internship
on a project-based role. If you work with an employer who you think would benefit from
having a student work on a project, please contact Suzanne Dickinson, T: 6519 or
E: s.dickinson@yorksj.ac.uk
Launch of new training club
YSJ Strength is the latest arm of York St John Inclusive Activity Club
(YSJIAC) and caters for the specific strength and conditioning needs
of amateur and elite physically disabled athletes.
The club serves as a practical training and work experience route for students interested
and studying in the area of strength and conditioning. It will also enable students to
engage in related sports performance research projects.
The coaches have also worked with York-based, two-time GB Paralympic bronze medallist,
table tennis player Cathy Mitton and her husband Keith Mitton, a former GB wheelchair
fencing athlete. Cathy said, “I have found that the gym environment can be intimidating
and the knowledge of the staff lacking with other conditioning programmes. YSJ Strength
couldn’t be further from that experience and I would recommend the club to other
disabled athletes.”
(left-right) Coaches Dean Armstrong, YSJ Active Development Officer; James Oliver, a first-year
BA Physical Education & Sports Coaching student; Simon Kumar, York St John graduate and
Chairman of YSJIAC; and John Gray, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Physical Activity.
Promoting language skills
The first Careers Using Languages Conference, run by the Business School’s Languages
team and funded by Routes into Languages, promoted the message that language skills
can be useful in a wide range of jobs and professions.
The keynote speech was delivered by Graham Webb, Head of Business and
Academic Development at Leeds Metropolitan University, and there were sessions on
‘Multilingualism in the workplace’ (led by Dr Ramana Sundara, Nestlé Product
Technology Centre), ‘Volunteering abroad’ (Harry Kent, Projects Abroad), ‘Could you be
an interpreter?’ (Tamara Bloom, National Network for Interpreting), and ‘It’s not
all talk: language as a key to culture’ (Dr Steve Watson, Business School).
“Everyone involved in the project is very pleased with the success of the day and the
positive comments from the students – virtually everyone thought it was both useful
and interesting,” said Alison Hayes, Senior Lecturer in Languages, who led the project.
She would like to thank everyone involved for making the day go so well.
Neil Hanson is
the Writer in
Residence
Neil Hanson has been appointed
as the University’s Royal Literary
Fund Fellow and Writer in
Residence.
He has authored an acclaimed series of
popular histories, including The Confident
Hope of a Miracle: the True Story of the
Spanish Armada (2006) and Escape from
Germany: the Greatest POW Break-out of
the First World War (2011). He is also an
experienced radio and television
broadcaster, book reviewer, travel writer
and critic. He said, “I can help students
build on their inspiration, put ideas on to
paper effectively, improve their writing
styles and develop confidence. I’m also
happy to advise on getting published,
performing work and pursuing a career as
a writer.”
Neil is based in Holgate Student Centre
each Thursday and appointments can be
made via T: 6477 or E: rlfappointments@
yorksj.ac.uk
04
05

NEWS
Pioneering
project on housing
adaptation
Maria Parks, Senior Lecturer in
Occupational Therapy and Head
of the Centre for Enabling
Environments and Assistive
Technology, is leading a project
which will systematically review
and map research relating to
housing adaptation for
disabled people.
Maria Parks
The three-year project, called genHOME,
is funded by the College of Occupational
Therapists Specialist Section – Housing
(COTSS), supported by the UK Occupational
Therapy Research Foundation (UKOTRF)
and Pressalit Care plc.
The £30,000 project aims to develop a
methodology to evaluate the effectiveness
of housing adaptations and solutions for
disabled people. The findings will then be
used for future researchers and clinicians to
use in practice. Maria will work with
occupational therapists and other
stakeholders to create an accessible
information database; she will also evaluate
the usability of the project resources and
assess their impact in practice settings.
Find out more about the genHOME project
at www.yorksj.ac.uk/genhome
The rise of Yorkulele
Music students at York St John
are encouraged to form new
ensembles, and there have
been some highly visible and
audible successes such as the
Big Band and the Gospel Choir,
but perhaps the most popular
and also most unexpected is
Yorkulele.
Ralph Bateman, Senior Lecturer and
University Director of Music, explained,
“Yorkulele was started by a mature
student, Jonathan Betz, in 2008, and the
visual impact of their first outing was
unforgettable. Each of the 20 or so
players was clothed in the same colour
as their instrument, several of which
were bright pink. The current orchestra
of about 24 players may be most familiar
through their performances at lunchtime
concerts, the chaplain’s Thanksgiving
Service, the Winter Ball and our Carol
Service in York Minster, but they also
do an impressive number of other
performances in the city, many for
charities including Fairtrade, Oxfam and
Red Nose Day.
“They played at the Galtres Beer
Festival in 2010; they also featured in the
York Barbican Xmas Carols last year and
played in care homes and hospitals, ran
a workshop at the York Carnival, and met
the Mayor of York after playing at a Royal
Wedding street party in Little Stonegate.
It seems remarkable that they can also fit
in any academic work, but they do also
get degrees and go on to use ukuleles in
schools, community music settings and
even companies’ training days.
“Several members of staff have asked me
about the possibility of being in a ukulele
group and I would be happy to help to set
one up. Please E: r.bateman@yorksj.ac.uk
to help me ascertain if there is enough
support for the idea.”
Yorkulele in the snow.
Research
news
Thinking Out Loud is an annual student
researchers’ conference that is an
opportunity for students to present their
research projects conducted either as part
of the Student as Researchers scheme or
for their dissertations. Thinking Out Loud
2011 took place on 23 November and
was attended by students from across the
University, giving them a chance to network
and find out about research, related
learning opportunities and experiences.
Feedback from the conference highlighted
the exciting ideas that were created around
research. One of the participants said that
what they liked most about the event
was “the positivity that exuded from the
speakers and the excitement about the role
of Student Researcher that was created.”
Another participant said, “I’m more aware
of the variety of research opportunities. I
would consider applying for a research
project as a student and can imagine
research being an interesting future career.
This is something that I hadn’t expected
when I applied for university.”
Thinking Out Loud will take place again
this autumn and the call for papers will be
announced at the beginning of the 2012
academic year. For more information,
including the conference video or student
researcher opportunities, please visit
www.yorksj.ac.uk/ltd/ltd.aspx or contact
Lena Henderson, E: l.henderson@yorksj.
ac.uk. Also see pages 8-9 for more details
about Learning & Teaching Development.
Widening participation
Paramjeet Kaur-Singh, Black Minority
Ethnic (BME) Project Leader, reports
on her latest projects.
Turkish women and English
Language Buddies
English Language Buddies is a
volunteering project involving home
and international students supporting
Turkish women living and working in York.
It has been set up to improve the
women’s English whilst visiting art
galleries, museums and theatre in York.
The student volunteers were recruited
through an advert put out by an
international graduate intern in Careers
and they initially attended a cultural
awareness session. This has been a
particularly enjoyable learning
experience for both the Turkish women
and the student buddies.
Bharathanatyam: Indian
classical dance
An Indian classical dance project will
showcase the talents of a group of South
Asian students currently studying the
Bharathanatyam dance form. It will take
place on 28 April in Temple Hall and has
been organised with the assistance of
the families of the performing students,
all coached and trained by Sanjeewa
Winojith, an international student who
graduated last year with an MA in
Applied Theatre. The event will also
launch a South Asian Association with a
view to promoting, maintaining and
celebrating the diverse cultures of the
Asian communities living in York. Funds
will be raised at this event for Save the
Children.
BME Guide
I am working on the final stages of the
BME Guide to enhance higher education
opportunities for BME learners. The guide is
based on activities and research conducted
in partnership with the Sangat Community
Centre in Keighley, West Yorkshire. The
research included focus groups with Asian
men and women of different ages and
different educational achievements, all of
whom participated in York St John courses.
A seminar and launch of the BME Guide
will take place in May.
A workshop for the Turkish
women’s group
06
Discussion groups during the 2011
Thinking Out Loud conference.
07

FOCUS ON…
“We ensure that the student experience at
York St John is challenging and exciting.”
08
Learning &
Teaching
Development
Mandy Ashgar, Head of
Learning & Teaching
Development
This year’s Talking About
Teaching event, held on
27 January in the Fountains
Learning Centre, was a
dynamic opportunity for
staff to engage in shaping
the University’s approach
to learning, teaching and
assessment. “Colleagues shared ideas and
were proactive in thinking about how we
can move forward to achieve exceptional
practice,” says Mandy Asghar, Head of
Learning & Teaching Development.
“We were pleased that 75 people attended
the event, and using the Library as the
venue was a popular move – everyone
made great use of this exciting new space.”
“Our role is quality
enhancement and support.”
The keynote speaker – David
Robinson, who leads the Early
Action Taskforce – provided
plenty of inspiration for the
interactive discussions.
These focused on eight objectives of the
Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy
2012-15. Mandy is leading the consultation
of the Strategy, which should be completed
and published by the end of March. “The
Strategy is a living document and I see
it developing on a rolling basis with the
involvement of staff and students. Our
role across the University is quality
enhancement and support,” she adds.
“We actively engage with staff to ensure
that learning, teaching and assessment
practices are innovative and effective.
We provide funding for innovation to
ensure that the student experience at York
St John is challenging and exciting.”
Through the Technology Enhanced
Learning (TEL) team, formerly e-Learning,
Learning & Teaching Development also
offers support and advice around the use
of technology to promote exceptional
learning and teaching, working creatively
with colleagues across the University. Core
projects within the TEL team include
developments with the Moodle and
e-portfolio systems. Another example is
an e-submission, marking and feedback
research project within the Business School.
“We support people to make it happen,”
explains Mandy.
Staff development opportunities are
promoted throughout the year. An
innovation this year was the input of
Learning & Teaching Development into
the academic staff induction process. A
programme of master classes, delivered
by well-known practitioners, is designed to
stimulate reflection on practice and to
promote fresh thinking. The next one will
take place on 3 July and Professor Sally
Brown, former Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Academic) and Professor of Higher
Members of the Learning & Teaching Development team: (left-right) Blayn Parkinson,
Mandy Asghar, Dasha Zhurauskaya, Lena Henderson, Mark Dransfield and Daniel Mackley.
Education Diversity in Teaching and
Learning at Leeds Metropolitan University,
will lead discussions on Masters Level
Teaching and Assessment.
A series of regular lunchtime conversations,
with lunch included, is helping the team to
disseminate good practice. They are also
working on a series of guides, which will be
available on their web pages – relaunched
at the end of February – alongside video
case studies. Mandy says, “We want to
encourage staff to use our support in
order to develop good ideas and we also
regularly develop our teaching and learning
resources for staff.”
The Students as Researchers scheme has
been very successful, with over 30 students
acting as researchers for staff projects in
2011. The researchers undergo a
selection process and then spend 65 or
130 hours over a year on a project. The
annual Thinking Out Loud conference
showcases a varied range of collaborative
research undertaken by students and staff
(also see page 7). The new set of projects
for 2012 is about to be advertised.
Teaching & Learning Development also
work closely with the University’s Teaching
Fellows. There are 40 in the network at
present and they meet regularly, acting as
change agents and driving forward
expert practices. “Our challenge is to
engage staff with the Learning, Teaching
and Assessment Strategy,” says Mandy,
“encouraging them to use the Strategy as
an opportunity to promote change and
development in learning, teaching and
assessment practices that will enhance the
student experience.”
Who we are
Mandy Asghar, Head of Learning &
Teaching Development, T: 6823
Mark Dransfield, TEL Adviser, T: 6729
Lena Henderson, Learning and Teaching
Development Co-ordinator, T: 6305
Andy Little, Media Assistant, T: 6352
Daniel Mackley, TEL Trainer, T: 6987
Blayn Parkinson,
Learning Technologist, T: 6973
Dasha Zhurauskaya,
Student Officer, T: 6471
Want to find out more?
Visit our web pages – www.yorksj.ac.uk/
ltd/ltd.aspx – for news about Teaching
Fellows, events – including a video of
this year’s Talking About Teaching
conference, teaching opportunities,
Student Researchers, curriculum
enhancement projects, CPD framework,
case studies.
09

Student Services update
Focus on mentoring schemes
In the spotlight
Charlie Martineau, Language Support Tutor
Dear Buddy Group,
I want to say thank you!
Thanks a lot for your
concern to solve every
problem we meet by
sending us to BUS, which
can help us easily figure
out what is the life here
in YSJ, York and even
UK. I’m so appreciate of
the scheme.
New student from China
This message is representative of the very
positive response by new students to the
new peer-mentoring programme currently
being piloted by Student Services in
cooperation with YSJ International. The
Buddy Up Scheme (BUS) provides
comprehensive training for current students
and matches them with students new
to the University to help to support their
induction and ease them into life here.
Mentors make contact with new students
prior to their arrival and then support them
throughout their first semester. The pilot
provides Buddies for all international and
study abroad students starting in January.
10
“An
The team of Buddies have already started
communicating with their mentees via
e-mail and some of the early feedback
has been encouraging. In addition to the
benefits for the new students, BUS provides
an excellent opportunity for Buddies to
develop the many skills and qualities that
employers are looking for and will be an
excellent addition to any student’s CV.
If the evaluation of the pilot proves to be
positive, the scheme will be rolled out
across the University over the next two
years, eventually providing all new students
with a mentor and current students with
the opportunity to develop transferable
mentoring skills. We will be advertising for
the next group of Buddies during Semester
2 – if you know of any students who
could mentor new students starting in
September, please encourage them to
E: buddy@yorksj.ac.uk for more details.
Through a related programme, Level 3
students will have the opportunity to
further enhance their employability
prospects by being mentored by York St
John graduates who will support them in
achieving their career aspirations. Building
on the extensive research into the benefits
of career mentoring, the Alumni Careers
Enhancement Scheme (ACES) is an exciting
joint initiative between the Alumni
Development Office and Student Services,
which will be piloted in Semester 2. The
scheme will encourage a collaborative
relationship with a focus on the
enhancement of the student’s career
growth and skill development.
For mentees, the value of developing an
on-going relationship with a mentor in
their discipline or career area can be
tremendously beneficial in boosting
confidence, learning sector-specific skills
and developing networks. For mentors, the
scheme provides the opportunity to share
their experience and skills with the next
generation of graduates, develop
mentoring skills through additional
training, and identify new talent or
potential business colleagues. There has
been an enthusiastic response from alumni
to the scheme and we are currently in the
process of matching the first group of
mentors to our students.
excellent opportunity to
develop the skills and qualities
that employers need.”
Describe your role and
Language Support at the
University
I help international students with their
English, providing an ‘on demand’ service.
I think Language Support is one of the
University’s best kept secrets! There are
about 450 international students, and I
work with undergraduates, postgraduates,
exchange students – and students from the
range of English language courses provided
by YSJ International. I offer a one-to-one
service as well as workshops and
conversation opportunities. I also maintain
a web presence (www.yorksj.ac.uk/
englishhelp) with huge amounts of online
support and a library and study room in
Holgate 137. I try to make sure I meet as
many of the new students as I can each
year, and liaise with colleagues in Student
Services and across the campus to make
sure international students are aware of
what I offer. There is never a dull moment!
I work with students who have recently
achieved the University’s language
requirement (IELTS Band 6.0) and others
who have quite a sophisticated knowledge
of English. I also provide in-sessional
support for the MBA course.
What attracted you
to language support as
a career?
I’ve always been involved in some kind
of teaching and language support was a
natural progression. I like working with
students and with their tutors, building
bridges across the whole University. I’m
studying for an MA in Applied Linguistics:
TESOL with Rachel Wicaksono, which I
should complete next year, and this is
providing me with a great opportunity to
develop academically. The course allows
me to gear much of my study specifically to
the work I do in Language Support,
which is great.
What is your career
background?
I have an English degree from Cambridge
and followed that with teaching
qualifications and worked in teacher
training. I taught Business English for many
years, working with clients from companies
such as Pirelli, Deutsche Bank, Novartis,
Volkswagen, Kuwait Oil Corporation and
Smith & Nephew in India, Spain, Kuwait,
Germany and the UK. I think having spent
so much time abroad is a real plus. I was
Director of Education at Harrogate
Language Academy before taking up this
part-time post in September 2010.
Why did you want to work
at York St John?
A university is a very cooperative
environment when you compare it with
private enterprise and there are great
values at York St John. We build on each
other’s work. It’s also exciting to be doing
something different.
Is there such a thing as a
‘typical day’ for you?
There are typical elements – one-to-one
appointments, working on writing,
pronunciation, grammar, understanding
spoken English or fluency practice, for
example – plus Academic English workshops
and Conversation Classes.
What are your aims when
working with students?
I want to help students to achieve their
own goals and complete their courses.
The more I get to know subject tutors, what
they require, their expectations, the more
I can provide support. One aspect of this is
helping students understand the unspoken
assumptions within our culture about what
constitutes a good essay, for example; and
these vary from department to
department.
Charlie Martineau
What are your current
challenges?
Trying to meet current needs – there isn’t
enough time! I’m also working to improve
services with a view to future increased
demand. To do this, getting to know the
academic staff is a must.
How do you spend
your time away from York
St John?
I’m a published author and examiner for
IELTS, the International English Language
Testing System, and I do voice-over work for
corporate and study videos. I also spend as
much time as possible with my family and I
find time for the gym, cooking, walking
and films.
11

The view from the
Students’ Union
A marked increase in the
number of students attending
the Annual General Meeting
on 15 December, compared
to previous years, is testimony
to the success of the Students’
Union’s push to promote
engagement by its members.
The changes to the democratic structure,
as detailed in the last issue of Yorktalk,
were approved by a large majority. And so
the focus is now on the elections for the
new Sabbatical posts and other student
representative roles on 23 February. The
results will be announced on 1 March.
“I hope the elections will be highly
contested this year,” says Daniel Ridsdale,
Vice President Education and Welfare.
“There has been a lot of interest, especially
for the Faculty Chairs. It would be great to
see a new diversity coming through
as well.”
The first Programme Rep Conference
took place on 27 January, which enabled
delegates to discuss how they interact with
the Union and their courses. Deputy Vice
Chancellor Professor David Maughan Brown
spoke on ‘The importance of representation
in Higher Education’ and group sessions
included a focus on active listening skills
and the importance of social media and
12
Y UC O AN C H A N G E
Y U O RU NI VE S R IT Y
WWW. SJS U. Y O M C
1. PICK UP A COMMENT
CARD & TELL US WHAT YOU
WANT TO CHANGE ABOUT
THE UNIVERSITY OR UNION.
communications. Daniel comments,
“We were delighted to welcome Rachel
Wenstone, a member of the Executive
Committee of the National Union of
Students (NUS), to close the day. She
spoke about ‘Programme Reps and the
National Agenda’.”
A new campaign for this year – Be Part Of
It – is actively encouraging students to take
part in – and set up their own – societies.
“We’ve been running a Societies’ Roadshow
on campus and have over 20 societies as
part of the Union now,” explains Daniel,
“and over 20 sports teams. More than
1,200 students are involved in this way.
We’ve had a good response to our efforts
to encourage our members to think of the
Union as more than a drinking venue. They
are also aware of the need to enhance their
CVs, and joining a society is a great way
to do this.”
The Union is working closely with the
University to promote the National Student
Survey with the aim of achieving the
highest level of completion so far. Daniel
says, “Students want to have their say and
this is one chance to make a difference for
students in the future. They have until the
end of April to complete the survey. We
are also actively engaged in promoting
ourselves on Twitter, Facebook and our
re-designed website, which can get up to
2,000 hits a week. Our viral videos –
including Soapbox and my own Ask Dan!
– are really popular and were mentioned
in the NUS’s Spotlight online magazine in
January. Following the A Level results in the
summer, we had many contacts from
potential students through social media.
They are using this as a way to find out
about the Union and the University. We also
had parents checking us out online and
calling us for information to inform their
decision making.”
“Our website can
get up to 2,000 hits
a week.”
1. 2. 3.
2 .
3 . MAKE SURE YOU
S T A N D
I N T H E E L E C T I O N S V O T E
Opinion
Mentoring and coaching (M&C) has a vital role to
play in many spheres of activity across the campus.
Bob Garvey, who has recently joined York St John Business
School as the Professor of Business Education, reflects
on the development of M&C and why it is of such
significance today.
We can trace mentoring right back to the
ancient world. Homer provides us with the
first direct link: the original Mentor was a
friend and adviser of Telemachus, Odysseus’
son, in the epic poem, The Odyssey. Mentor
provided vital developmental support to
Telemachus as he was prepared for
kingship. Many ideas on mentoring
presented by Homer remain relevant today.
François Fénélon, Archbishop of Cambrai
and tutor to Louis XIV’s grandson, the Duke
of Burgundy, developed the mentoring
theme of The Odyssey in his Les Aventures
de Télémaque, in which Mentor denounces
war, luxury and selfishness and provides
advice on how to rule. On its publication in
1699, the work was recognised by
contemporaries as a satire on the
autocratic reign of Louis XIV, who was so
angered that he banished Fénélon from
Versailles – he was sacked!
Fénélon influenced other writers including
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Louis-Antoine
Caraccioli and Honoria. They all drew on his
mentoring model of reflective questioning,
listening, challenge and support. Lord
Byron and Lord Chesterfield presented
three versions of mentor – the ‘stern’
mentor, the ‘friendly’ mentor and the
‘flexible’ mentor. As a precursor to the
idea of holistic development, Caraccioli
suggested that mentoring was about both
the ‘heart’ and the ‘mind’. In the main,
authors were discussing one-to-one male
relationships but Honoria introduced group
mentoring for women. Her books are
accounts of educational conversations with
the mentor, Amanda.
The earliest use of the term ‘coaching’ in
English is found in Thackery’s Pendennis
(1849). He presented coaching as support
for academic attainment at the University
of Oxford. During the 19th century,
coaching meant ‘to enhance performance’
in boating and rowing skills. The Evening
Standard (14 February 1867) reported that
“The crew being coached by Mr. F.
Willan and Mr. G. Morrison, from the former
gentleman’s steamboat...” and the Daily
News (29 January 1889) covered the
Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, saying
that “The President superintended the
coaching from horseback.” And the
London Review (18 August 1866) said,
“The coach and the coachee can soothe
their consciences by the reflection...”
This is probably the first recorded use of
the term ‘coachee’ and the emphasis on
reflection contrasts with the didactic stance
of other coaching citations of the period.
Life skills coaching is raised in a book
published in 1887 and, in 1888, Harrison
states that coaching is “… to teach the
defense of the wicket.”
Over 130 years later, coaching is still
about performance improvement but it
is also increasingly linked, as is mentoring,
to leadership development, transition and
change. Here at York St John, we are
contributing to this field through the recent
developments in the BA (Hons) in
Counselling, Coaching & Mentoring, offered
by the Faculty of Health & Life Sciences,
which is designed to provide the core
skills needed for working with people in a
supportive, facilitative or developmental
capacity.
Coaching is often a paid activity;
mentoring is voluntary. Both coaching
and mentoring include explorations
of the emotions and this resonates with
Caraccioli’s call to educate the ‘mind’
Professor Bob Garvey
and the ‘heart’. Many of the characteristics
of ‘mentor’ outlined in historical works are
seen as desirable in modern coaching
practice. Mentoring is found in all sectors
of society and is often about ‘off line’
holistic learning relationships. Mentoring is
voluntary and involves mutual learning as
the mentor contributes to the discussion by
sharing experience. In practice, the terms
mentoring and coaching have become
synonymous.
Historical references
Caraccioli, L.A. (1760) The true mentor,
or, an essay on the education of young
people in fashion, J. Coote at the Kings
Arms in Paternoster Row, London
De La Mothe-Fénélon, F.S. (1808)
The Adventures of Telemachus Vols 1 & 2
Trans. Hawkesworth, J. Union Printing
Office, St. John’s Square, London
Honoria (1793) The Female Mentor or
select conversations, Vol 1&2 pub.
T. Cadell, The Strand, London, UK
Honoria (1796) The Female Mentor or
select conversations, Vol 3 pub. T. Cadell,
The Strand, London, UK
13

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Foundation Day
celebrations
Wednesday 28 March 2012
The University will celebrate Foundation
Day on 28 March and all staff and students
are invited to join the activities and events
throughout the day. This special occasion
marks the anniversary of the day when
York St John (then known as York Diocesan
Training School) opened its doors to its first
pupil, Edward Cordukes, in 1841.
Please confirm which event/s you would
like to attend, along with your name and
the number of people, to the Conference
and Events Office by Friday 16 March
2012: E: events@yorksj.ac.uk or T: 6654.
Tickets for Lord Puttnam’s lecture are
available at www.goyorklordputtnam.
eventbrite.com
Programme of events
11.30am-12.15pm
Chapel service, led by Revd Lukas Njenga
12.30pm-2.00pm
Foundation Day celebration event and
lunch (Quad South Hall); afternoon tea style
buffet served; exhibitions and archives
12.30pm-12.45pm
Yorkulele performance
12.45pm-1.00pm
Welcome speeches, Vice Chancellor
Professor David Fleming and Alumni &
Development Manager Brett Arnall
1.00pm
Launch of film York St John University
Past and Present
1.15pm-1.30pm
Students’ Union Sabbatical handover
1.30pm-2.00pm
Yorkulele performance
2.00pm-3.00pm
Heritage tour of campus, meet in
Arts foyer (open to public)
2.00pm-3.00pm
Global Friends afternoon tea (SU Cafe Bar)
3.00pm-6.00pm
York St John University Past and Present
will be shown in DG014 every half hour
until 6.00pm
3.30pm-4.30pm
Heritage tour of campus, meet in
Arts foyer (open to public)
5.45pm-6.30pm
Arrival refreshments for Go York lecture
(Fountains Lecture Theatre)
6.30pm-7.30pm
Go York lecture with Lord Puttnam of
Queensgate CBE
7.30pm-9.00pm
Foundation Day Quiz (Students’ Union) –
hamper for winner! (open to staff
and students)
Then and now - images from
University’s photo archive.
Crush Bar lawn
Following the
recent removal
of the
temporary
building
adjacent to the
Crush Bar, the
Grounds and
Maintenance
teams have
been working
to improve the space. Head Gardener
Rob Scott has produced a planting scheme
to reintroduce a mixed grass and bordered
area to brighten up this area of the
campus. Seating will be placed around the
edge of the grass to ensure the space can
be enjoyed by all. The area is expected to
be fully open in mid-April once the grass
has had time to establish itself.
Getting to
know you
Just One Street tells the story of the origins
of North Parade in York , the Edwardian
terrace where former York St John
literature tutor Elizabeth Sandie has lived
for 16 years. Just One Street (£9.99 ISBN
978-0-9570422-0-9) won a commission
from Creative North Yorkshire. Reprinted
in January, it is on sale at Explore York;
The Little Apple Bookshop, Petergate; and
Janette Ray’s, Bootham. Elizabeth will give
an illustrated talk on Tuesday 6 March
(1.00pm-2.00pm)
at St Olave’s Church
Hall, off Marygate,
for the International
Women’s Festival.
For further details,
E: ea.sandie@
talktalk.net
Value and Virtue
in Practice-Based
Research
11-12 July 2012
The second International Value
and Virtue in Practice-Based Research
Conference, organised by the Faculty
of Education & Theology, will focus
on the theme of Articulating our
Values and Virtues and will be led by
Professors Jean McNiff and Julian Stern.
To find out more, including details
of how to submit an abstract, visit
www.yorksj.ac.uk/valueandvirtue
Managing the lime trees
The lime trees along Lord
Mayor’s Walk are a notable
feature of the University’s
grounds. Management of their
size is an ongoing project.
A new row of trees was planted about
six years ago with the intention that the
mature trees be topped or removed at
some time in the future. To remove all the
trees at the same time would have given
the biggest benefit to the newly planted
trees; however, this would have caused a
huge change in their visual impact. With
this in mind, the work has been phased
over a 20-year period. All of the mature
trees have now been topped and 13 of the
weakest trees have been removed – they
were in a poor state and rotting from the
core. In five years time, the 20 remaining
trees will be pollarded (pruned back nearly
to the trunk to encourage dense growth),
reducing the risk of falling branches; the
Students prepare for project
in Bangladesh
Students Richard Kirby (Sport), Hanna Al-Afaleq (Psychology)
and Kevin Jones (Counselling) are embarking on an exciting
project to the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed
(CRP) in Bangladesh.
They will be accompanied by a lecturer from each discipline and the aim of their
trip is to implement sport, counselling and psychology opportunities to patients and
staff at the Centre through a project on reducing stress. The lecturers will also be
scoping further placement opportunities in the hope that more of their students can
join the occupational therapy and physiotherapy students who already access CRP as a
very successful placement. Richard is keen to raise extra funds to support the work
of Valerie Taylor and her team at CRP whilst he is there in May. If you would like to
contribute to the work of the CRP via their placement please visit
www.justgiving.com/Richard-Kirby0
intention is to remove another 10 trees in
10 years; and re-pollarding to take place
five years later. Then, finally, following a
further 20 years, the final 10 trees will be
removed, giving way for the new row of
limes. All the work has been undertaken in
line with a tree survey and approved by the
City of York Council Tree Officer.
A view of the ‘topped’ lime trees and (inset)
the diseased trees stumps.
2012 alumni dates
for your diary
Wednesday 2 May
YSJ fun run/walk (York Racecourse,
6.00pm start). Run or walk, fancy dress?
You choose!
Saturday 26 May
Day at the Races 1 (York Racecourse,
time TBC), tickets available from the
Alumni Development Office from 1 April
for £23 (usual price £35).
Saturday 30 June
YSJ Skydive (North Lincolnshire,
time TBC), register your interest at
E: alumni@yorksj.ac.uk
Saturday 13 October
Day at the Races 2 (York Racecourse,
time TBC), tickets available from the
Alumni Development Office from
1 August for £19 (usual price £28).
For further information, please
E: alumni@yorksj.ac.uk
14
15

NOTICE BOARD
Events
For a comprehensive list of all events
please go to www.yorksj.ac.uk/events
Focus on…
Music Concert Series
Come and listen to a wide variety of
musical styles and genres that reflect the
creative skill and knowledge of our staff,
students and visiting artists. March
highlights include Honorary Fellow
Wolfgang Mastnak performing Mozart’s
Piano Concerto in D minor, K466, with the
University Chamber Orchestra and also
York’s popular signing choir, Hands and
Voices. Go online to find out more at
www.yorksj.ac.uk/events
Staff development
Full details of all staff development courses
and events can be found on the Staff
Infohub. If you wish to book a place, please
contact Staff Development on T: 6571
or E: staffdevelopment@yorksj.ac.uk
Welcome to the following new
members of staff
Gemma Alldred,
Converge Project Lead, Arts
Hassan Azeez,
Short Courses & Events Administrator,
YSJ International
Sally-Ann Brassington,
Project Officer, Registry
Natalie Butcher,
Lecturer, Health & Life Sciences
Jedde de Vries,
Lecturer, Health & Life Sciences
Ritchard Emm,
Lecturer/SL, Arts
Nicola Forshaw,
Lecturer, Arts
David Garfield, EFL Tutor – Academic
Co-ordinator, YSJ International
Hannah Gilbert,
Lecturer, Education & Theology
Aidan Lucas,
Technician/Demonstrator – Design, Arts
Moira Naismith,
EFL Tutor – Military English, YSJ International
Simon Pattison,
Lecturer/SL, Arts
Anna Read,
Senior Research Asst, Health & Life Sciences
Sarah Richardson,
Accommodation Asst, Facilities
Helen Sauntson,
Senior Lecturer, YSJ Business School
Jennifer Squires,
Facilities Officer, Facilities
Ian Tan,
Director of International Development
(Asia), Vice Chancellor’s Office
Charlotte Thomas,
Senior Human Resources Advisor,
Human Resources
Gerry Turvey,
Lecturer, Arts
Jonathan Welsch,
Lecturer/SL, Arts
Rachel Wilson,
Student Communications Officer,
Admissions & Marketing
We would like to thank the
following staff for their valuable
service to York St John and to
wish them all the best for their
future endeavours
Stuart Bentley,
Information Support Librarian, ICT and
Library Services
Matthew Coxon,
Lecturer, Health & Life Sciences
Julie Dickinson,
Senior Lecturer, Health & Life Sciences
Przemyslaw Duklas,
EFL Tutor – Aviation English,
YSJ International
Simon Mollan,
Senior Lecturer, YSJ Business School
Michael Sheard,
Senior Lecturer, Health & Life Sciences
Diana Wetherell Terry,
Deputy Dean, YSJ Business School
Katie Wood,
EFL Tutor/Teacher Trainer, YSJ International
Contact Yorktalk
Any comments, news or stories for the Summer 2012 issue?
Please contact Amy Hall in the Marketing department on T: 6466 or
E: a.hall@yorksj.ac.uk with your suggestions by Friday 20 April.
This magazine is also available online and in other formats. Please contact
the Marketing department on T: 6960 or E: marketing@yorksj.ac.uk