How can I get involved?
Access initiatives run by CUSU rely on the help of Cambridge students like you, who can add a realistic student perspective to presentations about student life and university. There are loads of different ways that you can contribute, listed below. We try to utilise people's different interests and skills - the e-magazine, for example, is being launched this year, for fluent writers who want to put their talents towards Access.
But Access is not a top-down initiative; it's a group effort. If you can think of ways that we could develop our student-led access work, then please email the CUSU Access Officer.
Join the Cambridge Ask-A-Student Facebook group to help answer questions from prospective students!
Small one-off tasks
(please email CUSU Access Officer to help out - no access experience needed!)
- Update copy for Student Life section of CUSU's online alternative prospectus www.applytocambridge.com
- Create more subject-specific Powerpoints for our Target Scheme Resource Bank, following the examples
- Write the student profile for the Linguistics course in CUSU's online alternative prospectus www.applytocambridge.com
- Re-write the student profile for the Music course in CUSU's online alternative prospectus www.applytocambridge.com
- Write copy for part or all of the two new Triposes HSPS and PBS in CUSU's online alternative prospectus www.applytocambridge.com. You haven't studied the Tripos yet, but if you have studied some of the constituent papers then that's the best we can do right now!
- Send an email to your old teachers to let them know about the Teachers' Area of CUSU's alternative prospectus website - you can use this template.
Build links with your hometown
Help schools in your area to become aware of CUSU Access and all the chances to interact with us and learn more about Cambridge.
Update the applytocambridge website
This is our alternative undergraduate prospectus website, written for students by students. You can help to make changes to this all year round.
Shadowing Scheme 2013
The most popular initiative we do (volunteer recruitment in October); an annual student-led residential for sixth form students. You need to sign up this October!
Target Visits
Visit a school in your home town to talk to sixth formers about university and Cambridge life
RAID Initiative
'Raising Aspirations, Informing Decisions' - an initiative for inspiring younger school pupils to think more about higher education and learning
Area Links Scheme
Volunteer for pre-organised target and access visits for schools specifically in your area, organised by colleges
Cambridge E-mentoring
Link up with a student online to help them explore and be inspired by their subjects, and learn more about Cambridge
Schools E-zine
An online magazine aimed at state sixth formers, written collaboratively by Cambridge students and sixth formers
Access Alumni Team
Launching in Easter 2012, this network will keep new graduates and alumni in the loop about CUSU Access initiatives that graduates can participate in