Engaging Liberation Groups

This toolkit helps make activities more accessible, recognizing that everyone’s journey to university is different and can affect how they engage with projects, activities, or sports teams.

Use this guide to understand barriers students might face when getting involved and find ways to challenge those barriers and problematic behaviours.

• Liberation: Seeking equal status and freedom from oppression.
• Accessibility: Being easily reached or used by people with disabilities.
• Privilege: Perceived rights or advantages available to a particular group.

Certain groups face additional obstacles due to their identity. Common issues include underrepresentation, damaging stereotypes, and phobic behaviours. Find out more about Keele SU’s Student Networks.

• Disabled students: Physical or mental conditions can limit activities. Barriers include prolonged activities without breaks, inaccessible venues, and extended background noise. Find support through the Disabled Students’ Network.
• Women: May face sexist language, harassment, undervaluation of opinions, and impostor syndrome. Connect with the Women’s Network.
• LGB+ and trans students: May encounter homophobic or transphobic language, harmful stereotypes, erasure of identities, misgendering, dead-naming, and a lack of gender-neutral toilets. Find community through the LGBTQ+ Students’ Network.
• B.A.M.E. / Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) students: May face racist language, erasure of identities, stereotyping, and tokenism. Find community through the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) Network.

• Mature students and carers: Childcare needs and evening activities can make participation difficult. Find community through the Mature and Carer Students’ Network.
• Commuting students: May feel isolated from the student community.
• Students of faith: May feel isolated from the student community.
• Students from lower economic backgrounds: May face financial barriers to participating in events.
• International students: May face additional barriers to getting involved. Connect with the International Students’ Network.
• Postgraduate students: Find peers and community through the Postgraduate Students’ Network.

• Ensure activities with prolonged physical activity have comfort breaks.
• Listen to and value the opinions of your members, reacting to their needs.
• Assess spaces for accessibility, considering background noise and mobility.
• Avoid patronizing language and challenge members who use it.
• Communicate directly with disabled students, not through their aides.
• Make decisions with, not for, disabled students.
• Create a representative role for disabled students, ensuring it is meaningful and elected by the disabled membership.
• Participate in SU training related to inclusion and accessibility, involving as many members as possible.

Your Elected Officers

Part-Time Officers: The student body elects part-time officers to represent different backgrounds and types of students, including liberation groups. Check the full list to see who is representing you at the Students’ Union.

Societies and Sports Clubs: Explore the many societies and sports clubs at your Students’ Union for collaboration or participation.

SU Staff:

• Student Voice Team: su.voice@keele.ac.uk provides demographic data and support for liberation activities and campaigns.
• ASK - Advice and Support at Keele: su.ask@keele.ac.uk offers confidential support for financial, housing, mental health, academic, and legal issues.

Keele Student Services: Supports students facing financial, housing, mental health, academic, and legal issues, with specific staff contacts for various student groups.

• 14,320 students in total.
• About 14% have a declared disability
• About 40% are BAME
• About 40% are mature students
• About 70% are women
• About 30% are international students

Engage with your members to understand their needs and make activities more inclusive and accessible. You can also connect with Keele SU’s Student Networks to hear from and work alongside student communities.