Since 2011 Southampton Hub has been working with incredible students and our amazing local community to mainstream student social action. Our programmes empower students to engage with their local community and make change.
It is definitely a unique experience that most students do not experience. Taking time out in the day from my lectures to spend time and do something I enjoy that also has a beneficial impact motivated me more to do well in my studies, as it was a reminder of my aims and goals for the future.
— Weronika Szczepan

Impact
We aim to support students to create positive social change in their communities. Last year, Southampton Hub worked with:
294
University of Southampton students
33
Community partners
840
Community members
Our impact with the local community
In the local Southampton community we:
- Develop pupils’ subject understanding, confidence, resilience and motivation through Schools Plus and Libraries Plus. Ultimately supporting young people to have improved educational attainment, tackling educational inequality
- Build young people’s confidence in setting goals, self-awareness, relationships with others and self-belief through Empower. Leading to improved expectations for future life
- Empower young people to develop critical thinking skills and learn about social issues through Inspire, Debate, Change workshops. Civil education to develop active citizenship
- Deliver free activity days for 7-11 year olds and student mentors through Branch Up. Developing key social and emotional skills, self-belief and new relationships ultimately raising expectations to provide a better chance of success in life
- Facilitate engineering and STEM workshops to support young people to develop core skills in problem solving and teamwork through Invent Plus
Our impact with students
Students who engage in our programmes develop:
- Critical engagement, including an understanding of social issues, and a passion to continue tackling them
- Wellbeing, including sense of belonging and connection with the university and local communities
- Skills for life, including confidence, leadership, resilience and teamwork
- Student experience, including their attainment, retention and progression within higher education
Supported by


