Making fieldwork accessible and inclusive for all students

All students on geography, geology and environmental science courses are required to participate in fieldwork. For many students, the opportunity to visit new places and learn in natural settings is a big motivator in choosing to study their subject. However, this is not true for everyone, and we recognise that some students may feel anxious about participating in fieldwork, or find field activity challenging. This could be for a variety of reasons including (but not restricted to) physical disability, mental health conditions, social-communication issues (e.g. autistic spectrum conditions), concerns about physical fitness, worries around being in unfamiliar surroundings or cultures, or simply having no previous fieldwork experience and not knowing what to expect.

We aim to ensure that our undergraduate fieldwork is physically accessible, and that all students feel included in field activity, irrespective of any challenges they may encounter. To help achieve this:

• Students are invited and encouraged to discuss with academic staff any specific needs or adjustments that will help them to participate in field activity.
• All academic and technical staff involved in the delivery of fieldwork are trained in both physical and mental health first aid.
• Teaching and learning resources are available in a variety of formats, and digital technologies are available to support field data collection.