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  • Community spotlights

Community spotlights

This is a space dedicated to recognising the work allies are doing across the OU and Open SU. Keep reading to find out more about the positive and sustainable impact of allyship in the OU for marginalised communities.
 

Articles

A headshot of Scarlet.

Studying with a chronic illness as a student rep

Hear from Scarlet, our Disabled Students Group Events Officer, on her experience studying with chronic illness.

Fri 14 Nov 2025
allyshipStudent stories
The trans flag (horizontal lines of blue, pink and white) chalked onto a street.

Belonging matters – our support for trans students (by Ross Thorne and Lauren Atkin-Hill)

Mon 10 Nov 2025
allyship
 

Hoot articles

Top tips on being a trans ally

Reflections on a unique SiSE graduation


Submit your story

What does being an ally mean to you? We’d love to hear from you about your perspective on (or experience with) allyship.

Send your story to oustudents-media@open.ac.uk (if you’re comfortable to) and we’ll help you share it. This could be in the format of an article, a short video, or perhaps an audio recording, but feel free to ask if you have any questions.

When putting your story together, consider questions like:

  • What does effective allyship look like to you in the university context?
  • What actions from allies have made a real difference to your experience here?
  • What do you wish allies understood better? This can provide incredibly insightful and practical guidance for allyship education and application.
 
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Address: PO Box 397, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6BE
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