Higher education (HE) has traditionally been shaped for a specific type of student, but as widening participation initiatives are increasing opportunities for under-represented groups to attend (e.g., mature, disabled, those from a low socio-economic background, and care leavers), it is imperative to illuminate examples of best practice that are accessible and equitable once students are at university. This paper discusses the Writing Café, an interdisciplinary, peer facilitated space for students to explore writing techniques and strategies with trained student writing mentors. This will illustrate how the Writing Café is promoting inclusion for students who have been traditionally excluded from HE. The Writing Café encourages student partnership through its interdisciplinary nature, which empowers students to be experts in their work. This is challenging deficit and hierarchical approaches in academia, repositioning who has the power and knowledge in HE. The Writing Café provides a space out of formal teaching that has more support than independent learning, thus being considered a third space for learning (Hilsdon, 2014). The offer of hybrid Writing Café spaces has boosted inclusivity and accessibility through improving comfort and ease of access. Under-represented students are likely to face more barriers in HE, so supportive and accessible provision can combat many such barriers. The Writing Café’s success is highlighted by engagement, with the development of hybrid delivery increasing participation by 45%, with engagement for under-represented students being 10% more than the university demographic of such students. The Writing Café is illustrating how inclusion in academic practices is possible.

The Writing Café is a creative space for students to talk about academic writing across disciplines, and to support them to become better writers, underpinned by the philosophy of inclusion and inquiry. Originally located in a café on campus, in response to the pandemic, the Writing Café transitioned online considering the additional struggles that students might be experiencing as a result of the pandemic. Within days, it had moved online with no interruption of service. Attendance in the Digital Writing Café increased by 50% during lockdown, and the service was highlighted by the Gravity Assist report as one of the most innovative examples of how universities and colleges have responded to the pandemic by providing online support to their students. Due to the successes, the Digital Café now runs concurrently alongside The Writing Café in the Library providing a flexible service to meet the varying needs of the students. Though the Writing Café has always been a space that helps bridge the gap in supporting social mobility, this new flexible approach has seen a drastic increase in engagement from students who identify as from Access and Participation Plan (APP) categories. The presentation explored the evolution of the Writing Café to the new hybrid dual delivery model, with provision located physically at the heart of the campus in our Library café, alongside an online digital provision using zoom. Our Writing Mentors will share their experience and will discuss the impact on our student engagement.