The Returners’ Support Programme (RSP) was launched in 2017 in order to provide support for all colleagues returning from extended leave to minimise the impact on their career. This service is offered to both our academic and professional service colleagues. This blog post aims to help you understand what the RSP is, how to access it, the application process, and who to contact for further information. The information provided has been summarised in a more accessible format from the Returners’ Support Programme document which can be found here along with other documents needed for the application.
If you have any tips or advice on using the RSP, please leave a comment below for the rest of the parents to see!
Please note that this Programme does not cover periods of Academic Sabbatical Leave or Career Breaks.
We Will Discuss
Newcastle University is committed to encouraging and supporting the development of all colleagues and understands that returning from a long period of break can bring about challenges both for yourself and those around you. The RSP is built to help offer this additional support when needed to reduce the impact of leave. This programme further supports the University’s commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, removing barriers to progression, offering flexibility and ultimately creating a fully inclusive community in which all colleagues can thrive equally.
Who Can Apply
All colleagues returning to or joining Newcastle University after a period of at least 18 weeks (the leave can be taken in separate blocks but must add up to a total of at least 18 weeks within a year) of parental-related leave (e.g. maternity leave, adoption leave or shared parental leave) will be eligible to apply for the programme and receive financial support to get back to speed. Further information about eligibility can be found in our checklist below.
Support Available
Your line manager including your School/Institute/Service Manager are responsible for discussing with you how to plan your leave and return to work. Issues which need to be discussed include
- Who will be arranged to cover for your period of leave, including details of how this change will happen
- If you supervise PhD students, who will take over
- Will you use Keeping in Touch days?
There are many different forms of support available from RSP, below are a few of them
- Appointment of a fixed term technician during long term leave or after return
- Support with lab-based research, for example, cover to help get experiments up and running before your return.
- Reduction in admin/teaching (including student supervision)
- Rescheduling of teaching work or project work
- Enabling attendance at a conference or training course to refresh skills
- An extended cover period, for example, an additional one month before leave and an additional two months after leave so as to help in closing the knowledge gaps
- Returners’ coaching or mentoring
- A phased return to work (e.g. part time for an agreed number of weeks, increasing to full time)
- Enabling fractional contract hours by tapping into temporary/contingent/student employment
- Covering additional childcare costs for conference and/or training attendance
The Programme aims to support our colleagues and therefore aims to be flexible in its approach (within reason) and support can be personalised for your individual circumstances. If you would like to find out more please get in touch with Renita Barbour (For Families Project Coordinator) or your local RSP Coordinator. Please keep in the mind that the form of support you would like needs to be supported and approved by your line manager and School/Institute/Service Manager.
| Faculty | RSP Coordinator | EDI Officers |
| Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) | jo.faichney@newcastle.ac.uk | louise.wright@newcastle.ac.uk |
| Humanities & Social Sciences (HaSS) | Amy.Stewart@newcastle.ac.uk | Kelechi.dibie@newcastle.ac.uk |
| Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE) | Natalie.Hugall@newcastle.ac.uk | Eleanor.farrington@newcastle.ac.uk |
| Corporate Service & Infrastructure (CSI) | professionalservices.peopleservices@newcastle.ac.uk | Freya.Douglas-Oloyede@newcastle.ac.uk renita.barbour@newcastle.ac.uk |
| Finance, Business and Research (FBR) | ||
| Student & Academic Services (SAS) |
Funding Available
Funds available for the programme depends on each individual. Funding up to £10,000 to contribute towards supporting an additional post, or up to £5,000 for other forms of support. If leave is due to parenting/caring for a dependant with a disability then the financial limit does not apply, and reasonable adjustments will be made. For guidance on reasonable adjustments please contact our Colleague Disability Adviser, Jacqueline Blewett (jacqueline.blewett@newcastle.ac.uk)
Application Process
The Application Process is straightforward, applications for funding and support can be made either before going on leave or up to maximum of a year from returning from leave. If you would like to organise arrangements that need to be in place upon your return to work, you should submit your application at least 8 weeks prior to your return to work. Giving too short a notice period could mean that the support is not implemented immediately when you return to work. So do make sure you apply with adequate time for the support to be put in place.
- The applicant should complete Section 1 of the RSP form.
- Sending the RSP form to your line manager so they can complete Section 2 of the form.
- The applicant should then send the completed form to the RSP Coordinator, with a copy to their line manager and School/Institute/Service Manager. •
- The RSP Coordinator will then send the form to a Panel consisting of an EDI Director, a People Services colleague and one other independent colleague who will review the application accordingly. As the programme has a limited amount of funding, applications will be considered on their merit.
If approved, the RSP Coordinator will confirm the amount to be awarded and the period of the funding. If not approved, the RSP Coordinator will similarly inform the applicant and their line manager, with reasons for the rejection. - RSP Coordinator to obtain home unit cost centre details from applicant or line manager.
- RSP Coordinator to inform Finance of
- home unit cost centre details
- amount to be transferred so that money can be ‘moved’ accordingly, with cc to School/Institute/Service Manager & EDI Director.
Please note that if you change your expected return date significantly, after the University has accepted a start date for the additional post (if applicable), it may not be possible to alter the duration of the additional post.
In addition, for monitoring purposes, the RSP Coordinator will send the applicant, their line manager and School/Institute/Service Manager an evaluation to complete 3 months after the Returners’ Support Programme funding has ceased. They will be asked to reflect on how beneficial the support has been.
Written by Sandhaya Sritharan