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12 November 2013

Press release

Pulling out of the nosedive

Two national organisations team up to help students transition to harsh post-uni realities.

Spokespersons are available for interview.

Stepping out from the euphoria of university campus life after graduation into the harsh world of work can be disorienting to some students who suddenly face the realities of debt, unemployment and tiring job applications among others.

In an effort to help them bridge the gap and find a meaningful niche in life, former students who went through and overcame the same challenges are returning to the campus of Warwick University to share their experience and lend a helping hand.

Leading the line-up is former chemistry student Dr Krish Kandiah, a published author and national director of a campaign on fostering and adoption.

"My call is for students to not just focus on maximising their earning potential but also to focus on how their life can make a difference to the nation and to the poor," said Krish.

Also in the line-up are Hester Meacock, a 26 year old primary school teacher who is hugely passionate about helping those in their 20s, Jenny Shortman who graduated with a Masters degree in social work and has had to deal with gossip and endless talk in the workplace about sex and relationships, James Lee who has great experience in the positives and negatives of gap years and Jon Bevan who brings an entrepreneurial flair to the discussion and talks about the realities behind the glitter and glamour of being your own boss.

The session is being organised by the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship which has teamed up with the Evangelical Alliance - Britain's largest organisation of evangelical Christians.

Pod Bhogal, head of communications for the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) said the One Life event at Warwick University is the first of five pilots to help Christian and non-Christian students to be better prepared for life after university.

"Time and again, we have seen that students who are actively involved in their local Christian Union are almost always involved with a local church and are, therefore, more likely to make a smoother transition from university life to the world of work. Their faith is less likely to unravel when they enter the world of work because of how they were encouraged to get involved in a local church whilst at the Christian Union," said Pod.

"Churches are increasingly investing in nurturing children and teenagers but when they reach their 20s and 30s - periods characterised by upheaval and huge life changes and big decisions - we certainly have a challenge to meet," said Phil Green of the Evangelical Alliance, "we are addressing that through many routes including a recently launched social networking programme named threads (threadsuk.com) which has attracted tens of thousands of young adults."

The One Life Midlands tour goes to Warwick University on Wednesday 13 November 2013, to Birmingham University on Thursday 14 November 2013, to Leicester University on 26 November 2013, to Keele University on 27 November 2013 and Nottingham University on 22 November 2013.

Media Enquiries

Terry Ally
Evangelical Alliance, London
Direct: 020 7520 3853
Mobile: 07734 194 445
info@eauk.org

Pod Bhogal
Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship
Direct: 01865 253 655
Mobile: 07769 688 073
info@eauk.org

Notes to Editors

The Evangelical Alliance
We are the largest and oldest body representing the UK's two million evangelical Christians. For more than 165 years, we have been bringing Christians together and helping them listen to, and be heard by, the government, media and society. We're here to connect people for a shared mission, whether it's celebrating the Bible, making a difference in our communities or lobbying the government for a better society. From Skye to Southampton, from Coleraine to Cardiff, we work across 79 denominations, 3,500 churches, 750 organisations and thousands of individual members. And we're not just uniting Christians within the UK – we are a founding member of the World Evangelical Alliance, a global network of more than 600 million evangelical Christians. Visit www.eauk.org for more information.

The Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship
UCCF: The Christian Unions is made up of over 200 university Christian Unions (CUs) representing thousands of students. CUswork in partnership with local churches in order to give every student in Great Britain an opportunity to find out about Christianity. For more information go to www.uccf.org.uk, follow @UCCF on Twitter or like UCCF's Facebook page.