Julia Sherriffs, Lead Equalities Officer and Women’s Officer at FCSA (left) and Carol Hunter, FCSA Student President (right) are pictured.
Fife College Students’ Association is delighted to have been shortlisted for two National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland Awards.
The nominations include, overall College Students’ Association of the Year for the team and an individual nomination for Craig Walker, Fife College Students’ Association Manager who has been shortlisted in the Staff Member of the Year category.
Now in its ninth year, the NUS Scotland Awards are an annual celebration of the excellent work Students’ Associations, officers and staff do across Scotland.
The awards are an opportunity to share best practice, showcase outstanding results and recognise the impact of Students’ Associations and what they do to make a difference to students in their everyday lives.
Work undertaken by the FCSA, over the last four years, has seen a dramatic rise in student engagement while the number of Student Officers currently working on campus has also doubled.
Ground breaking new processes have made the Students Association more inclusive to all regardless of age, socio-economic background and experience. Processes like Participatory Budgeting have also allowed students to take control of the Student Associations’ financial spending capabilities without a complex understanding of budgeting.
Students are also gaining more benefits from participating with the new Class Rep reward system and the Open Volunteer Badges where the students can gain valuable experience which is documented in a way that is meaningful to potential employers.
Other work by the FCSA includes the implementation of a range of initiatives to promote student health and wellbeing which was previously recognised at last year’s Healthy Body Healthy Mind Awards, run in partnership between the NUS Scotland and Scottish Student Sport.
The FCSA’s work on mental health included leading on the creation and introduction of a joint Student Mental Health Agreement between the FCSA and College.
The FCSA have also played a central role in helping deliver this project to other College’s and were involved with the recruitment of the College’s Health and Wellbeing adviser; a joint project with NHS Fife which helps to direct students to the NHS services to support their health and wellbeing.
FCSA President Carol Hunter, said: “We are extremely grateful to have been shortlisted for two NUS Scotland Awards, including College Students' Association of the Year! Craig has been shortlisted for Staff Member of the Year for the second year running and is the only nominee from a college to be shortlisted two years in a row. He deserves the recognition for the ground breaking work that he does.”
“The FCSA team and officers are committed to developing and expanding the work we do to give a tangible benefit to our students. We would like to thank everyone who has helped us to achieve this recognition and to say how much we all enjoy working on behalf of the students at Fife College.”
Fife College Principal Hugh Hall, said: “Fife College has the best Students’ Associations amongst Scotland’s Colleges. Their work is very much student-led and student centred and they play a vital part in supporting the wider team here at Fife College. With their boundless energy and enthusiasm, Fife College Students Association represents the best interests of our students. I am delighted to see the FCSA achieve national recognition and we wish them well deserved success at the forthcoming awards.”
The Awards are judged by an experienced panel from across the education sector with winners announced on Thursday 21 March at the DoubleTree by Hilton Dunblane at NUS Scotland Conference.
For further information about Fife College Students’ Association, visit the FCSA webpage or call 0344 2480115.
