5th July 2018
University Centre South Devon (UCSD) and South Devon College Students’ Union is delighted to have won the ‘Relationships and Partnerships’ Award at the NUS Awards 2018. The category recognises how UCSD has demonstrated and strengthened their commitment to relationships and connections with their Students’ Union members and stakeholders.
The NUS Awards celebrate the work and dedication carried out by Students’ Unions across the country. The awards celebrate all Students’ Unions officers and staff from both further and higher education and highlight activities from campaigning and diversity to education and student opportunities.
The judging panel, made up of experienced individuals from across the sector, praised the high-quality submissions and the range of diverse and valuable work being carried out by Union’s across the UK. In relation to the UCSD submission they “were impressed with the execution of the plan to increase volunteering working in close partnership with the institution and community.”
Higher Education students studying at UCSD are associated to two independent Students’ Unions: South Devon College Student Union (SDCSU) as the delivering institution and University of Plymouth Student Union (UPSU) as the validating institution.
L-R Jon Hall – Deputy Higher Education Manager – UCSD, Thea Jones – Higher Education Employability and Enterprise Coordinator – UCSD, Sarah Davey – UPSU Director of Membership Development and Alex Doyle – UPSU Vice President Activities
This award recognises the work undertaken this year to promote volunteering opportunities to UCSD students in partnership with University of Plymouth Student Union (UPSU) Volunteering and Volunteer Centre Torbay.
UCSD has worked hard to raise the profile of volunteering opportunities to its students through fairs, forums and drop-in sessions. Volunteering provides the chance for students to gain hands-on experience and increases employability skills.
Contact was made with Volunteer Centre Torbay, part of Torbay Community Development Trust, to establish a relationship with a key organisation in the promotion and support of volunteering locally. This provided a strong platform from which to develop the profile of volunteering at UCSD and support students to discover volunteering opportunities.
As a result, a number of students have secured volunteer roles with organisations and over 400 extra-curricular hours have been logged by students.
UCSD will continue to work in partnership with both UPSU Volunteering and the Volunteer Centre Torbay, in the development of student volunteering and associated opportunities. There is a strong line of communication through which members of both organisations can seek advice, share good practice and identify and support new partnerships.
The UCSD Annual Volunteering fair will be held on Wednesday 10th October 2018.
For more information on studying at UCSD call 08000 21 31 81 or email [email protected] visit ucsd.ac.uk
