Ayrshire College students have been gaining news skills, making industry connections and supporting local causes thanks to The Student Association at Ayrshire College and its funding scheme.
The Student Association Funding Scheme is designed to encourage students to access support for extracurricular initiatives while fostering the development of ‘meta skills’ like problem-solving, communication and teamwork. A wide range of activities have been funded this year, including:
• Enterprise skill-building resources for students involved in entrepreneurial projects.
• NC Oral Health Care dental nurse students visited Glasgow Science Centre in February to see a new interactive dentist exhibit.
• Outdoor adventure days, aimed at building teamwork and resilience.
• A history-focused visit to the Maritime Museum, which enhanced a class project for additional support needs students based at our Kilwinning Campus.
The scheme allows students and staff to apply for up to £500 for projects or resources that benefit their classes or larger student groups. This year The Student Association allocated £6,000 to the fund from its annual budget and Ayrshire College supplemented this with an additional £2,000.
Sophie Shankley, who is studying the PDA in Painting and Decorating (level 6) at Ayrshire College, applied for £500 from The Student Association Funding Scheme earlier this year to support Megan’s Space, a local mental health charity.
In February, Megan’s Space delivered a series of workshops to more than 100 students at our Ayr Campus. The mental health sessions were tailored to equip students with coping strategies, raise awareness of mental health issues and encourage open conversations around emotional wellbeing.
Sophie requested this donation as a gesture of thanks for that work and to support the local charity which supports individuals facing mental health challenges.
She said: “Megan’s Space has been a lifeline for many students. This donation is our
way of showing appreciation for their incredible work and ensuring they can continue to help others.”
Other funded projects included a range of industry-based trips, allowing students to explore their chosen fields and engage with professionals. These ranged from a visit by facial therapy technician students to Auchrannie Spa and Resort, a trip to the music production studio Blazing Griffin for music and sound production students, a workshop at Charlotte Tilbury in Glasgow for make-up artistry students and a successful trip for hospitality students to ScotHot at SEC Glasgow.
The funding scheme, designed to support student-led initiatives, is just one example of how the College empowers its learners to make a difference.