New College Lanarkshire has been shortlisted for three awards at this year’s CDN College Awards.
The College has been named as a finalist in three categories of the prestigious annual awards, which celebrate innovation in Scotland’s college sector. The shortlisted awards are:
- ‘Employer Connections Award’ for NCL’s Pathways to Textile Care and Warehousing Programme;
- ‘Health and Wellbeing Award’ for NCL’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Recovery Plan;
- ‘Marketing and Communications Award’ for NCL’s You’re Not Alone Campaign.
NCL’s Pathways to Textile Care and Warehousing programme has been chosen as a finalist for ‘Employer Connections’, a category which recognises a creative and sustained approach that a college has taken to enhance active, effective and sustained engagement activity with employers.
The programme, which is delivered in conjunction with sustainable fashion company ACS Clothing and North and South Lanarkshire councils, provides training opportunities to increase employment pathways, particularly for young people with additional support needs.
Students learn skills and knowledge to prepare them for a career in warehousing, logistics or sustainable fashion, undertaking a live work placement while attending college two days a week.
The College’s You’re Not Alone campaign has been shortlisted in the ‘Marketing and Communications’ category, which recognises outstanding college marketing and communications activity.
The multi-channel campaign was driven by the college values and has successfully raised awareness of the mental health support in place for students and staff at NCL.
NCL’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Recovery Plan has been shortlisted in the ‘Health and Wellbeing’ category, which recognises a college that has made a significant contribution in addressing the health and wellbeing needs of its staff and students, particularly in the context of supporting staff and students remotely.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Recovery Plan was published in February 2022, as an urgent response to key findings from the staff and student mental health survey, which showed that 67% of students and 75% of staff felt that their mental health had been negatively impacted by the pandemic.
A vital part of the Recovery Plan was the creation of NCL’s Wellbeing Committee, along with sub-committees in nine dedicated areas, such as mental health, physical health, student issues, infrastructure and training. The Recovery Plan actions also included the appointment of a dedicated Mental Health Support Officer, offering staff a series of online sessions with mental health organisations and giving staff and students access to a free online mental health course.
The CDN College Awards are a key event in Scotland’s further education calendar and recognise the talent, skills and achievements of colleges, their staff and learners.
This year’s awards evening will be taking place on Friday 25th November at the Radisson Blu hotel in Glasgow, and we would like to wish all the staff involved in the shortlisted projects and initiatives the best of luck.