Source Winter 2015 by DC Publishing

SCOTLAND’S NUMBER ONE STUDENT MAGAZINE

Winter 2015 www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

WIN A GAP ADVENTURE YOU COULD BE OFF TO

GHANA OR ECUADOR WITH OUR COOL COMPETITION

COLLEGE GUIDE 2015

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FURTHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

WHO CARES? SPOTLIGHT ON YOUNG CARERS

A WORLD RECORD, A GRAMMY AND A HOT NEW ALBUM ON THE WAY

It’s all coming up

PLUS! WIN TICKETS FOR EDINBURGH’S HOGMANAY STREET PARTY

foxes

MONEY TALKS

WORK IN THE WORLD OF FINANCE

226441_210x297 Welbeck Open Doors Ad (Source) November 2015_v2.indd 1

22/10/2015 11:55

SCOTLAND’S NUMBER ONE STUDENT MAGAZINE

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

PUBLISHER Denise Connelly denise@dcpublishing.co.uk

EDITOR Lindsay Cochrane lindsay.cochrane@dcpublishing.co.uk

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

HELLO!

Sophie Mead

HEAD TO SOURCEMAGAZINE.ORG.UK FOR EVEN MORE OF ALL YOUR SOURCE FAVOURITES – DON'T SAY WE'RE NOT GOOD TO YOU

intern@dcpublishing.co.uk

Welcome to the wonderful winter issue of Source!

CONTRIBUTORS

First off, thanks for all your fab feedback on the new look Source last issue – I’m over the moon that you love it as much as I do! Basking in the success of our redesign, me and the team have been busy putting together another jam-packed issue of the magazine just for you – and I don’t mean to brag, but it’s pretty darn good.

Mikhaila Friel Kirsty McKenzie Ailsa Tweedie

DESIGN/PRODUCTION Gillian Smith gillian.smith@dcpublishing.co.uk

SALES Marian Mathieson marian.mathieson@dcpublishing.co.uk

ADMIN

To kick things off, we’ve got the lovely Foxes telling us about her incredible 2015 as she gears up for the launch of her second album in the new year – you’ll probably want to be her best pal by the time you’ve read the interview on page 8. We’ve got some useful articles for those of you thinking about the next step in your careers too. We’ve been taking a look at work in the media, and we’ve been finding out about making it in finance and careers outdoors too. Don’t miss the fantastic Source College Guide which starts on page 23 either – Scotland’s further education colleges have loads to offer.

Gracia Kabongo admin@dcpublishing.co.uk

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk DC Publishing Ltd, 200 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4HG Tel: 0844 2499 007 Fax: 0141 353 0435

SourceMagazine @SourceMag @source.magazine sourcemagazine

There are opportunities to win big this winter too – at the end of the year, we’ll be selecting the winner for our fantastic Gap Adventure competition! There’s still time to enter, so turn to page 36 to find out how Ella and Jake got on when they went to Ecuador and Ghana with Lattitude Global Volunteering. That’s not all you can win either – we’ve got four wristbands to give away for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party too. Get entering on page 52. And this is me just scraping the surface – there’s so much more to sink your teeth into this winter. So what are you waiting for? Grab yourself a hot chocolate, stick on your finest Christmas knit and enjoy the latest Source!

Lindsay

Lindsay Cochrane, Editor

HOT RIGHT NOW Christmas jumpers Red cups Once an affront to your family, friends and country, the naff Christmas jumper is now the style statement of the season. I’m all over this one from Only at Lipsy (£18, www.lipsy. co.uk).

You know Christmas is on the way when the red cups come out at Starbucks. For the full festive experience, sip on a gingerbread latte or peppermint mocha in front of an open fire. Find your nearest store at www. starbucks.co.uk.

I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

You can keep your Strictly and X Factor – for us, the undisputed king of winter reality TV is I’m a Celeb. Ant and Dec + Z list celebs + gruesome Bushtucker Trials = telly gold. Catch it on STV (www.stv.tv).

PIC: ©ITV

©DC Publishing Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any way without prior written permission from the publisher. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of DC Publishing Ltd. The publisher takes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers within the publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that information is accurate; while dates and prices are correct at time of going to print, DC Publishing Ltd takes no responsibility for omissions and errors.

CONTENTS On the cover

Work

8 Foxes

10 Dream job: the top author

Louisa Rose Allen, as her birth certificate says, talks life in the music business with editor Lindsay.

16 Money talks

The world of finance can lead to big things – we give some insight.

23 College Guide 2015 Want to leave school but not sure what your next step is going to be? Check out Scotland’s FE colleges for inspo.

40 Who cares?

Loads of you actually – young and young adult carers are present throughout Scotland’s schools, colleges and unis. We find out what life’s like for them.

What do you wan to see m t o in Sourcre of e? Email us

hello@s

ourcema

gazine.o rg

.uk

45 The Source Christmas wish list

12 The media: behind the scenes

Need a bit of Santa inspiration? Look no further!

Fancy a career in the bright lights of the media industry? Check out these cool roles.

46 Party safe this season

Christmas nights out are on the horizon – here’s how to stay safe throughout.

14 On the job: the brilliant baker

20 The great outdoors Love being at one with nature? There are tonnes of jobs that will be right up your street!

39 #wanderlust

The best gap year destinations.

Giovanna Fletcher, wife of McFly’s Tom, shares the secrets of her career success.

Jenna Todd talks about her fab job, creating cakes and tasty treats at Three Sisters Bake.

Play

iew nterv Ash i e 48.... g on pa

50 Celebrity fitness trends

Study

Barefoot running, barre fitness, hot yoga… just three of the barmy fitness trends the A-list love.

19 Ultimate study hacks

Exams looming? Beat the revision dread with these handy hints and tips.

tmas Chris h list.... wis

DON’T MISS OUR INCREDIBLE

GAP ADVENTURE COMPETITION ON PAGE 36

You could be off to Ghana or Ecuador for five months with Lattitude Global Volunteering and STA Travel.

Subscribe online at

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sourcemagazine.org.uk/subscribe

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DATE: Winter 2015

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w’s En The en gineer gin s the coo eering industr l jobs y y ou could needs you! W e take land if Free t a you stu Brain hings dy scie look at some nce and of food b to do We kno te C w stud aking i ombine c n h nology. your c ents lo your lo a look a v i e t ve for c to cheap th y t free a b o o s ake cre t brain ctivitie ce ati s in Sco rills, so we've recipe Live r tland’s options lls with Emma on and need eview major c taken . Storr’s it : The ou deliciou ie L s. ucy Ro Club S trageou s s s e p ly talen along w o t l i g ted Luc N ith her h e w t : sport Snow yR w We lov sports ed it! D ee pal (and S ose paid Glas Cairngo , new pals! Sn ource fa gow a rms, so on’t mis ow is a club v lready fa v th is s ourite) th it e our inte re e ’s In def s n n owsport lling in ever be Billie M rview w ence o e s a n c rt lu a it e h b b n etter tim the . Billie e at uni. f stay Clean u ither. Style e to join pa ing a b l Staying fter messy fla og t hom From da tmates in the fa e ? Nae c ring dre mily ne ha sses to Sophie st is ac jazz tually th nce! Me e best. ideas fo ad brings you y jumpers, r the pa p rty seas lenty of fresh fashion on.

Find all of this AND MORE at www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

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We’re all over social media too – give us a follow…

SourceMagazine

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Like our Facebook page for exclusive competitions, links to content from the web and work experience opportunities.

We’ve got giveaways, daily updates with the latest articles on the site, pics, news stories from around the web and lots of gifs of dogs.

On Insta, we’re all over, snaps of the sights of Scotland and pics from behind the scenes at Source HQ. Spoiler alert: cake features heavily.

We’re forever pinning gap year inspo, study tips, interviews with incredible people, amazing photos and more – give us a follow and get inspired.

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PLAY

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

december

Usher Hall, Edinburgh (www.ticketmaster.co.uk)

SSE Hydro, Glasgow (www.ticketmaster.co.uk)

Diversity

See the best dancers in the world in the capital. Seriously, their moves are mind-blowing.

Alt-J

Hudson Mohawke

O2 ABC, Glasgow (www.ticketweb.co.uk)

Their tunes are the soundtrack to our life. Catch them touring along with The Horrors.

Producer, DJ, songwriter, Glaswegian! HudMo brings his hectic club hits to his home town.

Get these date s in your iCal for winter

PIC: MARC

US HANEY

Cinemas nationwide

SSE Hydro, Glasgow (www.ticketmaster.co.uk)

Edinburgh (www. edinburghshogmanay.com)

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens

Madonna: Rebel Heart Tour

The Queen of Pop has still got it! Will she treat us to another spectacular tumble?

The galaxy far, far away is still at war, but all that matters is our favourite hairy hero, Chewbacca, has returned!

Hogmanay Street Party

It’s not a world famous party for nothing! Edinburgh is THE place to be for NYE. Win tickets on page 52.

Fireball Festival

january

Stonehaven, Aberdeen (www.stonehaven fireballs.co.uk)

Death of a Bachelor Available for download

For Hogmanay with a difference, watch 45 people artistically swing balls of fire around their heads - then fling them into the sea.

Nitro Circus

SSE Hydro, Glasgow (www.ticketmaster.co.uk)

Dirtbikes, stunts and fire. What could go wrong? Travis Pastrana brings his insane action sport collective to Scotland.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

Brendon Urie is back! He wrote half his 80s electroinspired album naked so it’s obviously going to be a hit.

Six Nations: Scotland V England

Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh www.scottishrugby.org

Still buzzing from the World Cup? Watch the boys in blue take on our pals from across the border (and thrash them obviously).

28-30

Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow (www.ticketmaster.co.uk)

This is Acting Available for download

Limmy Live!

Professional dafty Brian Limond brings his eccentric cast of characters to the stage for three nights of live hilarity.

A new instalment of magnificent tunes for us to annihilate in the shower. Cheers, hen!

17-28

Glasgow Film Festival

Various locations, Glasgow (visitgff.glasgowfilm.org)

X Factor Live

SSE Hydro (www.ticketmaster.co.uk)

An X Factor event where Simon Cowell’s grumpy face will be absent? Sign us up.

Sia

A compulsory event for lovers of old classics, innovative new pictures and internet viral vids.

Enter Shikari

Corn Exchange, Edinburgh. (www.ticketmaster.co.uk)

If your happy place is thrashing around in a mosh pit to furious electronicore, don’t miss these guys.

SIMON COWELL PIC: © FREDERICK M. BROWN/GETTY IMAGES)

february

Panic! at the Disco

MADONNA PIC: © STEPHEN LOVEKIN/GETTY IMAGES

GOOD UNIVERSITY GUIDE 2016 SCOTTISH UNIVERSITY OF THE YEAR

We are ranked No. 1 in Scotland again - find out why and experience Dundee for yourself... Find out more about our courses, campus and open days at

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CELEBS

i t s a t n a F s Fox s i M

THE BIG INTERVIEW

MUSIC ISN’T HER ONLY PASSION – FOXES LOVES FASHION TOO. LAST YEAR, SHE WAS THE FACE OF H&M’S LOVE MUSIC COLLECTION.

It’s been a belter of a year for singer-songwriter Foxes – and 2016 looks set to be just as huge, as the velvetyvoiced songstress prepares to launch her second album, All I Need, and head off on a mega UK tour. Foxes – or Louisa to her mum – took some time out from her schedule of gigging, writing, recording and promoting to talk life in the music business with Source’s Lindsay Cochrane

It’s been quite a year for you, hasn’t it? Yeah! I finished last year on the Pharrell tour and got straight back into the studio and started writing the second album. Around April, I finished that off, then put out Body Talk, which is the first single from the second album, and then Better Love, which is out now. And I’ve just got back off tour too! It’s been a bit of a whirlwind, but really fun. Have you managed to get any time off this year? Not really. I guess when I was making the album, I got some time off, but not really proper time off! I went to Ibiza for five days too – I kind of needed a holiday after the holiday though! What can we expect from the new album? Essentially, it’s about a relationship, being in a relationship, the good and the bad and coming

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

out of that relationship. It comes across as a bit of a breakup record, but what’s interesting is that a lot of the feedback I’ve had is that it can relate to all sorts of situations and people can relate to it in ways I’d never have thought about before.

You broke a Guinness World Record this year when you played seven gigs in seven different cities in a day. How did it go? It was very strange! I worked with Trekstock, who are a charity working to help young people deal with cancer – it was quite nice to work with them, raising money and raising awareness. We actually shot a music video the day before – a 24-hour music video. So I got on a plane back from Barcelona and went straight into doing this World Record day. I was absolutely knackered! But we managed to do it.

What did you learn when you were making your first album that you’ve brought to All I Need? What I learnt from the first album was to stick to my guns, and write whatever comes naturally and what feels honest and real. With the second album, I wanted to make sure that I stayed, lyrically, in the same SHE ATTENDED vein and even musically – I didn’t THE INSTITUTE OF want to steer away too much. I went back to the bedroom I CONTEMPORARY MUSIC, wrote the first album in, and I BUT DROPPED OUT WHEN wrote with a lot of the people SHE DISCOVERED SHE I wrote with on the first album PREFERRED WRITING too. That was nice to do.

AND PERFORMING OVER STUDYING.

You toured with Pharrell last year. What was that like? He is really down to earth, he’s really lovely. Considering who he is, he could have chosen

c i t s e ox to ignore me. I’m technically nobody compared to Pharrell! But he didn’t. He watched the shows. It was great. I learned a lot from him.

CELEBS

FOXES ONCE APPEARED IN DOCTOR WHO. SHE PLAYED A MUMMY SINGING QUEEN’S DON’T STOP ME NOW.

What’s been your most memorable gig to date? I remember being in Australia once – someone was like, ‘Sign my kettle!’ at the end of the show. I walked over to the front of the audience and this guy was waving this kettle around. I bent down, and he had basically painted my face on this kettle! It was the strangest thing I’ve ever been around in my life! At that same gig, this girl had my face tattooed on her thigh. It was very, very mad. And that’s across the other side of the world. [laughs] It was just crazy. If you could collaborate with any other artist, who would it be?

I love artists like Patti Smith, Björk, Bob Dylan – all the greats. It would be amazing to be in a room with someone like that. I’d love to work with Calvin Harris. But I guess he’s extremely busy doing all sorts of things!

What’s been your big ‘pinch me’ moment? The other day, I did a TV show and Mel C from the Spice Girls taught me the Wannabe dance. I was like, ‘What’s going on?!’ That was quite a mad experience. You’ve got a Grammy, you’ve played sold-out gigs, your second album is on the way – what else would you like to achieve? I would like to have my fan base keep growing. I really want a career that lasts – I’d love to be able to make music for as long as possible.

Put albums out, do tours – keep working! I feel very happy, and I'd like to keep doing what I’m doing. It’s what I’ve always dreamt of doing. What are you looking forward to most in 2016? I think having the album out and doing the tour next year are the things that I’m most excited about. It definitely feels like the most excited that I’ve been about the work that I’ve done. And I hope you manage to get a holiday in there too! Yes! Christmas holiday!

Foxes’ new album All I Need is out 5 February on Epic. Don’t miss the Scottish date of her upcoming tour – 10 March at Glasgow’s O2 ABC (www.ticketmaster.co.uk).

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 9

WORK

DREAM JOB

“I’M THE BIGGEST BOOK WORM, BUT I THOUGHT THAT WRITING A BOOK WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT REALLY INTELLIGENT PEOPLE DID, AND I’M NOT!”

She’s an actress, vlogger, TV presenter, mum and wife to none other than McFly's Tom – but it’s as an author where Giovanna Fletcher is finding real success, having penned three full-length novels and her second novella out now. Gi took some time out from her busy writing schedule to talk to Source about making it as a writer

Did you always want to be a writer? No. I wanted to be an actress. But I think that the two are really closely linked. It’s about creating a character and creating a world. I think I manage to use a lot of the skills I picked up in acting in my writing – that’s why I find it really enjoyable. When you’re creative, there are so many different paths you can go down. How did your publishing deal come about? In 2011, I went to a book launch. There, I met an agent who had been looking at my blog, and she asked me if I’d ever thought of writing a book

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myself. I’m the biggest book worm, but I thought that writing a book was just something that really intelligent people did, and I’m not! But she said she thought my voice was really good, and told me to have a think about it and get in touch. So I sent some summaries to the agent – who wasn’t my agent at that point, she was more like an adviser. We chose one, I started writing it, got a quarter of the way in and she signed me. When the first draft was finished, it got sent out to a few publishers and Penguin picked it up. I was pretty chuffed with that!

What inspires your writing? Life in general is a big inspiration. All you have to do is go outside and watch people. I’m one of those people who sits and watches people out the corner of their eye and makes up a story about their background and who they are. It’s building a character. That’s literally what a book is. What’s your big career goal? To just keep writing books that people enjoy. To keep writing from the heart and keep going. What’s the best thing about writing for a living?

You get to write in your PJs all day long! [laughs] I get up in the morning, go for a shower, and put on a new pair of PJs. Life doesn’t get any better than that! What are you working on just now? I’m working on my fourth novel, which I don’t know if I’m allowed to talk about, but it’ll be out next June. It goes back to characters from one of the other books. And that’s all I can say! What’s your advice for any aspiring authors? Read and write. That’s the best way to learn the craft and discover your own voice.

Dream a Little Christmas Dream by Giovanna Fletcher, published by Michael Joseph, is available for download now as an eBook. It’s also out in physical format exclusively through Waterstones.

Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd In High School? Passi o nate about Tradi ti onal Musi c ? If you already play to a high standard, or show genuine potential

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WORK

CAREER FOCUS

Go online DON’T BELIEVE US THAT THE MEDIA’S A BRILLIANT PLACE TO BE? HEAD TO WWW.SOURCEMAGAZINE. ORG.UK/MEDIA-CAREERS NOW TO HEAR FROM SOME TALENTED TYPES WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY.

THE MEDIA: BEHIND THE SCENES

Scotland’s media industry is a fast-paced, exciting place to work. Here’s an overview of some of the jobs on offer

Producer

Camera operator

Behind the scenes, producers can work in TV, film or radio to look after the business side of a production – making sure everything happens on time and to budget so that the director and crew can deal with the creative side. This is a job which demands first class organisational skills alongside a creative mind.

Camera operators work in TV, film and, increasingly, online to capture everything from breaking news reports abroad to funny viral video clips. This job involves setting up and maintaining equipment, planning shots and sorting out technical and lighting issues, shooting either digitally or on film, all under the instruction of the director.

DO IT:

You’ll need lots of experience of working on set as a broadcast or production assistant, and good contacts in the industry. Having college or university qualifications behind you does help.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

DO IT:

It’s technical skills that matter in this line of work, but a college or university qualification in media production will help you get started.

27,0le 0wo0rk

peop land's t o c S in media e v i t a cre ries indust

k d's dia s

WORK

GETTING STARTED You don’t need to have studied a media-related course to get started in the industry – a qualification in something which isn’t directly related plus plenty of work experience will get you off to a good start. It’s all about connections and getting your face known. Scotland is home to lots of major media employers working in print, broadcast and online, including broadcasters like BBC Scotland and STV, and publishers such as Trinity Mirror (home to the Daily Record and a raft of local papers) and DC Thomson (publishers of local papers and successful magazines like Jacqueline Wilson Magazine and The Beano). Contact a media organisation in your area and get some work experience sorted. Get involved with any student media bodies you can while at school, college or uni, whether that’s the year book, the student paper or your student radio station – the experience is invaluable.

Director

Photographer

Directors are responsible for the way a video production is made. This is a job that takes lots of imagination, leadership skills and plenty of hard graft. Directors work with all departments to make video that looks great, whether that’s for a news report or a soap opera.

This is a bit more technical than Instagram – you’ll need to get to grips with some serious photographic equipment. Whether you’re off photographing war zones for The Guardian, shooting pics from festivals for a leading music blog or snapping competition winners for a local paper, a photographer’s work can be very varied.

DO IT:

Most directors start out as runners and work their way up through roles like third and second assistant director. A filmmaking or media production course would also be beneficial.

Graphic designer Whether you’re laying out a feature as a double page spread for a mag like this one, making graphics to accompany Rihanna’s next music video or coming up with the concept for a new web design, this is a fantastic creative job which comes with lots of pressure.

DO IT:

Designers study relevant courses at college and university, practise loads in their spare time and know programmes like InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop inside out.

Runner Whether working on films, TV shows or news, runners are key to making sure things run smoothly. That might involve looking after guests in the green room, fetching an actor’s script or doing the Starbucks run for the crew – any odd job, the runner is on.

DO IT:

You don’t need any qualifications to be a runner – often, people do this alongside their studies to get work experience and it leads onto other jobs in film and TV. Organisational skills and enthusiasm are a must.

Reporter Reporters, as the name suggest, report on things. In print, online and on TV and radio, these guys are out finding the stories that matter, then relaying that information back to readers, listeners and viewers. It’s a really tough job that requires nerves of steel, a nosy nature and the ability to meet a deadline.

DO IT:

A journalism qualification is desirable but not essential – but most media orgs look for a degree in a relevant field, like politics, English or sociology that can demonstrate critical thinking and research skills.

GET INSPIRED For further inspiration on media careers, get yourself to www.creativeskillset.org.uk

DO IT:

Skills and experience go above and beyond qualifications in this line of work, but doing a college course in photography can get you started and help you refine your style and skills.

Editor Editors are responsible for managing the content and style of their newspaper, TV show or website, as well as directing staff and making final decisions on the direction. Most editors aren’t writing – this is a management role, where you take responsibility for finances, legal issues and think of ways to make money.

DO IT:

Most editors start as a reporter and work their way up. Reputation is everything.

Web developer Whether it’s a major online news site or the digital platform for a new TV show, developers are responsible for building and maintaining online platforms, as well as internal systems like the company intranet and email, using specialist technical knowledge.

DO IT:

You’ll normally need an HND or degree in an IT-related subject like computing, web design or multimedia design.

Social media manager Social media channels are taking over the WORLD. And most big companies are embracing all things social to boost their interaction with the public and gain more interest in their brand. Social media managers have to be up-to-date with how the different channels work, love communicating, be organised and be able to think on their feet.

DO IT:

Some employers ask for a degree in a related subject (such as advertising, media or communications), or you can take experience in PR, marketing or advertising into this line of work if you don’t have a degree.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 13

WORK

ON THE JOB: THE BRILLIANT BAKER

A certain Great British TV programme has got the nation scrambling for their pastry cases and rolling pins, but what's it really like working as a baker? Source’s Sophie Mead talks to oven-enthusiast and cake magician Jenna Todd, who works for Three Sisters Bake in Quarriers Village, about her baking career so far When did you and baking first hit it off? I always enjoyed baking with my mum when I was young, but it all started when my manager at a previous workplace couldn’t find a Bertie Basset cake. I offered to make it and he was delighted. Looking back, I now see the imperfections but at the time I thought it was a belter! I used to see things in shops and think: “I could make that.” It can end up more expensive buying the equipment but it’s nowhere near as satisfying! Did you do any special training? I have a degree in science with forensics – so nothing to do with baking. It was interesting, but the analytical chemistry was tough! Only a handful of jobs existed in Scotland and ‘must have past experience’ is a phrase graduates see all too often. When did you decide to pursue baking? When I realised I was good at it! People I didn’t know and mutual friends started asking for commissioned cakes so I emailed some cake shops with my portfolio and CV and soon got a call back. Initially I thought, ‘Oh that old chestnut,’ but four months later I was invited for an interview. I worked at The Little Cake Parlour in Glasgow’s Southside (www.littlecakeparlour.com) for four years, where we took custom cake orders. I mainly decorated and learned a lot there. What does your current job involve and how did you find it? I heard that Three Sisters Bake were looking for staff

and contacted them through Gumtree. I make cakes, breads and tray bakes to be sold on site. The company also has a van that visits food festivals and events. They go for a beautiful, highly decorated rustic look with fresh edible flowers and fruits. When I finish there, I come home and start my personal orders. What do you like about baking? That I get to eat it? No, as you can imagine I’m a bit sick of cake! I love trying new flavour combinations and working out

“I LOVE TRYING NEW FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS AND WORKING OUT HOW TO INCORPORATE FLAVOURS FOR PERSONALISED CAKES” how to incorporate flavours for personalised cakes. Some people say: “It’s too pretty to eat!” I say: “Get your chops right in about it!” What advice would you give to aspiring bakers? I am self-taught, so I would say that practice makes perfect! I’ve made plenty of mistakes but learning from them and experimenting is important. Baking takes me back to chemistry, like being in a lab measuring exact amounts of extracts. I could have a rolling cake lab and call it Baking Bad...

Find out more about Three Sisters Bake at www.threesistersbake.co.uk

14 www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

Aspire to lead Build your success story with ACCA. To find out how we can help you realise your potential go to leaders.accaglobal.com

MELISSA Treasury Manager Shell

WORK

CAREER FOCUS

or any business, whether it’s a charity, a multinational bank or small local company, finance is key to what they do. Businesses need money to operate, and they need experts to look after their cash and make sure they’re doing everything by the book and within their means. Which means that finance professionals are always going to be in demand – and you don’t have to be a maths whizz to make it in this fastpaced, busy, challenging line of work.

Money, money, money – not just an ABBA song, but a brilliant line of work to get into if you want big challenges, diversity, variety in your working day, worldwide opportunities, lots of career options, scope for progression and a bob or two for yourself. We take a look at working in the financial sector, and find out what it’s really like from one successful finance worker

What's the sector about?

Finance isn’t just about sitting in an office crunching numbers all day. There is an element of that, but it’s just as much about business as it is calculations and analysis. Finance professionals play a key part in organisations, whether they’re in-house or working for an accountancy firm or bank, helping companies grow and develop.

How do you do it?

There are lots of different ways to get into the finance sector, and how you get started depends on the job. Some companies offer school leaver schemes, where you can go straight from school into training to be an accountant or tax adviser. For other roles, you can go to college and study a relevant course in subject areas like business administration, finance or accountancy. Or you could go to uni, bag yourself a degree in a related subject, and apply for an entry-level job or graduate scheme. For grad schemes, you don’t always need a relevant degree either – there are people working in finance with degrees in subjects like English and biology!

What roles are out there?

Working in finance, you can get into a number of different roles, including:

• Accounting technician • Actuary • Chartered certified accountant • Investment banker • Financial adviser • Book keeper • Risk analyst • Financial trader • Auditor • Payroll • Customer service • Investment analyst • Retail banker • Tax adviser

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

FINANCIAL FUT

WORK

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TRAINING WITH ACCA AT WWW. ACCAGLOBAL.COM Head to the Directions site (www.directions. org.uk) to find out more about the different roles available in finance, accounting and banking.

Is there any scope for progression?

One word – YES! Check out Kirkcaldy native Kenny Christie’s CV on the right to see just how many options you have within the sector. Like him, you can join a big company, like Lloyds Banking Group, and work your way up, or you can move between organisations.

UTURES

CURRICULUM VITAE: KENNY CHRISTIE OVERVIEW

“I joined Bank of Scotland’s retail division in 2003 straight from university. I made the move to finance in 2007, where I undertook my ACCA exams (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) to become a qualified accountant. I currently work as a finance business partner in Global Transaction Banking at Lloyds Banking Group’s offices in London – I came down to London on secondment in February, and I’d really recommend exploring opportunities everywhere (not just Scotland) when considering your career options in the sector.”

WORK OVERVIEW

Finance Business Partner, Global Transaction Banking (Aug 2015-present) Lloyds Banking Group, London “My role just now is to partner the senior directors in my business area by giving them confidence in the numbers, and providing them with timely, insightful information to help them steer their business.” Manager, Client MI, Commercial Banking (Feb-Jul 2015) Lloyds Banking Group, London “I came to London for a week’s secondment last September. I met someone, who is now my mentor, and said I was quite keen to move around. Lloyds is a large and progressive organisation and I wanted to develop myself further. There are a lot of interesting roles in London, which was really appealing. I did the week, and was offered a year’s secondment off the back of that.” Various roles (2003-2015) Bank of Scotland “I joined Bank of Scotland’s retail division, working in card services. That wasn’t a graduate scheme, that was more of an ‘in the door’ sort of thing. Over time, I became a team leader, in charge of 10 or 12 people. The key thing for me in retail was understanding customers – and that’s a skill that’s important in many different career paths. In 2007, I applied for and got a job with the bank’s Edinburgh offices in finance. It was a promotion, moving from a retail customer environment to working in a finance environment – and that’s when I started doing my ACCA exams, doing a myriad of different roles while I worked towards that. As an accountant, I was responsible for reporting on areas such as oil and gas, and more complicated areas such as equity and debt investments. I also gained experience in cost reporting and delivering MI [market intelligence] packs to senior stakeholders.”

EDUCATION

Abertay University (2001-2003) BA (Hons) business administration (access straight into third year after completing HND) Fife College (1999-2001) HND business administration Kirkcaldy High School (1993-1999) Highers in maths, English, German, physics and accounts

Advice

for you

“Finance has perspectiv many aspects to it es. It’s no and diffe rent t all abou accounta t being an nt per se. Analysing numbers and crunch is only a small part ing it’s about of it – ult providing imately confidence a business and insig based on ht to robust fin because ancials. J you don’t ust d o maths o school do r physics esn at or work in ’t mean you can’t be an acc finance. If ountant you’re go you’re inn od with p ovative a eople, nd hard-w do it.” orking, yo u can

TRAINING

ACCA Qualification, ACCA (2012) “I’m an ACCA qualified accountant. Lloyds Banking Group put me through my training. Lloyds – or Bank of Scotland at the time – ensure you’ve got a worklife balance. They’ll give you time off for exams and study leave, which is good. As long as you put the effort in, they’re good. It’s a lot of work, but having my colleagues around me was a big help.” www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 17

WE CAN SEE OUR FUTURE. WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURS? In our Naval Ships business we design, build and deliver complex warships and combat systems for the Royal Navy and navies around the world and you could join us. We are recruiting now for new apprentices, graduates, summer interns and industrial placements. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re investing not just in new people, but in new technology, new facilities and new ways of working and you could be part of projects helping to safeguard our nation for generations to come. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspired work.

Visit www.baesystems.com/apprentices or www.baesystems.com/graduates to apply

CS05114_01

STUDY

Take note You can put sticky notes anywhere containing important info, so you can learn at any time of day – even when you’re in the shower! Studying becomes more casual because you’re learning outside of the classroom too.

Sing Sing Sing Our memories seem to work brilliantly when it comes to remembering those song lyrics, but not so much when remembering facts. So why not replace the lyrics to your favourite song with your study notes?

Time Yourself In school, most classes last no more than an hour. So when working at home, you should use the same timescale. Don’t work on the same subject for too long or it could affect your attention span.

Hit the Snooze Button

Know What Works For You

It’s been estimated that teens need 8-10 hours of sleep per night, otherwise their concentration and ability to learn is affected. Make sure you let yourself rest before that big test.

Are you a visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic learner? The answer could make all the difference. Take an online quiz to help you find the best study method for you at www.brainboxx.co.uk.

e t a m i t l U

STUDY HACKS

With prelims and end-of-term exams just around the corner, it’s time to get hitting the books big time – but how can you get through exam leave in one piece? Student writer Mikhaila Friel shares her best study tips to help you ace your way through it

Go Old School To avoid distractions, use notebooks instead of laptops. Turn off your Wi-Fi connection, ditch the mobile, and only use your landline in an emergency! Do whatever it takes to stop the distractions – even if that means going back to the 90s!

Study Sessions Grab your friends and hit the library. If you’re struggling, the best thing you can do is talk it out – you’d be surprised by what your pals can help you with.

Reward Yourself

Spider Diagrams

Take A Break

It can be hard to motivate yourself, but not impossible. Promise yourself rewards – you deserve it. For instance, an extra hour of studying equals an extra hour of Netflix – and you’d be surprised by how well it works!

Instead of writing pages and pages of notes, why not condense things into one diagram? Get everything you need to know onto one piece of paper – it’ll make things much easier to digest.

There’s distraction, and then there’s downtime – know the difference. Make sure to take your head out of the book once in a while – long enough to eat and drink plenty of water. After all, you’re not going to test well if you’re stressed and depressed!

Get more revision inspiration on the Source website at sourcemagazine.org.uk/tag/studyinG www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 19

WORK

CAREER FOCUS

the

great outdoo If the thought of spending all day in an office makes you want to run for the hills, fear not – there are loads of great occupations which will get you out in the fresh air

Landscape gardener

Veterinary nurse

Greenkeeper

If you're green fingered and would love to learn more about managing the natural world, landscape gardening could be for you. Activities include growing, cultivating and maintaining flowers, trees, shrubs and lawns in green spaces such as private gardens, schools, parks and public spaces. Gardeners also manage pests and diagnose diseases, putting the appropriate solutions in place. You will need to acquire a broad knowledge of plant species and seasonal horticultural changes so that you can advise and work accordingly. Gardeners can run their own business, or find employment with private companies or the council.

Animals provide us with companionship, entertainment, food and clothing, and many need our help to survive. A veterinary nurse works as part of a team, providing expert care for sick animals. They carry out technical work and are skilled in undertaking a range of diagnostic tests, medical treatments and minor surgical procedures alongside a veterinary physician. Animal care skills are required in zoos, wildlife parks and sanctuaries, city farms, boarding kennels and catteries, veterinary practices, grooming salons and pet shops. Dogs and horses also play significant roles in the police and armed forces, and therefore require specialised care.

Keen golfer? Greenkeepers oversee all aspects of golf course maintenance such as mowing fairways, aerating turf, irrigating and maintaining machinery. They are responsible for ensuring health and safety regulations are observed and identifying and marking safety hazards. Greenkeepers may also need to interact with players to give directions, advise on behaviour or settle disputes. Golf tourism is huge in Scotland so there is scope for employment here and abroad. This role combines sport, science and physical activity in an outdoor environment, and can help individuals progress into golf course management.

DO IT:

Educational courses include a level 3 diploma in veterinary nursing available at Edinburgh College, SRUC and the College of Animal Welfare. Napier University offers the only veterinary nursing degree in Scotland.

DO IT:

Courses such as greenkeeping, groundsmanship, golf course management and sportsturf are available at SVQ, NC, HNC and HND levels at colleges such as Glasgow Clyde, Elmwood GOSTA, and SRUC's Oatridge campus.

Courses in horticulture and plantsmanship provide a solid foundation of knowledge. Find an HNC at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) or an honours degree from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh (www.rbge.org.uk).

DO IT:

STUDY IT If you want to work with the land or outdoors, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is a leading specialist in delivering rural higher education courses. They offer subjects as diverse as poultry science, fish husbandry, rural business management and agricultural bioscience. While studying with them, you'll be taught by industry experts, make excellent contacts and have access to cutting edge facilities such as research farms. Visit their website to find out more: www.sruc.ac.uk.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

WORK

oors

JAKE GAUNT, 26, TREE SURGEON Before I became a tree surgeon, I was unhappy working as a chef in a hot kitchen with unsociable hours. I wanted a job that would keep me active, where I could work outside and travel. Tree surgery was top of the list. I studied for two years at an agricultural college and obtained a level 3 extended diploma in arboriculture. There were also CS (chain saw) units I had to pass to ensure I was competent with the machinery. They included using a chipper and aerial rescue.

Sports Coach

Ski instructor

A sports coach is in charge of the instruction, direction and training of a sports team or individual. Coaches help people to work towards achieving their full potential by recognising their abilities, implementing fitness routines and training programmes and evaluating strengths and weaknesses. They give balanced feedback including constructive criticism and motivation, and an in-depth knowledge of the rules is necessary to enhance techniques correctly. Courses offer the chance to gain a solid understanding of fitness, injury, sports psychology, nutrition and sports science. Patience and a sociable attitude are key to this role.

Keen to teach in a different type of classroom? The British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI) offers courses in six disciplines: alpine, snowboard, Nordic, telemark, adaptive and coaching. Syllabuses include lesson planning, enhancing personal technique and technical workshops with an emphasis on practical instruction and demonstration. BASI have training from level 1 to 4, the first being for those who want to instruct on artificial slopes. Level 2 will teach how to instruct on mountain slopes, and 3 and 4 will advance your knowledge to international standards. Once trained in level 1, you can teach in ski centres which have artificial slopes nationwide. After level 2 you can apply for positions in Scotlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s five mountain resorts.

DO IT:

Most universities offer courses in sports and physical activity which provide a strong learning foundation for coaching. An HND in coaching and development is available at colleges around the country such as Glasgow Clyde, Edinburgh, Dundee and Angus and SRUC. Get inspired at www.sportscoachuk.org.

ON THE JOB

DO IT: Visit the website to find out more, www.basi.org.uk.

I WANTED A JOB THAT WOULD KEEP ME ACTIVE, WHERE I COULD WORK OUTSIDE AND TRAVEL

An average day starts with everyone meeting at the yard where we are briefed on the jobs ahead and load the truck with the necessary machinery. Once we arrive, we carry out a risk assessment and prepare the equipment and site so we're ready to carry out the work. As a climber, I will then begin to scale the tree and initiate work, which can range from pruning the tree to a complete dismantle. The job becomes more challenging when there are targets under the tree that could be hit or power lines. Often we use rigging equipment to lower timber and branches down. What I really enjoy about my job is working with a really close team that I often have to trust with my life. Work can often feel like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going for a day out with my mates, and being out in the fresh air is great. We meet all sorts of weird animals too!

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 21

Have you got

HORSE SENSE? then use it to get

QUALIFICATIONS Modern Apprenticeships Levels 2 and 3 including MAs for BS, BD and BE

Stages 1, 2, 3, PTT Riding and Road Safety

Foyer Futures Learning Service

There are many reasons why pupils may experience difficulties at school. At Foyer Futures we give you a chance to: • • • • • •

decide what you are good at plan the future you hope for decide how you are going to get there decide which changes you want to make in your life try new experiences achieve Build on your strengths and abilities

First Aid at Work

Increase your confidence and interest in learning

British Horse Society First Aid

Develop your skills for learning, life and work

& other First Aid courses Some of the above may be part funded by Skills Development Scotland through their Modern Apprenticeship scheme, so that you can earn while you learn in placements throughout the South West of Scotland. ILA funding may also be available.

If you would like to find out more, please contact: kathleens@aberdeenfoyer.com or call 01224 212924 Foyer Futures is commissioned by Aberdeen City Council. We work closely with families and key individuals to engage with young people on a 1:1 basis, through group work as well as learning and supported work experience opportunities.

/aberdeenfoyer

For further details contact

Morag Cartney ~ Tel: 01465 713513 ~ Mob: 07712 866673 E-mail: horsense@btconnect.com

@aberdeenfoyer

www.aberdeenfoyer.com Aberdeen Foyer is a Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in Scotland No: 184423. Registered Scottish Charity No: SC023655

e b o t e v a h ’t n s e o A job d

based in an office!

Take a look at the courses offered by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) – visit our website: www.sruc.ac.uk/education

SRUC runs open days regularly

Find the dates at www.sruc.ac.uk/opendays or get in touch to arrange a visit. 0800 269 453 recruitment@sruc.ac.uk www.facebook.com/sruc.ac.uk www.twitter.com/srucstudents

ELFe S R OU ours

LY Y for the cyou P P A for g up

COLLEGE PROFILES

in st Sign atâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s be h t

The establishments going the extra mile

E G E L COL E GUID

2015

ducation e r e h t r u f wn on d The lowdoortunities in Scotlan opp D

E UNCOVER ts n COLLEGE e m stablish What FE e to offer e v a h

NTSir

E TUD

the re s a H ners srhience T ET lear xpe MEurrentllege e C co

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 23

s on

plicati p A

for 201 6 n

live!

Get switched on with our

New Prospectus APPLY ONLINE NOW! Visit www.forthvalley.ac.uk to apply online now for courses starting in 2016. We have courses in many different subject areas ranging from: · January Start Courses

· HNC/HND

· Modern Apprenticeships

· Degree Programmes

· NQ

You can access a copy of our new 2016/17 prospectus online -

www.forthvalley.ac.uk/publications Contact us: email: info@forthvalley.ac.uk call: 0845 634 4444 CM195

E COLLEG E GUID

THE LOWDOWN

2015

E G E L L CO D E R E V O C UN

er education wn in furth d The lowdortunities in Scotlan oppo

r? has to offe fe e g e ll o c n e li atio rther educ he benefits of colleg u f l a c lo r st you ered what ollege Guide explain d n o w r e v E C alone! The t o n e ’r u o Y

cotland is home to 27 colleges, located from way up in the Highlands to right down in the Borders – and they’ve got literally hundreds of opportunities between them to help you develop your career further. You can study a huge range of different subjects at college, from beauty to tourism, engineering to languages, professional cookery to graphic design. Whatever your strengths and interests, there’s bound to be something for you, and all offered at a range of different levels to suit those with different ambitions and abilities.

Beneﬁts

You can benefit from college life in a number of different ways. In terms of academics, with some establishments, you can resit

NATIONAL CERTIFICATE (NC) Suitable for students with no formal qualifications, NCs offer practical help developing skills for work and can lead onto further qualifications.

tions

ﬁca The quali

Bridging the gap Highers or take different subjects you fancy at National or Higher While 63% of college students level to take you into a specific start their studies with no job or field of further qualifications behind study. You can also them, that isn’t to say study a vocationallythat college is aimed FE FACT: focused solely at people COLLEGES ACROSS qualification who didn’t thrive SCOTLAND OFFER A which academically at VARIETY OF COURSES concentrates on school. College is WITH JANUARY STARTS skills to take the perfect bridge FOR CHRISTMAS you into your between school dream job. and university, LEAVERS There’s sometimes giving you the the opportunity to study chance to mature and more academic subjects too, become accustomed to or your course could take you student life. directly into your first, second If you’re leaving school after or even third year of a university Christmas, you’re on a gap degree at an associated year or you're just sussing out institution – in 2013, 3,200 your options, take a look at college students went onto a what further education colleges university course. It can improve have on offer. Turn the page your prospects too – studying an to find out more from some HND can boost your pay by up current students studying at to 80%. establishments here in Scotland.

HIGHER NATIONAL CERTIFICATE (HNC) HNCs take a year to complete. They can take you into work, onto an HND or even into first or second year at university studying towards a degree if you have the right grades.

HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA (HND) It takes a year to finish an HND upon successful completion of a relevant HNC. Your HND can take you into work, or some courses can transfer to second or third year of a university degree.

DEGREE Some colleges have higher education establishment status, where you can undertake a full bachelor’s degree. A pass degree takes three years, while an honours will take you four.

SCOTTISH VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS SVQs are about how to do a job and do it well. These are connected to apprenticeships, and the education side is sometimes delivered by colleges on day release or distance learning.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 25

COLLEGE GUIDE 2015

Carol Galloway, HND accounting @Glasgow Clyde College Carol, 29, went back to education in 2014 after taking time off to have her kids. Already having worked in accounts as a trainee, she decided to boost her career by getting the qualifications that could take her to chartered accountant status I’d raised my kids and I found it really hard to get back into work, and the only job I could get was cleaning work. I managed to get a job with Arnold Clark, cleaning the showroom at night-time. I got friendly with the accountant working in the branch, and she gave me a trainee position in another branch. They paid for me to go to Ayr College part-time at night to do my HNC over two years. However, shortly after, I became a single parent and had to give up my studies, but I continued working in accounting and then went onto another company. In 2012, I met a new partner, and he encouraged me to go back to college and continue my academic studies. So I applied to Glasgow Clyde College. At the end of my first year, I walked straight out into a trainee assistant accountant position, and this year I’ve been working 30 hours a week there and doing two and a half days at college working towards my HND. For the core units, we’re taking classes like business taxation, preparing final accounts, recording financial information manually. The noncore units are fantastic – we’re doing classes I’d never even think of doing with accounting, things like business law, economics, human resources. The second year is demanding, however, overall, it has been a really enjoyable course. It pushes you. I think it’ll really boost my employment prospects. www.glasgowclyde.ac.uk

FE FACT:

THERE ARE 27 COLLEGES ACROSS 13 REGIONS IN SCOTLAND

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

S E H T T E ME

nce with The College Guid rie pe ex t en ud st r ei th e ar sh Three Scots

Leyah Shanks, BA digital media @Forth Valley College Leyah, 22 from Edinburgh, has seen success with her blog the Body Confidence Revolution – and she wanted to find out more about what goes on behind the scenes in the media online, in print and on TV and radio. She's currently studying towards a BA in digital media at Forth Valley College, which is delivered in conjunction with Stirling University I originally wanted to do vet nursing, but it didn’t really pan out. I tried a couple of times and got rejected, even though I had a fair bit of voluntary experience. At the time, I was running my blog, which took off. So I thought to myself, ‘This is something I could make something of.’ I went and looked for media degrees, and came across the one that I’m doing now – and I thought it looked perfect! We do writing for the media, media features and trends, video, radio, production, creative industries – and I think that’s it for this semester. Some of those modules will change after Christmas; some of them only run for one semester.

My favourite class is probably video. We each had to pitch an idea to go into production – there’s not enough equipment to put everyone’s into production, so we all pitched our ideas and had a little vote on whose we wanted to work on. There’s 16 or 17 of us, and four films got put into production – and mine was one of them! Ideally, my goal would be to go into publishing, to work for a magazine or head up my own, create a new one. I’m quite an ambitious person! At the moment, my plan is to apply for the postgrad in magazine publishing at Edinburgh Napier. www.forthvalley.ac.uk

E COLLEG E GUID

2015

er education wn in furth d The lowdortunities in Scotlan oppo

FE FACT:

28% OF SCHOOL LEAVERS GO INTO FURTHER EDUCATION

Hayley Mutch, HNC professional cookery @Moray College

STUDENTS

lege Guide

Hayley, from Nairn, went to college to keep her dad happy – and fell in love with the course she ended up taking! She graduated over the summer with an HNC in professional cookery I didn’t really enjoy school, I didn’t pay any attention at all. My dad told me I was going to college or staying at school. I was really good at home economics, and I really enjoyed it, so I thought I’d go try the cookery course. I didn’t think I’d stay for longer than a year, but I decided to just stay for a second year. I felt like I learned so much more than I did in my first year, and I ended up continuing on into third year to do my HNC.

"It's been enjoyabl a really ec I think i ourse – t'l my empl l boost oym prospect ent s" Ca

rol Ga Glasgow lloway, Clyde C ollege

In the first year on the course, you do a bit of hospitality and some ‘out front’ work. Then you decide if you want to stay and work towards an HNC in events, or go on with cooking. On the cooking side, there’s a lot of practical work involved – hot and cold dishes, patisserie, lots of things like that. Then, in theory classes, we do supervision, financial control systems which teaches you about spreadsheets and costing menus and different things like that. You also have to go through your food hygiene, which is quite intense. I think a lot of people, when they hear you’re doing cookery at college, think you’re making mince and tatties all day. When in reality it’s totally different to that. I did work experience at a restaurant which had a Michelin star. What I was doing at college really helped me when I was there. www.moray.uhi.ac.uk

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 27

JANUARY 2016 COURSES NOW OPEN APPLY ONLINE

www.nclanarkshire.ac.uk NCLanarkshire

New College Lanarkshire is a registered charity. Scottish charity number: SC021206

E COLLEG E GUID

COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

2015

IN ASSOCIATION WITH NEW COLLEGE LANARKSHIRE

. R A E . Y U W O NE NEW Y GE E

L L O HIRE C NEWNARKS LA

er education wn in furth d The lowdortunities in Scotlan oppo

New College Lanarkshire is already gearing up for the new year – and they're encouraging prospective students to do the same

pplications are now open for New College Lanarkshire’s range of January courses, each offering a first class learning experience while helping to develop the practical skills necessary for industry. Whether you’re looking to learn a new skill, undertake a degree programme or further your education, New College Lanarkshire’s January courses will have something for you.

Variety

With campuses in Motherwell, Cumbernauld, Coatbridge, Hamilton, Broadwood and Kirkintilloch, New College Lanarkshire has a variety of programmes available for January entry – ranging from construction to cookery, health and safety to hairdressing, first aid to French. Those considering studying at New College Lanarkshire should visit the college website for more information on the different study options available, the range of facilities on offer and an insider look into what student life is like across the college.

sa also ha e g e l l o ord “The c ack rec r t c i t s its fanta s. Since t n e d u t for s eived has rec t i , n o i and incept awards s u o r e e num ding th u l c n i , es accolad e UK’” st in th e ‘B f o title

New College Lanarkshire was formed following a merger in 2014, creating the six-campus college – one of the biggest in Scotland – as part of the reform of colleges set out by the Scottish government. The merger has allowed the college to create a shared culture, ensuring it is best placed to meet the needs of its students, staff,

employers and stakeholders – as well as addressing the current and future challenges of the sector. Dedicated to continuous improvement, the college recently made a major investment in the latest technology and facilities across all campuses, to ensure that students have the highest calibre of resources at hand.

Unique

Each campus also offers its own unique features – some with state-of-the-art training restaurants and hair and beauty salons to offer the hands-on training and experience both industries require, while the audio and media studio in Cumbernauld could rival that of any top record label. Automotive programmes are also available across all campuses, including a purpose-built HGV learning facility at the Motherwell campus – the first of its kind for a Scottish college – offering a wide range of training opportunities. The college also has a fantastic track record for students. Since its inception, it has received numerous awards and accolades, including the title of ‘Best in the UK’ after 11 students came out on top at WorldSkills UK, a career and trade based skills competition bringing together the nation’s most talented tradespeople. Four students were awarded gold medals at the event, with two students going on to represent the UK at this year’s international WorldSkills event in Sao Paolo. Kick-start the new year with a new you at New College Lanarkshire and apply for one of its January courses. Visit www.nclanarkshire.ac.uk for more information.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 29

START TOMORROW TODAY_ OUR COURSES, YOUR SUCCESS. Our brand new state-of-the-art facilities, in a beautiful setting, in Scotland’s fastest growing city. Inverness College UHI, why wouldn’t you?

For courses starting in January 2016 and Autumn 2016 visit...

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02/11/2015 11:13

E COLLEG E GUID

COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT

2015

IN ASSOCIATION WITH INVERNESS COLLEGE UHI

er education wn in furth d The lowdortunities in Scotlan oppo

START TOM ORROW TODAY! INVERNES

S COLLEG E

UHI –

With brand new state-of-the-art facilities in the beautiful setting of Scotland’s fastest growing city, why wouldn’t you want to study at Inverness College UHI? The team tell us what they have to offer learners

nverness College UHI is the leading provider of both further and higher education in the Highlands. Our vast and varied courses span many of Scotland’s most important industries and can open doors to a massive array of careers including: • • • • • • • • •

Creative industries Hospitality Engineering Forestry Life sciences Business services Construction Education Sport

You have the chance to study in one of the country’s newest and best campuses. Our new home has been built with you in mind! It gives you a learning environment to excite and inspire in the City of Inverness.

You get:

• State-of-the-art workshop facilities • State-of-the-art laboratory facilities • Bright, flexible and modern classrooms • Flexible performing arts studio with rehearsal space and the best AV equipment • A multi-purpose sports hall and fitness suite built on the second floor • The latest in training hair and beauty salons • A top notch, modern, well equipped training kitchen • CAD/computer and Mac suites • Research and enterprise hub • Flexible learning and teaching areas • Bright open learning spaces

What else do we offer? Schools programmes, Access courses, Nationals, Highers, National Certificates and Diplomas, degrees, postgraduate qualifications and apprenticeships, but most importantly, a route to your success! We have something for everyone, whether you would like to come study here as part of your school curriculum, join us when you leave at Christmas or move on after your sixth year at school. There are fantastic progression routes in many subject areas with us, so you could start at an access route or modern apprenticeship and go right through the levels of your subject to honours degrees and postgraduate

research. Some think it's a college, some think it’s a university. In truth, it’s both! Inverness College UHI has so much to offer we can barely fit it all in this page! Call us now, arrange a visit to our fantastic new campus or check out the website inverness.uhi.ac.uk.

Get in touch

Barbara Isaacs Schools Link and Transition Coordinator E-mail: barbara.isaacs.ic@uhi.ac.uk Tel: 01463 273 803

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 31

Get into College with our January start courses

We offer a wide range of full-time and part-time courses across our three campuses at Clydebank, Greenock and Paisley in:

CÙRSAICHEAN CEUMA Faigh barrachd fiosrachaidh air na cùrsaichean fo-cheum dha fileantaich is luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig a cheanglas an cànan le caochladh chuspairean a leithid ceòl traidiseanta, na meadhanan agus teagasg. Find out more about the range of undergraduate courses available for fluent speakers and learners of Gaelic which combine the language with a choice of subjects including traditional music, media studies and teacher education.

01471 888304 iarrtas@smo.uhi.ac.uk WWW.SMO.UHI.AC.UK

Beauty Care Design & Media Engineering

Hospitality & Catering Travel & Languages Science and more!

Apply today by calling on 0300 600 6060 or visiting:

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E COLLEG E GUID

THE LOWDOWN

2015

er education wn in furth d The lowdortunities in Scotlan oppo

FE FACT: IN 2012-2013, 16-24 YEAR OLDS MADE UP 45% OF ALL COLLEGE-LEVEL LEARNERS

F L E S R U O APPLY Y

Colleges offer an incredible variety of highly specialised courses which can provide a fantastic springboard for your career. Loads of people want in on the action, so if you’ve seen the course of your dreams, it’s important to make sure your application is perfect. Here’s how to do it

Do your research

Firstly, talk through your ambitions with family and friends. Identify what you want to learn and achieve and research any courses which could help you do this fully. Is part-time or full-time more suitable, and do you have the necessary qualifications? Next, research the institution by going online, browsing its prospectus and talking to current or ex students about their experience. Friends, family and guidance teachers can provide valuable advice to help you make a decision. Be realistic about travel – how will you get there and how much will it cost? Really think through all of your options and the practical elements, because signing up to college is a big commitment – and you want to make sure you get the most out of it.

Application

Most colleges handle applications themselves rather than using a separate body like universities do, so head to the college’s website for details – most have an online application process available now. The form will ask for personal details, qualifications, work experience and a personal statement. Essential information you will need includes your home and email address, National Insurance number and student number (you’ll find that on your SQA certificates). Once you’ve filled in personal information, you’ll be asked to list your qualifications. If you’re waiting for a grade, include the predicted one. The next section is work experience, where you detail

places you have worked and dates. This information demonstrates your ability to be hardworking and reliable. It’s important to be honest about your experience and ability so that admissions staff can make a realistic assessment of your suitability. If the course isn’t right for you, they may be able to suggest something better. Your personal statement is a chance to tell the college why they should offer you a place on their course. Describe your interests relating to the course along with your best qualities and personal achievements. This is the part where you can let your personality shine. Think about traits and experience which make you suitable. Voluntary work really makes you stand out from the crowd, so include that if you’ve done any – even helping organise an event at school counts – and

describe what your experiences have taught you. Don’t forget to double check spelling and grammar and get someone to proofread the statement too. If you don’t receive an offer, don’t worry! You will be given contact detail for a careers adviser who can offer you guidance on what to do next.

The ﬁnancial side

Further and higher education is free in Scotland but you must apply to The Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) to ensure the correct fees are paid. SAAS can also provide bursaries and loans to college students. You will need to send in certain documents declaring income, and can start this process from April each year. You don’t need to wait for exam results or unconditional offers before you apply.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 33

www.glasgowkelvin.ac.uk

t? n a w e w do

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Whatever you choose to do... GKC has a course for YOU!

Find out more... ... T: 0141 630 5000 E: info@glasgowkelvin.ac.uk 123 Flemington Street, Springburn, Glasgow, G21 4TD

CELEBS

everything everything Everything Everything have been delighting our ears with their funky glitch-pop tunes since 2007. They challenge any convention thrown at them, putting a retro spin on some tracks whilst pushing others into the future. Lyrics inspired by the horrors of planet earth in the 21st century bring a serious side to playful melodies, and it's this uniquely flippant approach to songwriting plus their adventurous musical attitude which makes them one of a kind. Sophie Mead chatted to frontman Jonathan Higgs How was T in the Park this year? Amazing – the Scottish crowd is always really up for it so we try to give back as much energy as they bring! Tell me about the band name. It’s welcoming and it avoids preconceptions. If you saw it written down, it wouldn’t give anything away. It’s the first words in the song Everything in its Right Place by Radiohead too. That album made us want to start a band. Your lyrics engage with the real world – what inspires you?

I watched a lot of rolling news while songwriting last year and the world was full of turmoil like missing planes, seven different conflicts and Scotland was leaving us. I got ground down and it made me go off the rails a bit. I let it all out in the writing of this record. I felt like no one else was talking about anything like it, and I couldn’t keep quiet. People can be aware of very distressing situations and be thinking about their dinner or where they parked their car. But it’s hard to engage with that bad stuff because it’s too much horror for one brain.

Did you study music? I studied popular music and recording. The recording part was really helpful – it taught me a lot about music production, which has come in handy. I’d recommend people take on a subject which has a transferable skill element. Breaking into the music industry at any level is difficult, so it’s important to acquire other skills while you’re studying. What music do you listen to? I like hip-hop and the impact of

lyrics and attitude. I’m interested in how things are said and stuff that rappers do that singers tend not to think about. It’s unusual for someone to sing fast and be melodic, but Destiny’s Child and R. Kelly manage. Craig David’s quick, but you can still sing along to his tunes. Has fame changed your life? It’s strange coming back from the midst of the action to a normal life. You do a show every night and then you come home and just stroke your cat – I have 11 cats at home.

Everything Everything’s new single No Reptiles is out 20 November www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 35

PIC: MIKE MASSARO

FIVE MINUTES WITH

TRAVEL

the ADVENTURE of a lifetime

This year, we’re giving you the chance to jet off on a gap year-style adventure, courtesy of STA Travel and Lattitude Global Volunteering. We caught up with two young volunteers who’ve previously taken part in the projects in Ghana and Ecuador

Ella in Ecuador

Ella headed off to Ecuador to volunteer on a community education project, working on a street outreach programme for pre-school children with CENIT, a not for profit organisation that aims to give young street children access to primary education. Ella, along with the other Lattitude Global Volunteers, got the opportunity to work closely with a group of young children from one of the many markets in Quito, engaging them in educational games to aid learning and to provide basic health and hygiene training for both the children and their families I volunteered at CENIT, an organisation working with street children in Quito, Ecuador. Every morning, we’d lug a bag full of crayons, stories and a giant set of plastic teeth named Señor Dientes to our room in Camal market, where we played with kids aged about three to five who would otherwise be selling sweets or fruit. Among the people at Camal market are some of the friendliest Ecuadorians you’ll ever meet, who always make time to greet you with a smile. Naturally, it took time for the families to trust us to take away their children, but before long, they were presenting us with free empanadas, crowding around to watch us sing and asking us whether we could teach the kids English. The children were not always easy to work with. But there are naughty kids everywhere, and the children of Camal market are essentially no different. They often made me angry, but above all they made me laugh, smile and sing – I am now an expert at Spanish nursery rhymes.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

I already miss my Ecuadorian host family, who introduced me to friends as their English daughter, and who knitted me scarves after I complained Quito was too cold – it was on the equator; I didn’t expect it to be! I miss the opportunity to speak Spanish all the time, and how easy it is to escape for a weekend away – only in Ecuador could you wake up to the howl of monkeys deep in the jungle, have lunch overlooking snow-capped mountains in the sierra and fall asleep on a hammock to the crashing of the waves. I consider the five months I spent there time well spent. Without Lattitude Global Volunteering, without my mornings making finger puppets and pasta necklaces in Camal market, my bike rides through the Atacama desert and snowball fights in the Bolivian salt flats, I doubt I would have acquired such a range of skills, stories and memories.

TRAVEL

Jake in Ghana Jake volunteered for five months in Ghana, working in a school teaching local children aged 6-16 First arriving in Ghana was incredible; I have done some travelling before, but never for so long. Stepping off the plane, the first thing to greet me was a great gust of heat. I was slightly nervous and apprehensive because I had never been to Africa and I didn’t know what to expect, but from the moment we met our Lattitude Global Volunteering country manager at the airport to the end of the placement, I had the most amazing and unforgettable time of my life. We spent the first week with our country manager in a large house north of the capital. This week I thought was essential and I am so glad Lattitude Global Volunteering implemented it into our programme. It gives you the opportunity to do everything from overcoming the first signs of culture shock to learning the local dance! After the first week, we were escorted to our placements where we were able to meet our host families and integrate into our placements and the local community. Everyone in Ghana is so welcoming. The most satisfying thing about my placement was getting to know the children at my school and engaging with everyone involved. The children are so passionate about their studies and try their hardest on a daily basis. At first, the teaching was difficult but after a week or two you become used to the way children in Ghana learn and understand concepts. All in all, I think my placement has given me confidence in all aspects of my life now. It opens your mind to new places, new cultures and a different way of life. I certainly cannot wait to set sail on another adventure and it’s all down to my placement. If you’re up for the experience of a lifetime, I would recommend this trip to anyone.

Over to you

WIN THE CHANCE TO VOLUNTEER IN GHANA OR ECUADOR Inspired by Ella and Jake’s experiences? You could be off to do the very same thing. Source have teamed up with student travel experts STA Travel and Lattitude Global Volunteering to give one lucky Source reader the chance to head off to Ghana or Ecuador for five months to volunteer on a community or teaching project. Volunteering on projects working with children from deprived backgrounds, travelling through unspoiled landscapes and making friendships that’ll last a lifetime, this is one experience you can’t miss out on. With flights provided by STA Travel, you’ll be placed on a volunteer project with leading youth development charity Lattitude Global Volunteering, volunteering in either Ghana or Ecuador to bring your expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm to the lives of local people. You’ll meet incredible people, experience new and exciting things and go home at the end wishing you didn’t have to leave.

THE PRIZE With our partners Lattitude Global Volunteering and STA travel, we’ll be giving one lucky Source reader: • A five-month placement commencing September 2016 to either Ghana or Ecuador through Lattitude Global Volunteering • Up to £600 towards flights, 20% off travel insurance for the trip and a discount on your work visa for the country of your placement from STA Travel

How to enter

To enter, head to the Source website right now – full details of how to enter and terms and conditions are available at www.sourcemagazine.org.uk/gap-adventure

FIND OUT MORE Lattitude Global Volunteering www.lattitude.org.uk

STA Travel www.statravel.co.uk

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 37

www.lattitude.org.uk/apply-now/

Could this be you? challenge yourself, learn about the world and be a positive force within it...

Apply now to gain vital employability skills through volunteering abroad in 2016

Educational Charity Project Trust invites you to spend your 2016/17 Gap Year volunteering in Africa, Asia or the Americas...

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Become part of a new community, make new friends, help others, challenge yourself and gain a Foundation Year in Global Volunteering & Citizenship, a qualification recognised by UCAS.

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ONLY 4 SELECTION COURSES LEFT FOR 2016 DEPARTURE... November 24th - 28th 2015 December 8th - 12th 2015 February 16th - 20th 2016 March 29th - April 2nd 2016 “There is such a fun energy to Project Trust as an organisation. They take volunteering seriously but don’t forget the excitement and adventure in all of it.” Rory, Nepal 2013/14 APPLY NOW at projecttrust.org.uk Project Trust | The Hebridean Centre | Isle of Coll | Argyll | PA78 6TE Tel 01879 230444 Email info@projecttrust.org.uk Registered as a Charity in Scotland No. SC025668

Pioneering gap years since 1967

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Now my BFFs are from all over the world. American Summer Camp Directors are recruiting in Edinburgh this January. Visit www.campleaders.com

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16:04

TRAVEL

SOURCE TOP 5

#WANDERLUST

Is the thought of skimming through uni prospectuses making you want to jump on the first bus to Timbuktu? Don’t worry – that could be the best thing for you. More and more young people are realising the value of taking some time out for themselves before committing to higher education. Travelling the world helps broaden your mind, giving you a front seat to experience new cultures and environments. Tales of your travels will endear you to new people and employers alike, so get out there and live your own adventure – Sophie Mead takes a look at some of the most Instagram-worthy travel destinations out there to inspire your next adventure

JoJo1445

♥ 1325 likes JoJo1445: I remembered to pack everything except a spare pair of pants #awkward

Ski season If you have a passion for all things snowy, why not make it your life for the winter months? Find work chalet hosting, instructing or bartending, and when the snow melts in one hemisphere, head to the next!

PaulNMaxGoTravelling

♥ 2458 likes PaulNMaxGoTravelling: We eventually found a hostel that suited our budget...

SOUTH-EAST ASIA The achingly beautiful islands and beaches are what draw thousands of Scots to Asia every year. Not to mention the ancient temples, hot springs, elephant sanctuaries and budget-friendly cost of living…

Darr3n

♥ 1023 likes Darr3n: I’m a long way from Glasgow #lifedownunder #gapyah

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND Swap grey weather for beautiful beaches and guaranteed sun Down Under. See kangaroos and koalas, magnetic islands, glow worms in caves, native tribes and the wonder of the natural world, the Great Barrier Reef!

CANADA > MissSarah97

If you love the great outdoors, how about au pairing in Canada? Get to know local people in their home and come face-to-face with nature’s wonders, such as cheeky raccoons, majestic mooses, grizzly bears and, of course, the awesome Rocky Mountains.

LucyLou42

< SOUTH AMERICA

♥ 989 likes MissSarah97: I spent years perfecting the art of the selfie for this moment!!

From ancient ruins in tropical rainforests to endless deserts and cascading glaciers, South America is like something invented by Dr Seuss. Surprise yourself teaching English in Chile or volunteering in Ecuador, and explore the most fascinating continent on the planet.

♥ 1465 likes LucyLou42: This certainly beats the view from the school bus in the morning!

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 39

FOCUS

YOUNG CARERS

c o H W a

Lots of people actually – but not necessarily in a way you’d automatically assume. One in ten people at high school in Scotland dedicate time to caring for a family member or friend with an illness, disability, mental health needs or addiction, juggling education, work and a social life with responsibilities like cooking for their family, cleaning the house and helping the person they care for with medical needs and personal care. If you think it’s hard trying to watch your third episode of PLL for the day while preparing for your chemistry unit assessment, just think of the young Scots who have all this and the health and wellbeing of a family member to consider too – and, very often, these young people aren’t getting any help to carry out their caring role. Ailsa Tweedie (pictured far right) has opened up her diary to let Source readers see just what it’s like to care for a loved one and try to be a ‘normal’ young person at the same time.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

The diary of a young adult carer The life of a young adult carer can be unpredictable at the best of times and full of challenges as we transition from being a young person to an adult. The move from school to higher education is a stressful time for any young person to be able to cope with – it’s even more challenging when you're a young adult carer, like me. My name is Ailsa Tweedie, I’m 24 and I’m also a young adult carer for my mum. Mum has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and hip problems. She uses a wheelchair, so she needs help with getting dressed, transferring to the car and picking things up. If she has a relapse with her MS it can cause a lot of problems, so she needs me even more than usual. To give you a glimpse of what it’s like to be in the shoes of a young adult carer, I’ve been writing about my week. I look after my mum with the help of my dad and my gran. However, it’s down to me to do most of the things that my mum needs help with. The nature of her condition means that she can have good days and bad days. Alongside caring, I’m also in the middle of studying towards an honours degree parttime at The Open University, which is mainly distance learning. In a typical week I try to fit in around two hours of studying each day, normally at night once my mum has gone to bed, as that’s when it’s quieter and I can concentrate without too many distractions.

FOCUS

a r e s ? MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GOING HIGHER IN SCOTLAND IS AVAILABLE AT WWW.CARERS.ORG/ GOING-HIGHERSCOTLAND

Monday

It can either be the quietest or busiest day of the week for both my mum and me, as we try to schedule any appointments we have for doctors or home visits on this day. On a quieter Monday, I try to get on with a few extra hours of studying so I can have more down time later in the week.

Tuesday

On Tuesday afternoons we try to be like a normal family and spend some quality time together, either in the house watching a movie or out of the house doing something that we all enjoy.

Wednesday

A usual Wednesday morning involves helping my mum for a few hours to get her organised to go out for the afternoon when she goes to a craft group that provides her with some social contact and a support group type of environment. When she goes out I usually stay at home and use the few hours to myself to do some extra studying or catch up with household

chores like the washing or ironing. In the evening once my mum is home, I sometimes go out to meet friends for a few hours and just be a normal 24-year-old.

Thursday

Thursdays are the same every week. I run errands for my mum while she has one of her friends over to visit for the afternoon. This also gives me a chance to get out of the house on my own. On Thursday evenings, I sometimes attend local political meetings or go into Glasgow to a trading card night at comic book shops.

Friday

On a Friday my parents usually go out for the day to Livingston, and I normally stay at home and get on with the main domestic chores like hoovering, cleaning and anything else that needs done around the house.

Saturday

I do a variety of things on a Saturday that

change from week to week. Every six weeks or so I have university tutorials for a few hours during the day. Sometimes I go to archery training in the afternoon, or I purposefully spend the day doing nothing to allow me to wind down from the week.

Sunday

Depending on what time of year it is, I sometimes spend a few hours out of the house doing political campaigning locally, or sometimes running any errands that didn’t get done through the week. Also on a Sunday, my grandad visits for a few hours in the evening and my family in Spain call to check in on everyone. This is just a snapshot of what my week can look like and it’s taken a long time to be able to find the balance between studying, looking after my mum and being a young adult. It’s something that could be made so much easier if further and higher education institutions began to recognise that there are student carers on their campuses and that they need to support us from matriculation right through to graduation.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 41

FOCUS

YOUNG CARERS

SUPPORT FOR CARERS Carers Trust Scotland tell us a bit more about the challenges faced by young adult carers – and where to go for support

Transition

ilsa’s week is busy, and there’s a lot of juggling to be Young adult carers (aged 16-25) done to make sure face a host of challenges. They’re that things run smoothly for thinking about transitioning the whole family. Scotland is from school to further or higher home to thousands of young education or work, they’re trying adults taking on a similar to form and maintain relationships, role, either themselves or as they’re aiming for milestones part of a wider caring like learning to drive – but unit with support caring makes all of from siblings or this a little bit more FIND OUT MORE parents. difficult. Young ABOUT CARERS TRUST “The adult carers say SCOTLAND’S WORK interesting that 48 school AND THE SUPPORT thing about days a year THEY CAN OFFER AT young carers are affected WWW.CARERS.ORG/ and young by their caring SCOTLAND OR CALL adult carers responsibilities, is that no two and they’re four 0300 123 2008. situations are the times more likely to same,” points out Paul drop out of university Traynor, Young Adult Carer than students who don’t have Policy and Campaigns Officer caring responsibilities. for Carers Trust Scotland. “It can Often, young adult carers involve things like daily duties struggle to find a learning or work such as housework, cleaning option that they can balance with and doing the shopping, or caring, unaware of the help that’s financial support like dealing available to help them to achieve with the bills and personal care.” their own goals.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

So what kind of help is that? Contact your local carers centre, or call Carers Trust Scotland for advice and information on the services that are available in your area, such as respite and practical support. You and the person you care for might have to undergo an assessment through your local social services department, and they may offer advice and provide funding to pay for paid carers or short breaks for you.

Understanding

Support doesn’t have to come in the form of help from outside agencies – sometimes, a bit of understanding from your school, college or uni can go a long way. Extra time for assignments, getting permission to have your mobile on in class and being allowed away early for hospital visits can make a huge difference. While you’re still in education, you’re not entitled to special benefits like Carer’s Allowance, but there is funding out there.

“Currently there is additional bursary funding for student carers that only became available last year,” Paul explains. “The Student Awards Agency for Scotland, SAAS, extended the criteria of the dependants’ grant and the lone parents' grant which means that some carers are now eligible.” If you care for someone in your spare time, the best thing you can do is let someone know, just to get a little bit more understanding to make life easier. Caring can be challenging – but, as all carers will testify, it’s not a role they would want to give up. “Most carers wouldn’t have it any other way either,” Paul says. “They genuinely care about the person they care for. But they need a hand to progress. As a group, carers save Scotland £10 billion a year – a bit of understanding and support is all they need.”

Photo: Jamie Baker/Save the Children

Get everyone in your school to pop on a festive jumper and donate £1 to help Macmillan Cancer Support, Make-A-Wish® UK and Save the Children give hope to families in difﬁculty this Christmas.

100% of your donations will be shared equally amongst Macmillan Cancer Support, Make-A-Wish UK and Save the Children, going directly to support vital work both in the UK and abroad. Text Santa ® © ITV Text Santa Ltd, 2015. All rights reserved.

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All donations to Save the Children’s international work will be matched pound for pound by the UK Government up to £5 million.

16/11/2015 15:01

PLAY

Mug

£6, Paperchase (www.paperchase.co.uk)

Obama Llama £20, Firebox.com

Bah Humbug tee £3, Primark (www.primark.com)

Shirt

£40, Nick Grimshaw x Topman (www.topman.com)

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THE SOURCE

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST Spruce up your letter to Santa with these brilliant gift ideas

Death Star Cookie Jar

Penguin sweater

£39.99, Firebox.com

£25, Next (www.next.co.uk)

Gold wire alphabet letter

Merry Christmas mug

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£6.50, Cath Kidston (www.cathkidston.com)

Gold glitter lava lamp

Pom-pom flats £17.99, New Look (www.newlook.com)

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Robin jumper

Scarf and hat set

Checked coat

£25, John Lewis (www.johnlewis.com)

£28, Marks & Spencer (www.marksandspencer. com)

£22, Very (www.very.co.uk)

iPhone case

£75, Next (www.next.co.uk)

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 45

PLAY

FOR MORE ADVICE, HINTS AND TIPS ON STAYING SAFE OVER THE HOLIDAYS, HEAD TO SCOTLAND.POLICE.UK ie McKenz ty s ir K t n stude tips from ty fe a s n rty seaso Some pa

Thanks to our phones there are now plenty of ways to make sure you stay safe on a night out. Companion App allows you to ask friends to become your ‘companion’ for the trip home. They’ll receive a notification when you arrive at your destination, but it also alerts them if you deviate, speed up, or pull your headphones out. The app will give you 15 seconds to respond to a change before an alarm is set off, warding off any potential threats. If you don’t have a smartphone, Kitestring App can text pals your ETA. They'll text you at the allotted time and all you need to do is confirm your arrival. If you don’t, the app will automatically alert your pre-determined emergency contact. Pretty clever, huh?

If you are going out, be sure to tell someone (a friend, flatmate or your parents) where you’re going, who you’ll be with, and when you’re likely to be back. On busy nights out, it can be difficult to keep track of your pals so try downloading Buddy Check at the start of your night and get all your mates to sign up too. Then all you have to do is bump your phones before you head out, and for the rest of the evening you’ll be able to track your friends’ movements through GPS.

It’s always safest to stick with friends when heading home after a night on the tiles. Avoid walking and try and put money aside at the start of the night for a taxi or night bus home. If you are getting into a taxi, make sure it's a

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licensed one. Ensure the taxi takes you right to your door, and have your keys ready as you leave it – and make sure you have all your belongings before you hop out. If you and your pals are planning to walk, remember to stick to well-lit areas with plenty of other people.

Don’t use ATMs if you feel unsafe for any reason, especially if the area is poorly lit or you feel someone watching you. Never write down your PIN or let anyone see you type it in, and don’t withdraw lots of cash in one go. Make sure you stay at the machine long enough to get your card, cash and any receipts too.

Try to eat before you go out if you’re going to be drinking, and drink plenty of water or soft drinks between any alcoholic drinks to avoid getting too drunk and losing control. If you leave any drinks (alcoholic or not) unattended, don’t go back to it – there’s a real risk you could get spiked.

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CELEBS

INTERVIEW

You said you wouldn’t bring out another album – what changed your mind? We announced in 2007 that we weren’t going to do another album because it seemed like the album charts were completely dying off and downloads were going up exponentially. Record companies weren’t addressing the problem so we decided to adjust to the times and come up with a creative way to release new music. We released 26 singles, one every two weeks. We felt like it was worth taking a chance and wanted to get ahead of the curve. It went down well with our fans, but album sales have bounced back with the resurgence of vinyl, so it felt like the right time for a new album.

“THE 90s WERE ALL ABOUT EXCESS BUT ONCE THE EFFECTS OF THE INTERNET WERE FELT, THAT COMPLETELY DECIMATED THE INDUSTRY”

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

With 23 years of experience in the music industry, Northern Irish alternative rock outfit Ash know a thing or two about writing hits. This May, after some time away from the spotlight, the trio released some brand new shiny music in the form of Kablammo!, their sixth studio album. They’ve headlined world tours, played the main stage at Glastonbury and even had NASA use their music as a hold tune, but they’ve also seen the music industry completely transform. We chatted to drummer Rick McMurray about the changing world of music

in our careers. There was a sense of nerves in the first few days but once we got over that we were super productive. From that point on, it was really exciting. What's the biggest challenge artists face in the industry today? Making money. We started when there was a lot of money in the industry. The 90s were all about excess but once the effects of the internet were felt, that completely decimated the industry. It’s hard for bands to sustain themselves in a career when they’re just starting out these days. What advice would you give to aspiring musicians? The music business is changing, but one thing that you can rely on is that people will always love a great song so concentrating on your songwriting is really important. No matter what happens in the business, people will always react to a song that touches them and take that into their heart. I think that’s the real key to success and longevity. Kablammo! is available for download on iTunes, and you can catch them on 6 December at Glasgow’s O2 ABC (www. ticketmaster. co.uk)

PIC: ALEX LAKE

How was recording the new album? Great! We felt the pressure to make it impressive because we wanted it to be up there with our best. We looked back at what we’d done in the past with successful albums, like 1977 and Free All Angels, and they became the benchmark. It came naturally, despite us being away from recording for the longest period

ASH: THE COMEBACK KINGS

"NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BUSINESS, PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS REACT TO A SONG THAT TOUCHES THEM"

PLAY

SOURCE TOP 5

Want to revamp your fitness routine this winter? Turn your attention to the A-list for some (frankly bonkers) exercise inspiration

BARRE Hollywood’s going bananas for ballet-inspired, barre-style workouts. It’s much more intense than a dainty pirouette across the floor – this is intense, and really puts your body through its paces. Combining elements of ballet, pilates and resistance training, you work up a sweat in these classes. This is all about strengthening muscles, and it’ll improve your posture too. There are lots of different varieties on offer, like Barreconcept who train instructors across the UK.

Celebrity

FITNESS TRENDS YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD AIM FOR 60 MINUTES OF EXERCISE EVERY DAY, INCLUDING A MIX OF MODERATE AND VIGOROUS ACTIVITY

CELEBRITY FANS: GET INVOLVED:

Madonna, Zooey Deschanel, Taylor Swift, Alexa Chung. Head to the Barreconcept website to find instructors in your area (www.barreconcept.co.uk).

SPINNING This isn’t a matter of twirling on the spot like a toddler (although, how fun would THAT be?) – spin classes involve a roomful of people on exercise bikes, cycling like there’s no tomorrow to really loud music. Cycling is great for toning up your legs and bum, and it’ll strengthen your heart and muscles. In the States, celebs are all over SoulCycle, a chain of indoor cycling centres where you essentially pay a lot of money to cycle in virtual darkness.

CELEBRITY FANS: GET INVOLVED:

The Beckhams, Lena Dunham, Katie Holmes, Lady GaGa. Check out spin fit classes at your local gym or leisure centre.

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

BIKRAM YOGA Bikram, or hot yoga, is the practice of yoga in a sweltering hot room. The studio will be heated to 40ºC (and you thought your summer break in Turkey was toasty) with a humidity level of 40%, meaning you’ll be super sweaty before you even launch into sun salutation. The heat improves your flexibility, leading to a super toned, strengthened bod.

CELEBRITY FANS:

Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, George Clooney, Ashton Kutcher. Search for classes in your area at www.yogaclassnearyou.co.uk.

DO IT:

BAREFOOT RUNNING Someone out there thought it was time to take exercise caveman-style and the barefoot running trend took off. To avoid stepping in something nasty, someone designed lightweight, rubbery alternatives to regular shoes with little toe compartments that give the sensation of running shoeless. Advocates claim that barefoot running reduces the risk of injury, helps you run more efficiently and improves your balance – while critics say the lack of protection can put you at risk, and there’s a danger of ending up with Achilles tendinitis and calf strain.

CELEBRITY FANS: DO IT:

Hugh Jackman, Matt Bellamy, Kristen Stewart. Head to your nearest sports store to check out the bizarre shoes.

BOOTCAMP Fitness bootcamps are all about high intensity workouts. Often inspired by military fitness routines, this isn’t for the faint-hearted. Traditionally, you’ll workout outdoors, but more and more companies are offering sessions in gyms too. Famouses are all over Barry’s Bootcamp, the international boot camp specialists, and No 1 Boot Camp, who have fitness camps in the UK, Marrakech and Ibizia – it’s popular with TOWIE and MIC stars.

CELEBRITY FANS: DO IT:

Ellie Goulding, Harry Styles, Kim Kardashian. Get onto Google and look for gyms and instructors near you.

CELEBS

INTERVIEW

Stevie McCrorie:

LIFE AFTER THE VOICE It’s been a crazy 12 months for Scotland’s Stevie McCrorie. The singer-songwriter and winner of The Voice 2015 took some time out to tell Source about the busiest, most bizarre year of his life How’s life since winning The Voice? It’s mad! I was in bands for 10 years but I never quite broke through. It’s weird for people who come into this position who are totally normal – you’ve got a kid, you do DIY, you drop your kid off at nursery, and suddenly I’ve got these wee kids screaming at me! It’s so surreal. I’m quite nervous about the whole thing, but it’s something I’ve wanted my whole life so I’ve got to go for it. How would you sum up the experience of being on the show? It was amazing. It wasn’t something that I wanted to go for; other people pushed me and applied for me. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s given me an amazing platform.

It’s something that I’ll never forget. As soon as I won the show, I was keen to move on from it and write my album. What can we expect from the album? Everyone who’s heard it so far – and I’ve spoken to some strangers that have heard it! – has said they can tell I write from my heart. Everything I’ve written about has a special meaning, I’ve taken it from experiences in the past. I would say people can expect it to be melodic, heartfelt and, hopefully, something that’s sustainable. You played T in the Park for the second time over the summer – what was that like? For me, that was better than winning The Voice. The Voice

has given me an amazing platform and it got me signed and it’s given me this, but I felt like I got T in the Park because DF Concerts knew who I was as an artist and they knew I could pull it off. For me, that was a big compliment.

achieved one thing, you’ve got to do something else. And when I was a fireman, you’ve got great banter in the station, you’ve got your simple family life and it’s easy. Although this is my dream, I’ve taken on a much harder challenge.

Are you looking forward to gigging with the album? I can’t wait to stop doing covers! Don’t get me wrong, I like doing my own interpretation and it’s quite good now and again, but I think when I perform my own songs it means something.

You’ve had an amazing 2015, so what are your hopes for the new year? The goal for me is the album. I’d love a number one, but the realistic goal would be a top 10. I hope that in 2016 I can be playing those bigger venues and that the fan base grows and I start to be recognised as an artist.

You’re living your dream – but do you miss your day job in the fire service? A lot of people would say no, but I do. To keep going in this industry is hard – once you’ve

Stevie McCrorie’s debut album Big World is out 8 January on Decca Records

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk 51

PLAY

COMPETITION

PIC: CHRIS WATT

Win tickets for

EDINBURGH’S HOGMANAY STREET PARTY BE THERE! PIC: LLOYD SMITH

Hogmanay is on its way – and you can celebrate it in style with this issue’s brilliant competition

dinburgh calls itself the Home of Hogmanay, and the city certainly knows how to put on a party to celebrate New Year – and this year’s celebrations in the capital promise to be truly spectacular! While tickets have already sold out for Concert in the Gardens, the world famous Street Party on Thursday 31 December features a feast of entertainment over four stages. On the Waverley Stage (indie) you’ll find live music from Maxïmo Park, White and the Mercury Prize nominated Slaves; the Castle Stage (Scottish) will feature the very best from Peatbog Faeries, Rura and, celebrating their

20th anniversary, Shooglenifty. On the Frederick Stage (party) 6 Music DJ Craig Charles will entertain the crowds with his Funk ‘n Soul show, which will be the soundtrack to the Street Party broadcasting on screens along the length of Princes Street. Countdown firework displays on the hour every hour from 9pm rise to the crescendo of the spectacular Midnight Moment as the fireworks lift from the ramparts of Edinburgh Castle and Calton Hill, followed by the world’s largest rendition of Auld Lang Syne as old friends and new join hands across the arena to sing Burns’ universal New Year anthem.

On Friday 1 January, the brave can wash away the excesses of the night before in the annual Loony Dook – a fancy dress dip in the chilly waters of the River Forth under the shadow of the famous Forth Bridges – which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary. Finally for one afternoon only, Scot:Lands, a festival within a festival, offers the very best of Scottish music, spoken word and performance in hidden locations around the city. Get full details of the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay programme at www.edinburghshogmanay.com

This issue, we're giving away a set of four wristbands gaining you access to Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer this question: What kind of music features on the Waverly Stage at the Street Party? a) Classical b) Scottish c) Indie Send your answer along with your name, age, name of your school, college or university, address and telephone number to competitions@dcpublishing.co.uk now! All entries must be received by 13 December 2015 at 5pm. Good luck! Edinburgh's Hogmanay Street Party – Thursday 31 December 2015 www.edinburghshogmanay.com Stages live from 9pm to 1am City centre arena and attractions open from 7pm

Terms and conditions: Prize is four tickets for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Street Party only. Transport, spending money and accommodation are not included. Entry to the Street Party arena requires a valid wristband issued by or on behalf of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay which must be worn/retained at all times and implies acceptance of conditions which have been established for the safety and enjoyment of all visitors and may be amended. This is a very busy, all-standing, outdoor festival event so please dress for the weather. No entry after 11pm, so please come early! No persons under 12 years permitted. Under 16 years MUST be accompanied by an adult over 21 years of age. Please note Street Party tickets do not allow access to the Concert in the Gardens or The Old Town Ceilidh events. The winner accepts full responsibility for their own safety at the event. For full terms and conditions, conditions of entry and accessibility information, head to www.edinburghshogmanay.com/buy-tickets

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CELEBS

INTERVIEW

adioactive, Demons, On Top of the World… Chances are, you’ve had an Imagine Dragons worm its way into your brain at some point since the band’s debut album release back in 2012 – and their catchy tunes have had a worldwide impact, taking the title of the second most streamed act on Spotify back in 2014. The Las Vegas foursome are currently in the midst of a massive world tour, taking in destinations from Paris to Moscow, Amsterdam to Prague.

FAVOURITE “It’s definitely been my favourite tour that we’ve ever had as a band this far,” says vocalist Dan Reynolds. “I think this record, we made it with the live experience in mind, so it blends really well for playing live. There’s a lot of dynamic ups and downs, which we really intended for, whereas with [debut album] Night Visions we had no idea that we’d even be playing that record live, for all we knew it could have been a big bust!” Album two, Smoke + Mirrors, was released earlier this year, shooting straight to the top of the charts in the US, UK and Canada. Overseas recognition is a big deal for the band, who are just as keen to get out there and play for fans outside of the States as they are their home crowd. “I think we’re just as concerned with our international audience as we are with the States,” Dan says. “I don’t know why, that’s just been something that for this band has been a big priority since we started.”

Smoke + Mirrors by Imagine Dragons is out now on Interscope

www.sourcemagazine.org.uk

IMAGINE WORLDWIDE DOMINATION…

Dan Reynolds doesn’t have to – he’s already done it. The Imagine Dragons frontman has toured the world, picked up five American Music Awards, a Grammy, five Billboard Music Awards and a World Music Award, topped the charts in several countries and even appeared in The Muppets. What more could you want? Dan took some time out from their latest world tour to talk life in the band

PROGRESSION Starting out playing tiny pubs and clubs in the early days, their international fan base has grown and grown – the recent tour saw them play to Glasgow’s 13,000-capacity SSE Hydro. So how have they found the progression from small stages to bigger ones in front of massive crowds? “I think it’s just because we focus on the music so much, we get on stage and we just play the music and it is a big sound,” Dan muses. “We’re from Las Vegas, so it’s always been over the top and eccentric and big and larger than life. We always play our hearts out and try to give the best show we could and so it’s all really pretty natural.” But the success isn’t going to their heads – in fact, Dan can hardly believe it himself. “I don’t think we even realised how the band was doing until we got home and the neighbours were knocking on the door asking for autographs and we were like ‘What?! I’ve grown up here my whole life, like why are you knocking on my door asking for my autograph?!’” he laughs. “That was weird for sure!”

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