2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 1
What is NUS?
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 2
NUS Scotland will , change students lives by :
•Promoting,
defending and extending the rights of students
•Developing
and championing strong students, associations
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 3
Do you care about: • Whether you pay tuition fees or not? • How much in student loans and grants you get in your pocket?
• The quality of your course or degree? • How your landlord treats you? • Where you’re allowed to live? • Whether you pay council tax? • Whether you can drink alcohol under the age of 21? • How to have a positive impact on the environment? • How much health and welfare support you receive? If so, you need to care about NUS Scotland.
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 4
Left-to-right: Jennifer Cรกdiz, Depute President; Kelley Temple, W
, NUS Scotland s full-time officers are three of 5OO,OOO students across Scotland who make up the membership of NUS. The full-time officers are elected by students each year.
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 5
e, Women’s Officer; Liam Burns, President, NUS Scotland
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 6
Winning for students ,
Last year, NUS Scotland s campaigns resulted in:
• An extra £1,200 for the poorest mature students through a new independent students’ bursary.
• An additional £600 in loans and grants for the poorest young students.
• Government agreement to introduce a mandatory tenancy deposit scheme to stop rogue landlords stealing your money.
• An extra £2m for student parents. • Parliament voting down legislation to raise the drinking age to 21.
• £600,000 of external funding for students’ associations. • Parliament and government agreeing to not impose tuition fees.
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 7
Liam Burns, President of NUS Scotland, and Mike Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education
“ NUS
Scotland continues to play a
significant role in promoting the voice of students. This is why I have been delighted to work closely with them as they help guide our students both during their studies and in
�
developing their futures.
Mike Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 8
Education: Not Free, Not Fair Fighting for a fairer funding system for students. Students in Scotland pay for their education every single day. The maximum a Scottish student can access in loans and grants is £5,852, significantly below the official poverty line. Forced to work long hours in low paid jobs, students are increasingly turning to credit cards, overdrafts, and commercial loans, often at very high interest rates. Worst of all, many talented people who want to study don’t even make it through the doors of college or university. Scotland has one of the worst records in the UK for getting students from disadvantaged communities into higher education. Those very same communities are paying for further and higher education through taxes but are left out of many of the direct benefits. Suddenly, education doesn’t sound very free or fair, does it?
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 9
What can you do?
• Sign up to the Education – Not free, not fair campaign by joining our Facebook group http://bit.ly/NotFreeNotFair and following us on twitter @NotFreeNotFair
• Attend a local Day of Action this October • Attend the Fund our Future: Stop Education Cuts national demo in London on 10 November 2010
• Make your voice heard by registering to vote for next May’s Scottish Parliament election at http://bit.ly/m9ylp
• Volunteer with your students’ association to help its Education – Not Free, Not Fair campaign. For more information, contact: liam.burns@nus-scotland.org.uk
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 10
Shape your education ,
It s crucial that you receive a high quality learning experience in the classroom - one that is responsive to your needs. NUS Scotland works on issues such as improved feedback on assessments and exams, greater contact hours with your tutor and increasing opportunities to study abroad in order that students get the best possible education. Two areas NUS Scotland focuses on are:
• Class representative training Having lobbied and won funding for the creation of a dedicated training agency for class reps, NUS Scotland works together with Student Participation in Quality Scotland (sparqs) to ensure that student reps for courses have the support they need to improve and shape their class’s education experience.
• Student-led learning and teaching awards NUS Scotland has received funding to develop studentled learning and teaching awards, allowing students to reward quality teaching and celebrate educational excellence.
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 11
What can you do?
• Stand as a class rep and improve learning and teaching for you and your peers
• Check out sparqs (www.sparqs.ac.uk) for information on class rep support and training
• Contact NUS Scotland for details on how to get involved in your institution’s student-led learning and teaching awards event, or help in starting one at your college or university. For more information, contact: jennifer.cadiz@nus-scotland.org.uk
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 12
Building a strong community Students are often criticised for not contributing to their local community, but we know better. Students across Scotland take on thousands of volunteering roles every year. Joining a society or sports club while you are studying, or volunteering time with a community organisation is not only beneficial because it helps others and makes a difference – it’s also the easiest way to make new friends with people who share your values and interests. NUS Scotland provides support and direction for students who want to get involved in activities outside of the lecture hall. Examples include: Think Positive
• This project trains students to recognise and assist friends and the students around them with mental ill health.
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 13
Students Without Borders • The Students Without Borders project aims to overcome the barriers of studying abroad through European roadshows which bring students together with study abroad veterans. It also works with international students to improve their student experience in Scotland. And it’s not all about other people! With an incredibly competitive graduate market, the experience gained by getting involved in outside-the-classroom activities may mark you out from other applicants and get you the job you’re looking for.
What can you do?
• Join a society, club or voluntary organisation. Contact your students’ association to find out what’s out there.
• Widen your horizons by taking part in a study abroad society such as Erasmus or get involved with one of your college or university’s international students societies. For more information, contact: mail@nus-scotland.org.uk
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 14
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 15
You have a powerful role to play Whether you’ re passionate about education, equality, student welfare or the environment, you have a powerful role to play; you are now part of a union. This means there will always be someone there to stand up for you and always someone for you to stand up with. NUS is your union, and you are NUS.
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 16
Equality work Equality issues span all areas of our work - from education and welfare to sports clubs and societies. NUS Scotland’s liberation campaigns have a long history of campaigning for equality in Scotland, and they continue the fight every day on campus and in the Scottish Parliament to address prejudice and discrimination.
Disabled students The Disabled Students’ Campaign ensures disabled students have equal access to support, resources and opportunities. One of the projects we’ll be working on this year is the ‘Think Positive’ mental health project. For more information contact Disabled Students’ Officer karena.youngson@nus-scotland.org.uk
LGBT students The Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender students’ Campaign provides support and training for LGBT students across Scotland, empowering them to engage with government, media and educational institutions. This year
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 17
the campaign will focus on sexual and mental health issues. For more information, contact LGBT Students’ Officer stiofan.macfadden@nus-scotland.org.uk
Black students The NUS Scotland Black Students' Campaign includes students of African, Arabian, Asian, Caribbean descent and those who self-identify as Black. The campaign aims to improve the prospects of Black students’ learning experiences and standing up for students who face discrimination. For more information contact Black Students’ Officer godwin.ichimi@nus-scotland.org.uk
Women students The NUS Scotland Women’s Campaign exists to represent women students and to combat sexism in all its forms This year we will be empowering women through our Women Leader Days and fighting for a fairer funding system for student parents. For more information contact Women’s Officer kelley.temple@nus-scotland.org.uk
Mature students The Mature Students’ Campaign defends and extends the rights of mature students by tackling the barriers and stigmas they face in education. For further details contact Mature Students’ Officer alanna.johnstone@nus-scotland.org.uk
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 18
NUS Extra We can save you money! NUS Extra is the definitive student discount card with a range of exclusive discounts, offers and competitions designed to make student life more exciting, more memorable and more rewarding. Enjoy savings from companies such as: Topshop/Topman, Amazon, Odeon Cinemas, Pizza Hut, Ticketmaster, Blockbuster Video, and many, many more. NUS Extra costs just £11, not bad for something that’s going to save you a whole load of cash throughout the year. Even better, £4.50 of the fee goes back into your students’ association! For more information, visit www.nus.org.uk/NUS-Extra
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 19
2010_What is NUS_Scotland_print:Layout 1 copy 12/08/2010 16:42 Page 20
National Union of Students Scotland 29 Forth Street Edinburgh EH1 3LE Tel: 0131 5566598 Email: mail@nus-scotland.org.uk Web: www.nus.org.uk/scotland FB: www.facebook.com/nusScotland Twitter: @nusScotland