Jade Harley (28) from Falkirk, graduated with a HNC Working with Communities.
She won the Most Inspirational Student in the Department of Business and Communities at the 2021 graduation ceremony and has now progressed onto a Masters in Learning and Communities at Edinburgh University.
She said: “I’ve studied previously at Forth Valley College and my experiences were always brilliant. Having spent a lot of time on the old Falkirk Campus when my parents were in the Student Union in the 90s, I have nothing but good memories at the College. It’s a great establishment, close to home and had all the options I needed.
“The new Falkirk Campus is beautiful, it’s bright, clean and modern. Having the use of laptops in each classroom took away any potential barriers (and forgetfulness!) so there were no issues in being able to participate or complete work during classes.
“The lecturers who were part of the Working with Communities course were fantastic. They each brought different experiences and a wealth of knowledge that made the course content so interesting.
“My experience of studying at the College gave me the confidence to apply for University. It was a daunting prospect, as a mature student, having to return to study but the course helped alleviate some of those fears.
“As I progress in the field – my experience at FVC has helped me make professional connections - the knowledge from my lecturers has opened my eyes to a range of career prospects that I wouldn’t have considered before, and the learning opportunities provided, have allowed me to be creative in my approach to community work.
“I would absolutely recommend Working with Communities at Forth Valley College. The lecturers are engaging, knowledgeable and were able to offer an array of learning approaches that appealed to a range of students. The course content is relevant to current practice in the field and is the ideal course for someone looking to further their knowledge, or get started with community work.
“The best bit for me has been the opportunity to collaborate with my peers and the Student Association to create a wellbeing source for students. While it was intended as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has grown and remained relevant for students to access.
“There is a lot of pressure on young people to follow a certain path – standardised education isn’t for everyone - but taking the time to understand what you want to learn and where you would like to be is important. College offers that opportunity, regardless of your age or your background - there is help available to assist in getting settled and choosing the right course for you.
“I was a bit lost before I found community work. The thing I loved most about my College experience was that the Working with Communities HNC helped me out of a really dark place. It brought some great new people into my life, who I look forward to working with in the future and has left me feeling motivated again, something I thought I’d lost.”
She won the Most Inspirational Student in the Department of Business and Communities at the 2021 graduation ceremony and has now progressed onto a Masters in Learning and Communities at Edinburgh University.
She said: “I’ve studied previously at Forth Valley College and my experiences were always brilliant. Having spent a lot of time on the old Falkirk Campus when my parents were in the Student Union in the 90s, I have nothing but good memories at the College. It’s a great establishment, close to home and had all the options I needed.
“The new Falkirk Campus is beautiful, it’s bright, clean and modern. Having the use of laptops in each classroom took away any potential barriers (and forgetfulness!) so there were no issues in being able to participate or complete work during classes.
“The lecturers who were part of the Working with Communities course were fantastic. They each brought different experiences and a wealth of knowledge that made the course content so interesting.
“My experience of studying at the College gave me the confidence to apply for University. It was a daunting prospect, as a mature student, having to return to study but the course helped alleviate some of those fears.
“As I progress in the field – my experience at FVC has helped me make professional connections - the knowledge from my lecturers has opened my eyes to a range of career prospects that I wouldn’t have considered before, and the learning opportunities provided, have allowed me to be creative in my approach to community work.
“I would absolutely recommend Working with Communities at Forth Valley College. The lecturers are engaging, knowledgeable and were able to offer an array of learning approaches that appealed to a range of students. The course content is relevant to current practice in the field and is the ideal course for someone looking to further their knowledge, or get started with community work.
“The best bit for me has been the opportunity to collaborate with my peers and the Student Association to create a wellbeing source for students. While it was intended as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it has grown and remained relevant for students to access.
“There is a lot of pressure on young people to follow a certain path – standardised education isn’t for everyone - but taking the time to understand what you want to learn and where you would like to be is important. College offers that opportunity, regardless of your age or your background - there is help available to assist in getting settled and choosing the right course for you.
“I was a bit lost before I found community work. The thing I loved most about my College experience was that the Working with Communities HNC helped me out of a really dark place. It brought some great new people into my life, who I look forward to working with in the future and has left me feeling motivated again, something I thought I’d lost.”