Students from Forth Valley College met Scotland’s new First Minister Humza Yousaf on a trip to the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Wednesday 26 April.
Four HNC Working With Communities students - Amanda Barr, Jake Duncan, Wendy Kellock and Rukhma Rukhma – organised the visit and were tasked with planning a learning opportunity as part of their Group Work assessment.
They worked for several weeks with a group of Workstart students to plan a tour of the Parliament building, to compliment the Modern Studies unit the Workstart students had completed in block one. The visit helped to encourage civic engagement and participation for everyone involved.
Ruth Davis, a lecturer in the Department of Care, Sport, Business and Communities, said: “Aides of our local Falkirk West MSP Michael Mathieson, and also Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, met the students and showed them around the whole building, explaining some of the work that goes on in it.
“By chance they met with new First Minister Humza Yousaf and grabbed a photo opportunity! They then spent time with Mr Mathieson in the debating chamber and discussed topics including the Gender Recognition Bill, Scottish Independence, Net Zero targets and the treatment of refugees.
“The Working With Communities students did a great job with the organisation tasks and the Workstart students thoroughly enjoyed their day, learning lots about the workings of the Parliament… and they also got to see former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon drinking coffee!”
