Here at Weston College, the welfare and wellbeing of staff is one of our top priorities. Our fantastic Welfare Officer, Emma, recently announced college-wide ‘Wellbeing Champions’, whereby 20 members of staff across 15 departments have volunteered to offer guidance and support for any work or personal issues any colleague may be struggling with.

We caught up with Emma, who told us about her inspiration for setting up this initiative, and what the impact she hopes it will have on the staff and the college: “Early intervention is crucial when it comes to our mental health but sadly, mental health and wellbeing services are saturated with long waiting lists when help is needed. I wanted to set up a team who could support me in ensuring that all staff have a safe place to talk openly about any worries or concerns they have.

“The Champions are all passionate about mental health and wellbeing, and they have been recruited to work alongside my role as Staff Welfare officer in supporting the wellbeing of all staff within the college.

“We are fully aware how the impact of the challenges that we all face outside of college, can impact how we are feeling at work, so the Champions are happy to offer general support with any issues you may be experiencing in your work or personal life. It is also the responsibility of the Champions to make referrals to myself if further support is required.

“It can often feel difficult to open up at work (or in general), so this new initiative has been put in place to make it easier for staff to have a confidential chat and feel supported at work; Champions will never pressure anyone to chat if they do not want to. We have all heard that prevention is better than the cure and this is never truer than with mental health. It is time to recognize our mental health as essential to our physical health. At Weston college it is important to me that we work hard to send the message the importance of reaching out early for help when we notice something doesn’t feel right.

“I am really passionate and excited to be rolling this project out and I hope it will make a difference to individuals and, in turn, the whole college.”

If you would like to find out more about welfare at Weston College, click here.

The Weston College Group is pleased to announce an exciting collaboration with University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation (UHBW) to provide an exceptional opportunity for learners on health-related courses. As part of this partnership, UHBW will be offering all successful Weston College learners on Level 3 health-related courses an automatic interview for the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship program.

The Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship program is a prestigious and comprehensive opportunity for individuals to embark on a rewarding career in nursing while gaining valuable academic qualifications. By partnering with Weston College, UHBW aims to support aspiring nurses in the local community and contribute to the development of a highly skilled and diverse healthcare workforce.

Key details of the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship program, include:

• A direct pathway to a nursing career - successful learners will have the chance to bypass the traditional application process and secure an automatic interview with UHBW for the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship. This exclusive opportunity provides a direct pathway for learners to pursue their passion for nursing and enter the healthcare profession.

• High-quality education and training - the program encompasses a comprehensive curriculum that equips learners with the essential knowledge and skills required to become competent and compassionate registered nurses. The curriculum has been carefully designed in accordance with industry standards and is regularly updated to align with the latest healthcare practices. Apprentices will benefit from the expertise and mentorship of UHBW's experienced nursing staff, gaining a solid foundation of skills and knowledge essential for a successful nursing career.

• Hands-on clinical experience - apprentices enrolled in the program will have the opportunity to gain invaluable hands-on experience through clinical placements within UHBW, one of the region's leading healthcare organisations. This practical exposure provides learners with real-world insights, allowing them to apply their theoretical knowledge in a supportive and professional environment.

• Financial support and employment - apprentices enrolled in the program will receive a competitive salary while studying, allowing them to earn while they learn. This financial support, combined with the opportunity to work within UHBW, a leading healthcare organisation, ensures a stable and rewarding career pathway from the outset.

• Personal and professional growth - As the employer UHBW, will enable a wealth of professional development opportunities for the apprentice, allowing them to grow both personally and professionally. UHBW is committed to supporting its apprentices throughout their journey, providing mentorship, guidance, and ongoing training to ensure their success in the nursing profession.

By offering all successful Weston College learners on Level 3 health-related courses an automatic interview for the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship program, UHBW is demonstrating its commitment to investing in local talent and fostering the next generation of healthcare professionals. This collaboration will not only benefit individual Weston College learners but also contribute to the enhancement of healthcare services and patient care within the region.

Interested learners are encouraged to contact Weston College for further information on the application process. UHBW and Weston College are excited about the prospects that this collaboration presents and look forward to welcoming aspiring nurses to join them on this exceptional journey.

On Wednesday 5th July, the service sectors faculty and learners hosted Laura Leong, High Performance Skills Coach, from WorldSkills UK.

Weston College are proudly a WorldSkills Centre of Excellence, meaning access to world-class teacher training build on WorldSkills international insights. Additionally, it allows a network to build for peer-to-peer innovation and a global community of thought leadership.

Through the connections of WorldSkills, our learners are treated to incredible guest lectures and live demonstrations such as Laura visiting.

Laura spent the morning with our Floristry learners introducing them to competence to excellence methodologies. The learners created 'German style decorative hand tied bouquets'.

This design could be attempted by learners who have mastered basic spiral technique who wish to extend their learning to feature some insights into international best practice. Whilst this approach cannot be fully adopted into the everyday commercial production of every bouquet, it is a valuable addition to the skills and knowledge of a developing floristry student. It does produce results that demonstrate higher order competences and the advanced craftsmanship of a trained florist on a global level.

In the afternoon Laura hosted a Mindset Masterclass with educators from Service Sectors, Health and Sport, ESOL, Maths and English and Professional Studies. The session was titled 'Looking beyond the carrot and the stick'; educators examined different types of motivation and goal setting in relation to achieving learner's personal best.

Jenna Ratcliffe, Divisional Lead of Service Sectors, commented on the success of the day: “It’s such an honour having guest lecturers from WorldSkills come in to share their skills and expertise with the learners. It’s always so fantastic seeing the learners engage in new techniques and topics, and it’s clear how meaningful these sessions are."

Find out more about our courses, here!