Day: September 27, 2012

Final graduations from Telford College tonight

The last students to graduate from three of Edinburgh’s biggest colleges will do so in a series of ceremonies this week, marking the end of an era and heralding the arrival of a new Edinburgh College. More than 900 students from Edinburgh’s Telford College, Jewel & Esk College and Stevenson College will attend separate ceremonies at Usher Hall to celebrate their academic achievements.

The graduations come ahead of the merger of the three colleges which takes place next month, when the new Edinburgh College will become the largest student body in Edinburgh, accommodating more than 35,000 students.

Brian Lister, Interim Principal of Edinburgh College, said: “Graduation is always a special time, as it gives us a chance to celebrate the various achievements of all our students, but this year they have greater significance, as these students will be the last ever to graduate from each college. As this chapter ends for the students of the three colleges, the ceremonies are also a chance for us to look back on the successes of each college as a whole and what they have done individually for the further education sector in Edinburgh.

“The creation of the new Edinburgh College will allow us to build upon the foundations of excellence already set by Edinburgh’s Telford, Jewel & Esk and Stevenson College Edinburgh and create an unrivalled further education experience for students in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The College itself will become a ‘centre of excellence’, building on the existing strengths of the three colleges to foster growth, opportunity and economic development. All of the 2011/12 graduands have worked exceptionally hard to pass their courses and the ceremonies are a mark of their excellence – I wish each and every one of them the best of the luck in their chosen career or education path.”

The new Edinburgh College will be the biggest student body in Edinburgh/Scotland, employing around 1,300 staff to deliver the very best education and training to students. Four campuses spread across Edinburgh and the Lothians will make up the new College: Granton (formerly Edinburgh’s TelfordCollege), Sighthill (formerly Stevenson College) and Milton Road and Midlothian (both formerly Jewel and Esk College).

Stevenson College Edinburgh’s ceremony took place on Monday (24 September) and will be followed by Edinburgh’s Telford College tonight (27 September) at 7pm with Jewel & Esk’s ceremony taking place on Friday at 4pm.

Family Nurse Partnership celebrates first graduations

Sing-songs and children’s games were the order of the day at the first graduation ceremony of the Family Nurse Partnership programme yesterday( Wednesday 26 September). Forty families and Family Nurse Partnership staff were joined  by Alex Neil, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing at a special  ceremony to mark the first graduates through the programme.

The children and their families, the first in Scotland to participate in the Family Nurse Partnership initiative, were presented with gold medals and graduation  certificates.

The innovative service, which launched as a pilot in Lothian in 2010, has seen more than 148 families and has since been rolled out across  Scotland.

Alex Neil, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, said: “I’m  absolutely delighted to be involved in this celebration.  Investing in  young parents and children is high on the Scottish Government’s agenda  and we want to give every child in Scotland the best possible start.  I  can see for myself what a difference this programme can make to young  lives and I will continue to champion worthy investments, such as the  Family Nurse Partnership, that really do make a difference.”

The Family Nurse Partnership programme offers an early intervention  service starting in early pregnancy and designed to support first-time  teenage mothers over the first two years after birth.

Val Alexander, Family Nurse Partnership Supervisor, NHS Lothian,  said:  “We have seen so many positive stories over the first two years  of the Family Nurse Partnership and it’s great to see so many families  graduating through the service today.

“The programme relies on the development of a strong therapeutic  relationship between our nurse and the client. Visits are structured,  and cover personal health, environmental health, life course  development, maternal role, family and friends and health and human  resource services.”

Melanie Hornett, Director of Nursing, NHS Lothian, said:  “I am  delighted to see the first clients graduating through the programme. The service is all about helping to build on the strengths of young mums  and dads encouraging them to focus on their own wellbeing and that of  their child. Providing help early on gives them the best possible start in terms  of improved healthcare and child development and I would like to  congratulate the whole Family Nurse Partnership team on this first  graduation.”

Former Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon introduced Family Nurse Partnerships to Scotland in 2010 following a visit to Harlem, where NHS  Lothian was chosen as the first test site for the programme.

The Family Nurse Partnership is targeted at first time mothers aged 19 and under having their first baby, and offers guidance on breastfeeding, child  development, parenting skills, future pregnancy planning, preventive  health measures such as help with alcohol or cigarette dependency,  better diet information, advice on better financial planning and advice  for mothers wanting to go back to education or employment.