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The Southern Regional College has been awarded the Matrix Quality Standard Award for Student Services,in a first for Northern Irish Further and Higher education colleges.
Assessed under four elements, Leadership & Management; Resources; Service Delivery and Continuous Quality Improvement, SRC received the full recognition of the Matrix Quality standard thanks to the information, advice and guidance (IAG) that the college provides to its students.
Over a 3-day period, assessors met and spoke with staff, students and external partners of the college to evaluate them against the unique Matrix Quality Standard. After comments such as ‘well informed students,’ ‘impressive resources,’ knowledgeable staff’ and ‘very strong in partnerships’, SRC received the quality mark for exceeding the required standards for this accreditation.
Lorraine McKeown, Assistant Director for Student Services and Marketing at SRC said “We are delighted to obtain the Matrix Quality standard which epitomises the excellence in the service we provide to our students. The Matrix Standard encouraged us as a College to review and reflect upon our provision, especially in regard to how we communicate and deliver services to our students, partners and stakeholders.
The assessment enabled us to review and develop our IAG practice within a context of continuous improvement, as well as improving our understanding of current good practice to ensure we remain up to date."
The Matrix Quality Standard is a unique quality standard for organisations to assess and measure their advice and support services, which ultimately supports individuals in their choice of career, learning, work and life goals.
Departments involved in this assessment were Marketing, Student Activities, Complaints, Learning Support, Student Finance, Careers and Learning Resources Centres.
SRC already held the Matrix Quality Standard for their Careers Advice and Guidance Services.
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Newry, Mourne and Down Council Chairperson, Councillor Roisin Mulgrew has hosted a visit of twelve school children, classes P4 to P7 from St Mary’s Primary School, Barr recently at the Council Offices, Newry.
The students expressed their interest to visit the Council Chamber as they have set up their own School Council, which to date has tackled issues on littering and anti-bullying.
Councillor Roisin Mulgrew said, “I was delighted to welcome the young children from St Mary’s Primary School as it was a wonderful opportunity for the students to learn about the various departments within the Council. Visits like this help the young students gain knowledge and understand the civic role the Council plays.”
Councillor Mulgrew continued, “I would like to thank Principal Paul Shields, Ms Sinead King and Ms Olive McConville for taking time out of their busy schedules to facilitate the visit.”
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Southern Regional College Gaelic football teams recently travelled to compete in the prestigious Ulster Colleges Competition at the Mid Ulster Sports Arena in Cookstown. The teams were made up from students from Armagh and Newry campuses. The competition was tough on the day from the other regional colleges in Ulster but SRC lead the way when it came to the final of both competitions.
The SRC men’s team came home with silverware as winners of the Ulster Colleges Shield at the 7 a side competition. Unbeaten on the day and having played against 4 other college teams the SRC players and their management team of Rory McGreevy, Stephen Ferris and Darragh Peden faced a strong NRC team in the final and in a hard fought battle that entered extra time a late goal proved decisive and the talented side were Champions of the day.
In their competition the SRC ladies team also made the final, against NWRC. The game was very competitive throughout with both teams exchanging scores early on. In the end it came down to the last attack, after a rebound NWRC scored a goal despite the best efforts of the SRC defence and goal keeper, to steal the win. The girls and the management team Maeve Galloway and Aileen Pyers can be very proud of themselves after strong performances all day.
Both teams had to endure poor playing conditions, with strong ice wind and driving rain but this didn’t compromise the student’s abilities or determination to compete with the best in Ulster. This was a terrific achievement for the first competition of the year and the quality shown throughout the tournament by the two SRC teams involved is something the team will look to replicate in the Colleges League competition starting this month.
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Southern Regional College received funding from the EU to deliver an ‘Innovation and Exchange of Good Practice for Adult Learning’ project. In conjunction with international partners in the Republic of Ireland, Latvia, Italy and Sweden, the project partnership will develop an on-line equality and diversity programme supporting migrant, refugee and asylum seeker communities.
Mickey Brady MP welcomed the international partners to SRC and explained that the funding was secured by SRC under The European Union's Erasmus+ programme which is a funding scheme to support activities in the fields of Education, Training, Youth and Sport.
To date SRC has provided opportunities for 221 students to avail of mobility placements and have secured funding to enable a further 170 students and 41 staff to undertake mobilities in 2018/19. As a result of this work SRC leads the sector as the largest provider of Erasmus+ VET mobilities.
Under the current new project ‘Innovation and Exchange of Good Practice for Adult Learning’ SRC will work together with organisations from different participating countries, to develop, share and transfer best practices and innovative approaches in the fields of education, training and youth.
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Through a joint venture between Newry, Mourne and Down District Council's Irish Language Unit, Irish language community radio station Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm and Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newry, school pupils from both the Sacred Heart and Abbey Grammar in Newry were given the opportunity to develop their skills in radio production and make their own Irish language radio programme.
The three workshops offered pupils a chance to develop skills in research, script-writing, interview skills and technical experience in recording sound. The project is hoped to be one of many involving a number of schools in the district over coming years.
The radio programme will be broadcast at 7pm on Wednesday 29 November, and at 2pm on Thu
Trí chomhfhiontar idir Aonad na Gaeilge i gComhairle Ceantair an Iúir Mhúrn agus an Dúin, an staisiúin raidió pobail Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm agus Scoil an Chroí Ró-Naofa, Iúr Cinn Trá, fuair daltaí scoile ó Scoil an Chroí Ró-Naofa agus Scoil na Mainistreach in Iúr Cinn Trá deis a gcuid scileanna a fhorbairt i léiriú raidió agus clár raidió Gaeilge dá gcuid féin a dhéanamh.
Rinneadh trí cheardlann leis na daltaí scoile a thug seans dóibh a gcuid scileanna a fhorbairt i dtaighde, scríobh scripte, agallaimh agus thug siad taithí dóibh i dtaifeadadh fuaime. Tá súil ag an Chomhairle go mbeidh níos mó tionscadal den tsaghas seo le scoileanna éagsúla sa cheantar sna blianta atá amach romhainn.
Craolfar an clár raidió ar a 7in ar an Chéadaoin 29 Samhain, agus ar a 2in ar an Déardaoin 30 Samhain ar Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm agus beidh sé ar fáil mar phodchraoladh ar www.raidiofailte.com.
rsday 30 November on Raidió Fáilte 107.1fm and will be available as a podcast on www.raidiofailte.com.
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An SRC Art student studying at Newry Campus has been selected along with a student at the Lurgan campus as one of the top 5 finalists in the Young Designer of the Year 2018 competition, run by Wedding Journal Ireland Magazine.
Cara McAleenan from Ballynahinch is taking the BTEC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at SRC, Newry and along with Lurgan SRC student Hannah Warwick will each now have to make a wedding dress they designed as part of the competition.
Young Irish designers from all over Ireland were asked to send in a mood board outlining their designs for a wedding dress for the chance to be crowned Young Designer of the Year onstage at the Wedding Journal Show.
The top 5 finalists wedding dresses will be worn by a professional model and showcased on the runways of the Wedding Journal Shows in Belfast and Dublin in January and February 2018.
A celebrity panel of fashion judges will then choose the one winning dress and its designer will be named as the Young Designer of the Year 2018!
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Southern Regional College has scooped the highest number of medals of any NI College at WorldSkills UK, securing a top ranking in the national medal league table.
Students brought home an unprecedented clutch of award wins, including two gold medals, one silver, two bronze medals and two ‘highly commended’ awards.
SRC students joined more than 500 of the finest apprentices and students from across the UK competed at the annual Skills Show held in the NEC, Birmingham, to secure their much-deserved win for the region.
The Skills Show is the UK’s largest apprenticeship, careers and skills event. It hosts the national finals of the WorldSkills UK competitions and brings together the UK’s leading employers, colleges and training providers all in one place.
Cathal Murphy from Newry won silver in Wall and Floor Tiling, James Gracey from Dromore took home a bronze medal in Butchery. Ryan Finnegan from Dundrum won bronze in Culinary Arts.
Richard Shannon from Kilkeel was ‘highly commended’ for his standout skills showcased in joinery, while Daniel McBurney from Banbridge gained an equally honourable placement for his work in the Wall and Floor Tiling category.
Victoria Black from Dromore took home a gold medal in Forensic Science and Lauren McMahon from Warrenpoint secured her gold medial after showcasing her credentials in Media Make-up. The two students are now officially number one in their respective skill categories in the whole of the UK.
Speaking on the achievement SRC Chief Executive, Brian Doran, said “Across the six colleges in Northern Ireland, SRC have a long list of accomplished and award-winning students and I’m delighted by the performances of those who attended this year’s WorldSkills UK event. Their sheer hard work and their commitment to excellence in each of their subject and training areas has clearly paid off and I congratulate them wholeheartedly.”
Nearly 150 young people have now been named in the WorldSkills UK official squad and are one step closer to competing against the globe’s best skilled young people.
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A Hairdressing student at Southern Regional College in Newry has won an award at the NI Hairdressing Championships
Aoife Rogers from Ardee won 1st place in the Total Fashion Look competition. Aoife studies Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Hairdressing at Newry Campus.
Another SRC winner was Kyle Redpath who won 2nd place in the Junior Creative Colour competition, 3rd place in the Junior Blow Dry competition and was awarded 3rd place Junior Champion. Kyle is from Portadown and studies Level 2 NVQ Diploma in Barbering at Lurgan campus
The NI Hairdressing Championships is run by the Northern Ireland Hairdressing Association. The competitions were open to all Junior Hairdressers still under training, Apprentices, College students and Job skills.
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Southern Regional College have launched their strategy for a new Health and Wellbeing Hub across all their campuses.
The SRC Health and Wellbeing Hub is the delivery mechanism for a one-stop shop for students to enable them to access all essential students’ services to support their emotional and physical wellbeing during their time at the College.
The College has developed key partnerships with statutory and voluntary agencies across the southern region in the delivery of their range of award winning student services. This Health and Wellbeing Strategy brings together these services for the delivery of key health benefits for the SRC student community.
The Health and Wellbeing Hub will provide a range of services that will include the delivery of an onsite Health Clinic. This clinic, operated by the Southern Health and Social Services Trust and funded through the Public Health Agency, provides a nurse-led service with advice, support and treatment on a range of sexual health and wider health issues.
The Hub will also provide a new drop-in counselling service for students where a counsellor will be available for students to speak to or help them if they are experiencing a crisis situation – no appointment is necessary. This is an additional service being provided for SRC students as counselling is also available for all Southern Regional College students via the 24/7 telephone service as well as face-to-face counselling support. This service will provide free and confidential one to one counselling support to students.
The Health and Wellbeing Hub will also be supported through the delivery of a comprehensive Student Activities programme that will include, health promotion, education, prevention and healthy activities for students.
Lorraine McKeown, Assistant Director for Student Services and Marketing at SRC, said “We are delighted to launch our Health and Wellbeing strategy which is a one-stop shop for our students to access the wide range of health and counselling services available to them, supported with an extensive programme of student activities ranging from anti-bullying to nutritional advice. As a College we place significant emphasis on the range and quality of support services available to our students.”
She goes on to say “The College has also been recently awarded the Matrix Quality Standard Award for Student Services - a first for Northern Irish Further and Higher education colleges. This award epitomises the excellence in the service we provide our students and the launch of the Health and Wellbeing Hub reflects our commitment to excellence in this area.”
If you would like to find out more about the range of services available at the SRC Health and Wellbeing Hub, please visit: www.src.ac.uk
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