Borders College has put various support options in place as students struggle to deal with the cost-of-living crisis.
The College’s Student Advice and Students’ Association teams have implemented several measures to ensure that students have financial and mental wellbeing support in place so that they are able to live comfortably and maintain their studies effectively.
Providing food, keeping warm, offering mental health and wellbeing support and covering other practical means are top of the agenda, and the College is committed to offering a range of resources to enable our students to navigate the economic challenges that we are all experiencing.
Current support includes a monthly Wellbeing Cafe, which provides free tea, coffee and scones, as well as supporting equality and inclusion and offering wellbeing advice to students.
Another measure is our free breakfast/lunch grab n go bags, which are distributed across all campuses, with food retailers Tesco and Morrisons kindly donating essential food items to assist with this initiative. Food vouchers for the College canteen and local supermarkets are also available through the Student Hardship Fund.
Students can access Additional financial support through the College’s Discretionary Fund. The Discretionary Fund is in place to assist students who are experiencing financial difficulty while studying at college. Students can apply to the college for help towards some of their accommodation and living costs.
In addition to financial support, students can also access mental health and wellbeing support, giving them the opportunity to talk about what is difficult in a confidential and therapeutic space.
College also ensures that students have access to free sanitary products, including sustainable options, which are available in toilets and reception areas across all campuses.
Student Services Team Lead Jen MacKenzie commented:
"Staying warm and having access to food and financial support is critical for learning and to help students complete their course. We want students at Borders College to know their college is here to help whenever and however we can."