Would you like to join in & have fun as you learn practical outdoor skills? People & Planet: “student action on world poverty and the environment” Near the end of March - from Friday the 23rd to Sunday the 25th - People & Planet are holding the 2012 Scotland Gathering in Inverurie, <strong>Aberdeen</strong>shire. <strong>The</strong> event will teach people outdoor survival skills - such as shelter building, camp fire cooking and how to get drinking water safely - and hold other workshops, talks and games with open space for anyone to bring their own ideas along. Please sign up to confirm your place at the Student Association office in room EG3, contact me by email at 20020111@abcol.ac.uk or phone 07742551740; keep an eye out for a stall around the Gallogate Centre, Clinterty Centre and Altens centre on dates which are yet to be confirmed. A taste of what to expect: In February I went to People & Planet’s event - the Sustainable Futures Forum - held at Strathclyde University Student Association. I am delighted to have attended and have come home with new knowledge, skills and ideas. With multiple workshops running at once, I was forced to choose between numerous things I wanted to go to. <strong>The</strong> first workshop I attended taught me about the core principles and sources of applying for funding. <strong>The</strong> second workshop I attended highlighted how communities in the Douglas Valley, Lanarkshire, are continually ignored when they oppose the destructive practice of open cast mining. In the Afternoon i had my own workshop on creative conservation in the form of seed ball making and talking to attendees about restoring bio-diversity in our cities, to have fun and make it a nicer place to live in. Next was an introduction to Permaculture, a way of designing the management of the environment in a way that observes natural systems and mimics it. <strong>The</strong> last event of the first day I attended was the discussion on the how to’s of setting up a local food cooperative. <strong>The</strong> Sunday was a half day of training on engagement training, which I have walked away from with great ideas of how to approach managing a project. I had numerous other options to choose from, so hope I picked the right ones and I am expecting a fun outdoor based learning experience from the <strong>Aberdeen</strong>shire skill share. Patrick Neville, Environmental Officer, <strong>Aberdeen</strong> <strong>College</strong> Students’ Association. <strong>College</strong> cuts: the success and the threats Written by Patrick Neville After instrumental rises in the speciality and diversity of college course choices which <strong>Aberdeen</strong> <strong>College</strong> ought to be proud of, the Education Secretary of Scotland - Michael Russell - initially made the choice to lower the funding to colleges by 20% in increments over the next three years. NUS Scotland’s campaign against these cuts ‘Our Future Our Fight’ saw more than 80,000 emails in total sent to representatives. Thanks to every person who signed the petition and/or met with representatives and the press, the Scottish Government have reversed planned cuts of £11.4m to bursaries and allocated extra money for course places (a total of about £40m in extra funds). <strong>The</strong> Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth - John Swinney - confirmed that the cut would be reversed and the student support budget would be protected at its current £95.6m level. Cuts are still going ahead, but now there are less of them which I am thankful for. If there is a course you would like to do, do it soon as our college may be forced to close courses if funding setbacks narrow Senior Managements choices. It may not be courses lost either, it may be our lecturers, classroom resources or financial support in future; which like other cuts, affect the underprivileged more than those from wealthier backgrounds. Clinterty Centre will be lost at the end of this term and not all the courses are being reallocated to new places. When competition for courses, apprenticeships and jobs is high, where do the rest of these people go? In that position, I would talk to the Student Association and Senior Management to work on solutions for all our students. Our Student Association can always do with more help campaigning to protect your education, taking action against discrimination and provide new opportunities. Visit the Association at room EG3 beside the main reception, email acsa@abcol.ac.uk or ring 01224 612273 and ask how you can help. 7
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