The AOC Beacon Awards celebrate the best and most innovative practice among UK colleges each year. This award celebrates the important work colleges are doing to support the mental health and wellbeing of their learners and staff. The rise in ill health amongst learners and the greater public is of great concern and is attracting heightened attention nationally.
David Hughes, Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges said: “The work colleges do on wellbeing often gets overlooked. But institutions and especially these final three have shown a whole college mental health strategy that impacts on improving teaching and learning and effective support. All this great, much-needed work enables students to feel secure and able to learn.”
CONEL’s Interim Assistant Principal, Hilary Moore, said: “Mental health is a key issue for us all, with 1 in 4 of us being affected. The nomination represents the work which we have done, are doing and will continue to improve for all learners and staff at CONEL to respect the importance of mental well-being, to offer targeted support and referrals to experts.
Competing against CONEL in the final are Barnsley College, Bridgend College, and Hartpury College. Assessors will visit all four before the final decision is made and the winner is decided. This will take place between December and early February before the awards in June 2020.