DPR News
Nurturing Bright Futures
On Tuesday, 14 February, UCC was delighted to host 12 members of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) for a 1-day workshop on the transition to third level tool, Nurturing Bright Futures (NBF) Attendees included the ISSU’s Regional Liaison and Support Officer, Mohammed Naeem, Jack McGinn, Education Officer as well as ten Regional Officers from all four corners of Ireland.
Nurturing Bright Futures is free online a 6-module programme that has been developed at UCC by over 20 colleagues, in consultation with Guidance Counsellors and students, including the ISSU. It is the signature output in the Transition In space of UCC’s Graduate Attributes Programme and is a self-directed programme of study which includes lots of infographic posters, interactive worksheets, videos and podcasts to cater for different learning styles. Hosted on UCC’s Canvas Catalog and aimed at students considering third level, it focuses on content such as Picking the Right Course for You, Degree Choices and Future Careers, Decision-Making Styles, Transitioning to Higher Education, Realities of University Life and Graduate Attributes and Values. It empowers students to make informed decisions about their third level studies and future careers and enables them to prepare for the transition to third level learning and life.
Under the Begin, Belong, Become framework, aligned with UCC’s Student Success Framework, NBF is a strategic pre-entry touchpoint and transition tool, which enables our students to get a head start in preparing for third-level learning and life, giving them agency over their own success. NBF supports students’ professional career development and their mental, physical and financial health and wellbeing. Being online, it provides a digitally-enabled, universally accessible and equitable learning experience, incorporating Universal Design principles. The pre-entry student is at the heart of this programme and it is all about optimising their transition to third level and to supporting their holistic development and ultimately preparing them to have an outstanding student experience, thereby aligning very much with Goal 2 of the UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028. The Nurturing Bright Futures programme also speaks to and aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG4 (Quality Education), SDG8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG10 (Reduced Inequalities).
The workshop took place in the Shtepps in the Hub and was organised and facilitated by Carol Veiga, Lenka Forrest and Catherine O’Sullivan from Student Recruitment. The students were given an overview of all six modules by colleagues who had developed/co-created content for the programme, including Mary McCarthy (Career Services), Cian Power (Access UCC), Deirdre Madden (Access UCC), Nóirín Deady (First Year Experience) and Adel Coleman (Graduate Attributes Programme). Students were given the chance to do a number of the activities in the programme and feed back their thoughts and insights.
For more information on the programme visit: www.ucc.ie/nurturingbrightfurtures and to sign up, go to: www.ucc.ie/nbf