The Student Services Team is here to support all of
our students and help them achieve their goals during
their time at BHASVIC. We provide cross College information,
advice and guidance services in the following areas to
assist our students:
- Financial Support
- Travel
- Welfare
- Careers
- Mentoring
16-19 Bursary Fund
The new 16-19 Bursary Fund will open on the 1
August 2011. After reading the guidance
notes, if you feel you/your son/daughter may be eligible
to apply you can print a copy of the application form,
guidance notes and BACS form below and return it to the
Student Services Centre or Reception during August. Hard
copies will also be available from the Student Services
Centre and Reception. Please be aware that confirmation
of awards won’t be made until mid-September at
the earliest due to the large numbers of applications
expected and the new process involved in assessing eligibility.
Parents and students may wish to put in place a contingency
to pay for travel, books/equipment and trips in September.
However, please be aware that we cannot guarantee
that any expenditure made over this period will be reimbursed.
If you think you/your son/daughter may qualify for financial
assistance with travel to and from College, you should
contact your Local Authority (council area) for up-to-date
information and advice in the first instance. Further
information can be found in the BHASVIC Student Travel
Guide – 2011-12, below.
Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
- Those students who successfully applied for the maximum
weekly EMA payment of £30 in 2010/11 will
be eligible for £20 for each week they
are in education or training, until the end of the
2011/12 academic year. Over the summer, Notices
of Entitlement (NoEs) will be sent to all students
who may be eligible for transitional payments in 2011/12.
Students who receive a Notice of Entitlement for 2011/12
should bring it into College at when they come to enrol
on their course for 2011/12. Please note: Students
who are eligible for the £1,200 Bursary payment
because they fall within one of the vulnerable groups
(young people who are looked after, care leavers, those
in receipt of Income Support and disabled young people
in receipt of both Employment Support Allowance and
Disability Living Allowance) will not be paid transitional
EMA payments as well as the £1,200 payment.
- Those students who successfully applied for £10
or £20 weekly EMA payments in 2010/11 will
not be eligible for transitional support in 2011/12.
However, they can apply for the 16-19 Bursary
Fund. These students are currently being written to,
to tell them they will not be eligible for transitional
support in 2011/12. However, if you were receiving £20
or £10 and there has been a change in your circumstances
you may be able to apply for an in-year reassessment
if you experienced one of the following changes in
circumstances: Death of a parent or carer whose income
was used to determine a student’s eligibility
for EMA; Drop in household income due to the illness
or disability of a parent or carer whose income has
been used to determine a student’s eligibility
for EMA; Student becoming a parent; Student becoming
estranged or entering the care of a Local Authority.
If as a result of this reassessment a student moves
into what would have been the old £30 payment
band, he or she will receive the £20 weekly payment
in line with those students still receiving EMA during
the 2011/12 transitional year. To apply for a reassessment,
simply send a letter and evidence (i.e. formal
documentation) of the change in your circumstances
to: Freepost RRUB-BEXE-TJLK, Learner Support Service,
Darlington, DL1 4WD.
Adult Learning Grant (ALG)
A new enhanced adult learner support fund will be operational
from 2011/12. The fund brings together the ALG and
discretionary support funding for September 2011. As
a consequence the ALG scheme closed to new applicants
on 1 July 2011. For more information on the new fund
please enquire within the Student Services Centre.
Care to Learn
Learners who are under the age of 20 before they start
their course can apply for help with childcare costs
through the 'Care to Learn' scheme by calling 0800
121 8989.
BHASVIC has produced
a useful student travel guide for 2010-11 which can
be accessed here: Student
Travel Guide – 2011 -12
Useful Travel Links:
Unizone: www.southernrailway.com/main.php?page_id=195
Brighton and Hove Buses Homepage: www.buses.co.uk
Student Well being
On a monthly basis, the College hosts the Mobile Information
Bus, staffed by qualified Youth Workers and giving
advice and guidance on such topics as: sexual health,
welfare; general well-being and staying safe. The College
also runs various events and activities throughout
the academic year linked to National Awareness Days.
There is also a wide range of information leaflets
on a variety of welfare topics within the Student Services
Centre.
Counselling
The College employs a qualified Dialogue Counsellor with
whom you can discuss your feelings, thoughts and any
worries you may have concerning such things as College
work, relationships and home life, in a confidential
and informal setting.
Careers Suite
The College has a dedicated Careers Suite within the
Student Services Centre where students can access up
to date information about: local full-time and part-time
job vacancies; local Colleges and national universities & Music,
Dance & Agricultural Colleges; Careers, gap years,
voluntary work and working abroad.
Work Experience
The Work Experience Co-ordinator can help and advise
you on finding a work experience placement either as
part of your course or as E4L enrichment. If you are
interested in a career in medicine/nursing she can also
provide information on hospital volunteering.
The College offers several opportunities for providing
extra support for studying and guidance for progression,
through either becoming a mentor or mentee. The main
schemes the College operates are the: BHASVIC Subject
Coaching (Peer mentoring) and Sussex University mentors.
