For this week's question, we're exploring whether students feel like they belong at Edinburgh College. A sense of belonging can come from lots of different things, from feeling safe and accepted, being given opportunities and spaces where you can connect with others, feeling proud to tell people you study here, and knowing where to get help and support. Please take a moment to share your views and comments based on your experiences.

"As a student, I feel like I belong at Edinburgh College." Do you agree or disagree?

Are you passionate about advocating for others? Do you wish you could make students' voices heard? Would you like the opportunity to develop your skills, make new connections and work in a friendly and supportive team? Then you might be interested in running to be our next Student President, Vice President Activities or Vice President Welfare.

EC Students' Association is run by students, and every March we ask Edinburgh College students elect their representatives for the next academic year.

The positions are 35 hours a week, from 1st July 2024 - 30th June 2025. The salary is £21,840 (additional pay award pending).

February is LGBT History Month.

The Students' Association will be kicking off the month with a stall celebrating all things LGBTQ+. We'll have information, giveaways, and some decent chat! We'd love to hear who inspires you from the LGBT community.

Maybe a celebrity, maybe someone who inspires you or has helped you. Come along to our stall and tell us more!

Monday the 5th of February at the Sighthill Atrium from 11am to 1pm

Club Night - 'The Gay Agenda'

We've teamed up with Students' Associations from across Edinburgh to organise a student-only LGBTQ+ Club Night as part of our LGBT+ History Month celebrations!

Tickets are priced at £3 each and all money raised form ticket sales will go to the LGBT Health & Wellbeing Charity.

All entrants must produce valid Student ID to gain entry, along with your tickets.

Venue: CC Blooms
Date: Tuesday 13th of February
Time: 10pm - 3am
Cost: £3

Here at Edinburgh College Students' Association, we want to help support students to have the best mental health and wellbeing they can, and show how many organisations in and around Edinburgh are aiming to do this too.

On Tuesday 6th February at our Sighthill Campus we are hosting a Wellbeing Fair to present these organisations to our students. We hope you can make it along!

On Thursday the 8th of February, at Sighthill campus, the EC Students' Association President, Skye Marriner, will host the first in a series of open panel discussions and you're invited!

The "Let's Talk" series will see Skye host a panel of experts discussing issues relevant to you and hopefully spark a bit of discussion among the student body. As part of the Colleges' Sustainable Education Week, we will be focussing on the big question of sustainability:

"What's the point in personal sustainability if big oil and gas companies are ruining the planet anyway?!"

We will have guests from across the College as well as external climate change organisations talking about their own thoughts and experiences and we want you to get involved too. Come along, ask a question and listen to the discussion.

On Thursday 15th February (in the February college break) we will be running an in-person video games day at our Sighthill Campus. The day is open to anyone, from experienced gamers to people who may not have played much but want to have a go in a relaxed setting, or even just come along to watch other people!

Any Edinburgh College student is welcome (you don't have to have been to our clubs) and you can feel free to come and go as you please! For lunch, we'll be ordering in some free pizza and juice.

We have also booked out the Atrium so that students can play tabletop games too if they would like a space to do this.