Education Award builds on environmental success story

City of Glasgow College Care Assistant for Community and School Engagement, Jackie McMaster, has won the Education Scotland Award for Educational Support.

The Learning for Sustainability Awards (LfS) have been launched to recognise inspiring practice and achievements within Scottish education. The Education Support Award acknowledges the achievements of individuals who provide invaluable support for learning.

Jackie works with students studying the college’s CityWorks NQ course, which is designed for students with additional support needs.

“They study a range of SQA qualifications, but the focus is on work experience and one area we involve them in is the college gardens,” explained Jackie. “They help plant and maintain all our vegetable containers, they’ve made planters for herbs, and even came up with a design using recycled plastic bottles to keep slugs at bay. The project is tailored for supported learning and the students are vital to the success of our gardens.

“I am delighted to have won this award. Just buzzing. It’s such a team effort, with collaboration across faculties and curriculum areas making it truly circular. Huge thanks go most of all to our amazing, hardworking students who we hope will see the benefits and consider employment in the green economy. They have such great potential and Scotland has such incredible resources, most of all the students.”

Gus Grubb, Dean for the Faculty of Education & Humanities at City of Glasgow College, said:

“This is fantastic news, and well-deserved recognition of Jackie’s hard work and commitment. She has been instrumental in helping establish our college’s gardens which offer practical opportunities to teach our students about sustainability and climate change, as well as horticulture, human geography, business and cookery. We are very proud of Jackie’s achievement and that of the gardens she looks after so well.”

The college’s gardens are a huge environmental success story. There is a long-established plot near its Riverside campus and, in the five years since City campus opened, two external rooftop spaces have been transformed into a thriving organic vegetable garden, and an orchard. Plans are also underway for beehives that will pollinate the fruit trees and produce honey.

Organic and self-sufficient, the gardens use compost created from the college’s own food waste thanks to its recently installed industrial composter. With up to 26 tonnes of food waste composted each year, both composter and gardens are going a long way in helping the college meet its net zero ambitions.