Between the ages of 16-25, an entire generation experiences some of life’s most significant financial transitions, at the same time as navigating major lifestyle changes and, for your students, some of the most intense studies of their lives.

Their first payslip, paying taxes, being offered credit cards, student loans, being eligible for car financing, renting their first flat, maybe starting a family, considering career paths…these decisions impact our lives for years to come.

Student Services teams know better than anyone that schools struggle to prepare young learners for these decisions.

Research published by AAT in 2026 found almost 40% of 16–25-year-olds reported receiving no financial education at school, either formally or informally.  Santander’s 2025 report found only 26% of learners say they received formal financial education in school.

The appetite is there: 80% of 15–18-year-olds surveyed in the Young Persons’ Money Index 2025–2026 wanted to learn more about money and finance.

The challenge is making that learning relevant, accessible and easy to put into practice.

Hyfa Foundation is leading the development of Money Mentor for 16–25-year-olds, drawing on our experience delivering financial education to young adults and our contributions to research on financial inclusion.  With NAMSS as our distribution partner, our approach brings together practical money decisions with adaptive learning and delivery through trusted channels.

Reaching young adults at the point they’re facing a financial decision can make all the difference.  These “teachable moments” connect a lesson to a real-world application.  Research shows people are more likely to retain financial information when it relates to an upcoming decision and includes concrete steps they can take.

For Money Mentor, that means providing content around situations young adults recognise: understanding taxes when starting work, comparing costs before making a purchase, or planning spending before leaving home.  Students would be able to revisit relevant content as their circumstances change.

The planned format is short, mobile-ready activities combining explanations, video and practical exercises.  Learners could explore a topic during a tutorial, perhaps with teachers and peers, continue independently and return when they need it.

Our technology partner is Obrizum, leaders in Adaptive Learning.  Pathways respond to the learners’ understanding, confidence and speed, offering further explanation or practice where needed.  The intention is to provide tailored experiences that help learners work through content at a manageable pace.

For Student Services teams, Money Mentor is intended to complement activities already taking place. A payslip exercise could sit within employability preparation. Comparing borrowing costs could reinforce numeracy.  Budgeting activities could support progression conversations about university, apprenticeships or independent living.  Staff could introduce a relevant activity through existing learning channels, then use students’ questions to guide discussion.

There is practical support for this approach.  A 2024 Money and Pensions Service evaluation found that established networks helped engage educators, while flexible, adaptable resources encouraged continued delivery of financial education.  These findings support our emphasis on making resources straightforward for colleges to adopt.

Money Mentor’s distinctive proposition is this combination: learning connected to real decisions, responsive to individual understanding and woven into college life.

Its impact will need to be evaluated, but its purpose is to make practical financial learning easier to discover, revisit and apply.

We welcome NAMSS members’ insight into where Money Mentor could best support their learners and existing provision.

Stephen Mix

s.mix@Hyfa.foundation

We are delighted to announce the launch of our annual awards, aimed at celebrating and showcasing the hard work, dedication and impact of student services across the further education and skills sector in the UK.

Categories

• Student Services Team of the Year
• Newcomer of the Year
• Inspirational Project of the Year

Nominations – All nominations must be submitted electronically and received no later than 12noon on Tuesday 12 January 2027.

Submissions must be received using the published electronic application form – https://bit.ly/namssaward27

A maximum of 3 sides of A4 supporting evidence can also be submitted via email to info@namss.ac.uk    This may include testimonials, reviews, outcome statistics, pictures, articles or images taken from websites, newspapers, newsletters etc Links to websites, videos or other digital content will not be considered as part of the submission.

Submissions must include the details of a single representative in relation to the Team nomination.  If that representative cannot attend the NAMSS Conference Gala Dinner, on Monday 1 March in Liverpool, to collect the award an alternative colleague can do so.

Deadline – The final deadline for all nominations and supporting evidence to be received is Tuesday 12 January 2027 at 12noon.

Entry Criteria – Any organisation who is a member of NAMSS is eligible to nominate and enter the awards. Only one nomination per category will be accepted per organisation.  Where multiple nominations are received, the first nomination received will be used for judging in the relevant category.

Timeline

September 2026 – Awards launch and nominations open

12 January 2027 – Closing date for entries, 12noon

February 2027  – Shortlisting and final judging panels. Shortlisted members to be notified in the week commencing 1 February

1 March 2027 – Awards announced during the NAMSS Conference Gala Dinner at the Hilton Liverpool City Centre

Judging – Judging panels will be made up of members of the NAMSS Executive team with each nomination being scored against the award criteria.

Award Prizes – There will be one winner per category who will be presented with a certificate and award for display in their college along with £500 to spend on a team activity or departmental resource.

Sharing Practice – Winners and those shortlisted for an aware will be expected to share information about their nomination via either a NAMSS Online Share Practice session or, a pre-recorded piece.

Award Criteria

Award 1: Student Services Team of the Year

This award aims to highlight the outstanding and valuable work of a student services team. The team can be from any student support discipline including careers, wellbeing, student funds, student union / engagement, enrichment.

Your award submission should;

• Highlight tangible outputs and sustained impact of your chosen team
• Promote diversity and inclusion
• Outline the impact of the team on students and the wider college community

Award 2: Newcomer of the Year

This award will celebrate an extraordinary individual who is new to a student services team. The nominee should have joined the team since 1 September 2025.

Your award submission should;

• Outline why the nominee is a worthy recipient of this award – what have they done and what impact has this had?
• Include feedback from students and/or staff which supports the rationale for the nomination
• Demonstrate how the nominee’s work or actions has gone above and beyond to add value to the team and the wider college community

Award 3: Inspirational Project of the Year

This award recognises the impact of an innovative project which has made a significant difference to the student, team or college experience and/or outputs.

Your award submission should;

• Exemplify an idea or initiative which have positively impacted the experience of students and/or staff
• Demonstrate how the project has impacted vulnerable and disadvantaged students (this may include widening participation)
• Foster a culture of collaboration and innovation
• Have robust impact measures which demonstrate sustained impact
• Outline quality assurance measures and, where applicable, any plans for future sustainability of the project

Nomination form:  https://bit.ly/namssaward27

Thank you to those that nominate and good luck to those put forward!

For many years enrichment has been viewed as the “something extra” that sits alongside a student’s main programme of study. However, the emerging FE Enrichment Framework challenges us to think differently. It recognises that high-quality enrichment is not a peripheral activity but a fundamental component of a successful further education experience, supporting personal development, wellbeing, employability, and social mobility.

At a time when colleges are facing increasing pressures on funding, attendance, student wellbeing and achievement, the framework provides a welcome opportunity to review how enrichment contributes to institutional priorities and student success.

The framework places a strong emphasis on intentionality

Effective enrichment should not be a collection of disconnected activities but a coherent offer that aligns with the needs of learners, employers and local communities. Colleges should therefore begin by asking a simple question: what outcomes do we want our enrichment programme to achieve?

For some institutions, the priority may be developing employability skills and industry awareness. For others, it may be building confidence, resilience, citizenship or a sense of belonging. Whatever the focus, a clear strategic purpose is essential if enrichment is to have meaningful impact.

A second key consideration is inclusion

Colleges serve increasingly diverse student populations, and enrichment opportunities must be accessible to all learners, regardless of background, personal circumstances or support needs. The most successful enrichment programmes are those that actively remove barriers to participation and recognise that students engage in different ways. This may include embedding activities within timetabled programmes, offering flexible opportunities, or co-creating activities with learners themselves.

Student voice is another critical element

The framework encourages colleges to move beyond delivering enrichment to students and instead design enrichment with them. Engaging learners in planning, leading and evaluating activities not only increases participation but also develops leadership skills and strengthens students’ connection to their college community.

Colleges should also consider how enrichment supports attendance and engagement. Research and experience consistently demonstrate that students who feel connected to their peers and institution are more likely to attend, persist and succeed. A strong enrichment offer can play a significant role in creating that sense of belonging, particularly for vulnerable learners and those at risk of disengagement.

Measurement is equally important. While participation rates remain useful, colleges should seek to understand the broader impact of enrichment on learner outcomes, progression, wellbeing and personal development. Gathering meaningful evidence will help demonstrate value and support future investment decisions.

Ultimately, the new FE Enrichment Framework reminds us that enrichment is not about keeping students busy. It is about creating opportunities that help young people and adults develop the knowledge, skills, confidence and experiences they need to thrive in education, employment and life.

For colleges, the challenge is not simply to provide enrichment, but to ensure it is purposeful, inclusive and impactful. If we get this right, enrichment can become one of the most powerful tools we have for transforming student experiences and outcomes across the further education sector.

Ways in which you can keep up to date

NAMSS members can hear more from Lisa and Lloyd Perry, Director of Student Experience & DSL at Bournemouth and Poole College and a NAMSS Executive, about embedding the new Enrichment Framework at our NAMSS Online Knowledge Hub event on Tuesday 29 September at 2pm.

NAMSS host a 1-day conference which focuses on Student Engagement & Student Voice and our next one will be our 5th event on Tuesday 19 January at the Novotel in Birmingham. The day is made up of workshops and a great Q&A panel giving delegates lots of opportunities to learn from others and ask those all important questions.  Following feedback we’ve extended the break times for 2027 so that attendees have a decent amount of time to network with their peers, share ideas and discuss potential collaborations to support each other.  The full programme and tickets for this sell-out event will be available after half-term.

The NAMSS Student Engagement Practitioners Network (SEPN) was established last  year and aims to support college staff working on the front line of Student Engagement and Student Voice.  Members join a dedicated email network giving them access to experience, knowledge, skills and resources from across the country.  Membership also provides access to NAMSS Knowledge, our online resource library; discounted conference tickets and free access to our NAMSS Online Programme. To find out more about the SEPN visit our website.

By Lisa Humphries, Chair of NAMSS

We are delighted to announce that NAMSS are sponsoring this year’s Good for Me, Good for FE awards which celebrate the incredible contribution colleges make to their communities, recognising the people and projects that are creating positive social value through volunteering, fundraising, community engagement and wider social impact.

With 12 award categories, there are some great opportunities to showcase and celebrate college’s achievements:

The closing date for nominations is Friday 9 October and shortlisted finalists will be announced at the AoC Annual Conference in November; the winners will be invited to the Awarding Ceremony at the House of Lords in December.

Has your college gone above and beyond to support local communities through volunteering and fundraising? Do you know an inspirational member of staff, dedicated student, or outstanding initiative that deserves recognition?

Make your nomination via: https://www.goodformegoodforfe.co.uk/awards2026

Good luck!

Across further education, higher education and skills provision, we are seeing major developments in government policy, accountability frameworks and expectations around learner outcomes. The government’s focus on economic growth, social mobility and workforce development continues to place education and skills at the heart of national priorities. Recent reforms emphasising Skills England, greater alignment between education and labour market needs, technical education pathways and increased expectations around progression and employability demonstrate the vital role our sector plays in national renewal.

Alongside these developments, student services professionals continue to navigate growing complexity. Student wellbeing, mental health, safeguarding, inclusion, attendance, financial hardship and support for learners with additional needs remain central concerns for institutions across the country. As managers and leaders of student services, we know that student success is about much more than qualifications. It is about creating environments where learners feel safe, valued, supported and able to achieve their ambitions.

In this changing landscape, the role of NAMSS has never been more important. For four decades, our association has championed the professionalism, expertise and leadership of student services managers. We have provided a network for collaboration, shared practice and professional development, while consistently advocating for the importance of student support at the heart of education.

This year is particularly special because it marks the 40th anniversary of the National Association for Managers of Student Services

Forty years is a remarkable milestone. Since our formation, the education sector has undergone enormous transformation, yet our core purpose has remained unchanged: to support those who support students. Throughout these four decades, generations of dedicated professionals have contributed to the growth and success of NAMSS, building a vibrant and respected community that continues to make a difference in the lives of learners every day.

Our 40th year celebrations provide an opportunity not only to reflect on our history but also to look confidently towards the future. Over the coming months, we will be highlighting the achievements of our members, sharing stories from across our network and recognising the contribution that student services professionals make to student achievement, inclusion and wellbeing. We will also continue to engage with policymakers and sector partners to ensure that the student voice and the student support perspective remain central to future developments.

As we embark on this landmark year, we encourage all our members to get involved, reconnect with colleagues and take advantage of the opportunities NAMSS offers to learn, share and lead.

If you aren’t already a NAMSS member, find out more about the packages we offer here.

We are excited to announce that our newsletter – NAMSS News – is moving to LinkedIn!

We have produced a regular newsletter for a long time and in recent years this has been emailed to our members and to those non-members who joined a mailing list.  But, times are changing and we are always keen to keep up with technology and to communicate with our members, and others interested in the work we do, in a way that works for them.

NAMSS News will move to a LinkedIn newsletter from Friday 4 September and the new look ‘news’ will publish articles every Friday.  We’ll continue to share information about what’s happening within NAMSS covering topics such as our Student Service Awards, details of the many events we run and the partnership work we are involved in with such organisations as Hyfa and Good for Me, Good for FE.

We’ll also keep our readers up to date with wider FE sector stories and we’ll kick off with our Chair, Lisa Humphries, talking about the new Enrichment Framework.

As 2026/27 is our 40th anniversary year, you can expect to see details of how we’re celebrating 40 years of supporting Student Services.

It’s easy to get a copy of our weekly newsletter, just click here and subscribe.  It’s free!

We’re encouraging all subscribers to get involved with the articles each week and we’re looking forward to reading the comments and seeing our online community grow.

NAMSS Online sessions are free to all our members

Our 26/27 programme is already looking great and we’ll add more events throughout the year in response to members requests, issues which arise within the FE sector and national or international events which have the potential to affect our students.

Our NAMSS Online programme features 3 types of sessions:  

Professional Networks – these sessions focus on key topics and enable members to hear from a subject expert on the NAMSS Executive Team as well as ask questions and share their own experiences and practices.   We have Networks for: Admissions; Careers; Safeguarding; Student Engagement; Student Finance; Tutorials.

Share Practice*- hosted by NAMSS members, these sessions are an informal opportunity for participants to listen to peer’s experiences, ask questions, make suggestions, talk about what doesn’t work, as well what does and (as their title suggests) share practice.  These events cover a broad range of topics across the year and we already have dates booked in to look at: How Student Services Lead an Enhanced Curriculum That Sticks; Reducing behaviour proactively without the need for behaviour management; Supporting State School Students into Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Science.

Knowledge Hub – these, often longer, formal sessions are hosted by a member of the NAMSS Executive Team who is usually joined by an external expert. The events focus on providing participants with important in-depth information and most hosts will also allow time for questions.  We have 3 Hub sessions during the Autumn Term’s looking at: embedding the Enrichment Framework; thinking about Erasmus; Inclusion.

The majority of our NAMSS Online sessions are recorded and the link shared with our named members.   Most hosts are also willing to share a copy of their slides and the resources they refer to.

Booking on is easy and members can do this via the link shared regularly on our email network or via our website.

If you aren’t already a NAMSS member, you can find details of all our packages here.

*These sessions are not endorsed in any way by NAMSS nor are they instructional events; they are a facilitated group discussion.

We’re so excited to be supporting the Hyfa Foundation in their ambition to make a genuinely impactful, scalable financial education platform for 16-25-year-olds; Money Mentor.

We aim to bring practical understanding of how programmes can be introduced successfully within colleges and other post-16 settings.  Our sector insight will help us shape Money Mentor’s content, implementation and engagement approach so that the platform is relevant to learners, practical for student services teams and straightforward for colleges to adopt.

As Money Mentor develops, NAMSS intends to support the initiative through sector insight, appropriate member engagement and awareness of the platform once it is ready for use.

Money Mentor is not being built in isolation. It is being shaped with the expertise of organisations that understand young people, colleges and the realities of delivering meaningful financial education.

As our Chair, Lisa Humphries says…..”NAMSS are delighted to support Money Mentor’s plan to build a learning platform for 16-25 yr olds.  Our member organisations reach over 1 million learners and delivering practical financial education to these young adults in an engaging way is something we care deeply about.”

We’re incredibly excited to support Hyfa as they work towards giving young adults across the UK the financial knowledge, confidence and capability they need.

Following the success of our first cohort in 25/26, we are delighted to open applications for a second cohort of the NAMSS Leadership and Management Development Programme (LMDP) which will start in January 2027.

In an ever-changing FE and HE landscape, leadership in Student Services has never been more vital and the programme has been designed to give all participants an in-depth understanding of key areas of leadership which will support their professional development as Student Services Managers or aspiring leaders. The programme is aimed at staff who are early in their career, keen to develop their knowledge, networks and competencies, and who want to upskill in their career path.

The LMDP will bring together NAMSS members from across the country for sessions that will include taught material, interactive workshops and activities, and in-person engagement. We want the cohort to be able to share and learn from each other’s experiences and institutional approach, as well as learners conducting their own individual research projects and presentations as part of the programme structure.

Coaching, development and mentoring support has been built into the programme design through dedicated 1:1 slots, which will take place with each learner at least twice across the programme length. These sessions will be with Counterculture trainers and/or NAMSS Executive Board members, and are designed to support learners to reflect on the goals they will set for themselves at the cohort launch, and check in on progress for their personal research projects.

The 14-month development journey will cover key content, including:

• History of FE
• Strategic thinking and influencing
• People management and challenging conversations
• Governance and reporting
• Policies and financial literacy
• Quality assurance and measuring impact
• Personal growth and development

Applications are now open and will close at 9am on Monday 9 November 2026.

Find out more and apply here. 

🚀 Empowering the Next Generation of Student Services Leaders