New College Safeguarding Manager Awarded Student Services Team Member of The Year

The National Association for Managers of Student Services held their Annual Conference last week. The two day event gives like-minded professionals the chance to meet and network with over 140 managers and support staff, as well as celebrating those who have showed outstanding contribution and dedication to their work.

New College Safeguarding Manager, Teresa Tuffin, proudly took home the title of Student Services Team Member of the Year. Colleague Duncan Webster, who is Head of Student Services and Safeguarding nominated Teresa for the award.

Teresa started working at New College in 2010 as a College nurse, prior to this she was a paediatric nurse in the NHS, so had little experience of working in an education setting.

However, she quickly adapted to the role and alongside her colleague, shaped it to cover health initiatives. These included working towards ‘Healthy Colleges’ status, coordination of first aid and supporting both students and staff with health issues. Safeguarding was part of her original role as College Nurse and as referrals grew rapidly, Teresa took on additional responsibility, acting a Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

Duncan commented: “In the last year, Teresa has particularly proved to be an outstanding colleague. Long term sickness of our Designated Safeguarding Lead has meant that she has operated in this vital role, without effective high level support.”

This isn’t Teresa’s first award, in the summer of 2017, she was nominated for and won the New College Staff Star Award for Outstanding Contribution to the College. Achievement rates of students supported by Teresa and the safeguarding team in 2016/17 were 89.3% (up from 85.1%).

In January 2018, Teresa was promoted to the role of full time Safeguarding Manager in recognition of her superb leadership and work in all aspects of her role. She has provided staff training to over 300 colleagues and governors with outstanding feedback and has individually provided support to over 200 students this academic year alone.

Teresa said: “I was thrilled to be nominated and chosen to win this award. It is now twenty years since I first set foot in New College to start on an Access course in Higher Education. During that time, I have had the good fortune to have been taught by and worked with many wonderful, encouraging and supportive New College staff. New College has given me the opportunity to develop my nursing role in a different area. Winning this award was not a single effort as I am lucky to work with an enthusiastic, compassionate team who help and support me with both my roles.”