Money May launches to offer financial advice to UHI Inverness students

UHI Inverness is ready to launch Money May, a month-long series of information and support events to help students manage their budgets throughout the last term and the summer and to prepare them for the financial demands of the new academic year.

As part of the campaign, UHI Inverness has also signed up to the Dignity First Commitment with Money Advice Scotland as a pledge to challenge the stigma and language around debt and financial advice that may prevent people from accessing help.

Money May aims to help students and the wider community make the most of their money and access available support and advice. It will run throughout the month to provide guidance on a range of different topics and will feature workshops and visits from local organisations.

Christians Against Poverty and the Highland Council’s Welfare Team will visit the Inverness campus on Wednesday, 8 May from 10am to 2pm to talk to students and advise them on what help they can provide. UHI Inverness has also linked up with Citizens Advice Scotland to provide guidance on financial issues affecting our students. Students can contact the Student Support Team for more details.

The team has also set up an online bulletin board for money saving tips. Everyone can engage with this board, including students and staff. It can be accessed here: Money May - Discounts and Money Saving Tips (padlet.com)

The Dignity First Commitment encourages organisations providing financial advice to support Money Advice Scotland’s mission to silence stigma surrounding money and debt to ensure people experiencing financial challenges access and receive support without fear of judgement. It aims to reshape the narrative around money and debt and promote empathy and understanding, breaking down the barriers that prevent people from seeking support.

By signing up, UHI Inverness is committing to promote dignity and respect in all financial communications and engage in a collective effort to make conversational change to end the use of stigmatising language.

Laurie Symon of the Student Support Team said: “As the academic year draws to a close and college students prepare for the summer break and the upcoming year of studies, we feel it is essential to help equip them with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate their finances effectively.

“Money May will offer a diverse range of resources and activities designed to address the unique financial challenges facing students. We understand that managing finances can be daunting and Money May is our commitment to provide students with the support and resources they need to help them budget effectively.”

Money May will be launched next week with a video and other promotional materials.