USP College becomes first college in the country to achieve Good for Me Good for FE Changemaker Awards

• Posted 18 May 2026

 

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USP College students have demonstrated exceptional commitment to social action this year, contributing 6,890 hours of volunteering. Their work has strengthened our USP community and set the bar high for future students to follow.

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On 18 May 2026, USP College hosted the very first Good for Me Good for FE Changemaker Awards Ceremony, celebrating 101 students who completed the Foundation Changemaker Programme across Seevic Campus in Benfleet and Palmer's Campus in Grays, Essex.

USP College is the first college in the country to achieve the new Changemaker Programme Awards through the Good for Me Good for FE framework - a national campaign championing volunteering and social action in further education. The milestone recognises not just individual student achievement, but the college's broader commitment to developing young people who are ready, confident and motivated to contribute to the world beyond the classroom.

For parents and carers, the Changemaker Programme reflects something that exam results alone cannot show: that USP College actively invests in developing the whole person. Students who volunteer and lead build the confidence, communication skills and sense of responsibility that employers look for and that help young people navigate adult life. The 101 students celebrated at Monday's ceremony are proof that further education in Essex can be genuinely life-changing.

This year, USP College students collectively contributed an extraordinary amount to their communities:

6,890 volunteering hours

100+ events delivered

£3,117 raised for charity

250 food donations

180 clothing items donated

1 whole-college Charity Week

Students supported food banks, homelessness charities, mental health organisations, hospitals, animal welfare groups and local schools, taking on roles including STEM Ambassadors, Sports Leaders, Wellbeing Peer Mentors, Student Union project managers and more. Fifty Level 3 Business students were recognised for organising a Spring Fete and fundraising for charity, while IT student Kishopika Prathees achieved the Gold Award after completing over 220 hours of volunteering and community leadership. 

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Being part of this programme has helped me build confidence, responsibility, teamwork and communication skills that will continue to support me in the future. This achievement means so much more than receiving an award - it represents growth, perseverance and the support of everyone who encouraged me along the way.

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