Helping you
Providing professional training and development to those working within Students Money Advice.
Training & Development
NASMA offers a variety of training and development events throughout the year both regionally and nationally. Events include formal training by nationally recognised experts which ensures our members are kept up to date with the latest funding changes as they occur, and properly equipped to tackle difficult cases, as well as those issues that they deal with on a day to day basis.
NASMA Mail-base
NASMA members benefit from access to the mail-base 365 days a year. This is a JISCMail forum which provides an opportunity for members to learn from and contribute to an active and thematic dialogue of funding topics.
Regional Meetings
Regional Meetings take place around 3 times per membership year. These meetings provide regional training opportunities and are a platform to share information and best practice. As NASMA is member-led, the agenda and guest speakers are always relevant to members’ needs.
Delivering an effective support network since 1995.
We have members in all four countries in the UK and collectively we are recognised as the leading authority on all matters relating to student advice and funding.
Join a national community of student advisors
NASMA is the National Association of Student Money Advisers. We have members in all four countries in the UK and collectively we are recognised as the leading authority on all matters relating to student advice and funding.
Kellie McAlonan
NASMA Chair
Simon Griffiths
Vice-Chair Finance
Louise Miles
Vice-Chair Governance & Operations
Shahida Ahmed
Vice-Chair Training & Development
Louise Reid
Financial Capability Champion
Abigail Keay
Campaigns Coordinator
Emma-Jane Quirke
England Policy
Debbie Forsey
Northern Ireland Policy
Pamela Lockhart
Scotland Policy
Einir England
Wales Policy
Benefits
Why Join NASMA?
NASMA membership provides a community of support. The website contains useful and informative training and development along with a dedicated Members Area containing additional resources and materials.
Annual Conference
The NASMA Annual Conference provides a unique opportunity to network with other NASMA members from across the UK, as well as to attend a programme of high-quality training and development workshops.
Student Money Advice Awards
Our prestigious Student Money Advice Awards are awarded annually at the Gala Dinner that takes place as part of our conference. They provide a great opportunity for members to showcase their hard work, and to share this best practice and success with the sector.
Accreditation and CPD
NASMA operate an accreditation scheme for members, at no extra cost. There are lots of opportunities to work towards this, such as attendance at Regional Meetings and NASMA training events which contribute to CPD hours. There are also opportunities to join committees and working groups which is an ideal way of gaining additional CPD development.
Representation
Through the NASMA Board and experienced NASMA members, we are able to reach key decision makers with the experiences of those working directly with students. Through the strength of the membership and our excellent links we can raise matters of relevance and are often consulted before final decisions are made. This extends beyond student funding, across to debt and welfare benefits and other issues that impact on students.
Learn live, refresh later.
Our courses are live and interactive with real case studies. Following the session, we carefully collate the session information, removing sensitive information, into a summary document so you can check back to refresh your knowledge whenever suits.
Completed Courses
View all completed coursesUnderstanding student spending habits - TOTUM
More infoUnderstanding student spending habits - TOTUM
Date:
12th November 2024
Time:
10:00 -
11:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
Becky Butler
Learn from TOTUM’s latest annual cardholders’ satisfaction survey how students are spending their money. Discovering, how, why, and where students are spending their money today and how their spending habits have changed over the course of time.
Universal Credit & Students - Intermediate / Advanced Level - 15th Nov
More infoUniversal Credit & Students - Intermediate / Advanced Level
Date:
15th November 2024
Time:
10:00 -
13:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
Kate Anstee
This course is for experienced advisers who have a good understanding of the UC system and its place within the benefits field.
Learners will receive a detailed overview of the complex legislation surrounding disabled students and their entitlement to UC. By the end of the course learners will be able to complete a calculation of a student’s entitlement to UC by looking at student income, student finance award letters in conjunction with UC award notices, and will be able to challenge adverse UC decisions.
There is two dates for this session. You only need to attend one.
Universal Credit & Students - Intermediate / Advanced Level - 8th Nov
More infoUniversal Credit & Students - Intermediate / Advanced Level
Date:
8th November 2024
Time:
10:00 -
13:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
Kate Anstee
This course is for experienced advisers who have a good understanding of the UC system and its place within the benefits field.
Learners will receive a detailed overview of the complex legislation surrounding disabled students and their entitlement to UC. By the end of the course learners will be able to complete a calculation of a student’s entitlement to UC by looking at student income, student finance award letters in conjunction with UC award notices, and will be able to challenge adverse UC decisions.
There is two dates for this session. You only need to attend one.
Gaming and Gambling within the LGBTQ+ Community
More infoGaming and Gambling within the LGBTQ+ Community
Date:
30th October 2024
Time:
10:00 -
11:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
YGAM
This one-hour session will give professionals an overview of research which explores the influences on gaming and gambling harms within LGBTQ+ communities. It will also draw upon findings from Public Health England and include research undertaken by Dr Reece Bush-Evans of Bournemouth University.
By the end of the session, you will:
- Understand what is meant by gambling and gambling harm.
- Understand why LGBTQ+ people might game/gamble.
- Understand why LGBTQ+ people are at higher risk of experiencing gambling harm.
- Recognise the relationship between gaming/gambling, mental health, and LGBTQ+ life stressors.
- Know where to access available treatment and support.
Topics covered include:
- Gaming/Gambling harms.
- Research from Bournemouth University.
- Mental health and life stressors within the LGBTQ+ community.
- Influences and advertisement.
- Where to find help/support.
Student Loans Company - DSA - The Customer Journey
More infoStudent Loans Company - DSA process changes
Date:
22nd October 2024
Time:
14:00 -
15:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
SLC
The session will include: taking a look at the rationale behind the recent changes that have been made to the customer journey and the benefits that we have seen so far as a result of these changes. It will also include a walkthrough of the application process, highlighting key action points for students and how to support them in their journey. The session will also cover the escalation channels and detail where students and practitioners alike can find further help. Finally, the session will take a look at the current engagement strategy and how your FIS Account Managers can help you provide feedback for future improvements.
The outcomes:
- Delegates will be able to confidently promote DSA's to students they meet.
- Delegates will have a clear understanding of the changes that have been made to the customer journey and know how to access the escalation routes.
- Delegates will understand the feedback routes that they have access to help promote and support continuous improvements to the customer journey.
Understanding Universal Credit - Entry / Basic level
More infoUnderstanding Universal Credit - Entry / Basic level
Date:
17th October 2024
Time:
10:00 -
13:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
Kate Anstee
By the end of the session learners will understand the basic entitlement conditions for claiming UC, the different elements that make up an award of UC, and how to make a claim. Learners will also receive an introduction to scenarios involving students and UC. Furthermore, learners will be able to identify when a claimant may need signposting for specialist advice when common problem issues arise.