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.
Featured Courses
View all coursesStudent Loans Company - DSA process changes
More infoStudent Loans Company - DSA process changes
Date:
22nd October 2024
Time:
14:00 -
15:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
SLC
A session looking at Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA), covering off the process change and looking at the data to see the progress made against the initial objectives and some learnings from Capita and Study Tech.
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.
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.
Completed Courses
View all completed coursesPreparing our Students for Success with Pre-Entry Financial Education
More infoPreparing our Students for Success with Pre-Entry Financial Education
Date:
21st August 2024
Time:
11:00 -
12:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
NASMA
Join this webinar to discuss NASMA's latest campaign.
You can find out more information about this campaign in the committee resources HERE
Student Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding
More infoStudent Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding
Date:
30th July 2024
Time:
10:00 -
11:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
SLC
This session will focus on students who wish to transfer to a later academic year start date of their course, known as a change in seasonal intake. It will clarify the difference between a ‘course transfer’ and a ‘change in seasonal intake’, provide examples and cover the potential impact on students payments. This session will also focus on multi-application students, with a particular focus on multi academic year. Practitioners who participate should leave this session with a more in depth understanding of both; a change in seasonal intake students and multi academic year students, which will better assist them in providing informed IAG to their student population.
Student Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding
More infoStudent Loans Company - Multi Academic Year Funding
Date:
6th June 2024
Time:
10:00 -
11:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
SLC
This session will focus on students who wish to transfer to a later academic year start date of their course, known as a change in seasonal intake. It will clarify the difference between a ‘course transfer’ and a ‘change in seasonal intake’, provide examples and cover the potential impact on students payments. This session will also focus on multi-application students, with a particular focus on multi academic year. Practitioners who participate should leave this session with a more in depth understanding of both; a change in seasonal intake students and multi academic year students, which will better assist them in providing informed IAG to their student population.
National Student Money Week 24: How we did it
More infoNational Student Money Week 24: How we did it
Date:
11th April 2024
Time:
13:00 -
14:15
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
NASMA Members
Join us for this panel session featuring colleagues from University of Birmingham, University of Dundee, University of Liverpool, University of Northampton, University of Plymouth and chaired by NASMA Chair, Kellie McAlonan.
We will hear from our NASMA colleagues about how they delivered National Student Money Week activities to their students. They will share their approaches to organising and planning their campaign activity, the challenges they have manoeuvred, and the lessons they have learned.
If you are keen to know more about how different institutions approach NSMW, and get ideas for future campaigns, this is the event for you.
Equality Network delivers: LGBT+ awareness session
More infoEquality Network delivers: LGBT+ awareness session
Date:
24th April 2024
Time:
10:00 -
12:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
Equality Network
This LGBT+ awareness session broadly explores LGBT+ terminology and definitions, social attitudes and experiences of discrimination faced by LGBT+ people, followed by LGBT+ equality and inclusion good practice.
The session is delivered as a mixture of PowerPoint presentations, short films and group discussions together with a Q&A.
It is intended to help people gain a greater level of understanding and confidence and be less afraid of getting things wrong when interacting with or supporting LGBT+ people.
FCA Authorisation – What Student Money Advisers need to know
More infoFCA Authorisation – What Student Money Advisers need to know
Date:
23rd April 2024
Time:
09:30 -
11:00
Location:
NASMA Website
Facilitated by:
FCA
In this session, Alex MacDermott from the FCA’s Authorisations Division will explain when student money advisers’ employers need to be authorised by the FCA, what this means in practice and benefits this provides to employers and students.
The session will cover:
- How to work out if you need to be authorised
- The typical permissions a money adviser would need
- When permission wouldn’t be needed
- The benefits of authorisation for you and your students
Alex will also explain the jargon associated with regulation and bust some common myths about FCA permissions.