FEATURE: CHARITABLE CAUSES, PROMOTION & PARTNERSHIP A premier solution to providing support


First Class Support (FCS) offers a bespoke specialist support service to students and at schools, colleges and higher education institutions, across the United Kingdom. FCS are academic support specialists, offering over 20 distinct support roles which include practical support, mobility training, notetaking, mental health and autism mentoring, one to one study skills, and BSL interpretation. Unlike other


Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Their innovation has seen the


‘The ethos is to


support providers, their services extend beyond academia and into the workplace. Personal and employment support packages include strategy coaching, CV writing, completion of applications, interview techniques and on-job mentorship. We also provide training for employers and employees on physical and psychological wellbeing awareness. Apart from providing services to


privately funded clients, FCS supplies over £1m of support annually to Student Loans Company (SLC), the National Health Service (NHS) and the


increase footfall and strengthen the local economy’


launch of a new product, the FCS Premier Card, that offers students discounts at local businesses, thus galvanising their existing student support service. The Premier Card launched in September 2018 and is currently available in Plymouth. The Plymouth Premier Card can be purchased by all


students who have left school, thus is available from sixth-


form to PhD. The card is also available to graduates,


academics, academic support


workers and those working for our chosen local charities. The vision is to provide a


national card service, and plans are already underway to introduce cards in Cornwall, Torbay, Exeter and Bristol, making the FCS Premier Card a truly unique local student-business network. The ethos is to increase footfall


and strengthen the local economy by showcasing what each locality has to offer the thousands of


First Class Support has named PATH as its chosen charity of the year


students that visit and reside locally each year. Furthermore, a percentage of all money that is raised from card sales each year is donated to a different local charity. This year’s charity is PATH,


Plymouth’s local homeless charity. Businesses are invited to accept


the card and become official business partners. Businesses can also become card vendors and sponsor the card.


Visit: firstclass-support.co.uk


November/December 2018 Chamber Profile 21


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