“When you get that breakthrough moment, that’s what really makes it worth it”
For the last two-and-a-bit years, Xsara Murray has been Edinburgh College’s sole Active Campus Coordinator. From organising sporting events, doing outreach with community groups, and helping curriculum leaders come up with innovative ways to tackle disruptive behaviour, it’s fair to say Xsara has been kept busy.
Not that she’s complaining though. After being recognised with a nomination for a Herald Education Award for Outstanding Contribution from a Staff Member for all of her hard work, we caught up with Xsara to find out what it is that gives her such a drive. Turns out it’s little more than a simple love for the job she does.
What does a day in the life look like for an Active Campus Coordinator at Edinburgh College?
“It changes every single day to be honest! It depends a lot on the calendar too, as we get near the end of the academic year, the summer, there’s a lot more sports tournaments and events on.
“In the morning I might be helping out at a breakfast club, putting on an early yoga session, before going into some meetings and engaging with some external organisations to explore new opportunities. In the afternoon, we’ll be starting lunchtime sessions where I engage directly with classes. Recently with some of the Routes groups, we’ve been doing a lot of Boccia, which they’ve really been enjoying and are getting very good at.
“Then in the evening I have to keep on top of the other side of the job, all the data collection and reporting, before heading into more late sessions.”
Do you often find your projects start off and suddenly snowball into something larger?
“It happens all the time. Thankfully I get so much help from volunteers, students and staff, who make a lot of it happen. I support departments in tackling some of the lifestyle challenges they might be facing, the likes of students vaping and eating junk food, by developing healthy living units. A lot of the time these end up with a life of their own, and it’s really nice to see them grow and change and become something adopted by the College, and enjoyed by the students.”
You’ve been at the College for a couple of years now, what do you enjoy about your role?
“I genuinely really love it. I get to interact with students from all sorts of different backgrounds and walks of life, many of whom remind me of myself when I was at that age in College. We offer them a different but still nurturing environment, where maybe they can switch off from some of their other pressures for five minutes. They don’t have to worry about the academic side of things, but they’re still learning real-world skills they can apply every single day.”
Do you feel your role makes a difference for students, and for staff?
“The feedback we get is so positive, from our staff and from the students themselves. From the staff side, it helps with retention and performance, there’s less behavioural issues, and in a lot of cases it’s boosting attendance too.
“For the students it’s a chance to learn in a different environment, where they can show off other skills that maybe they don’t get a chance to in a traditional setting. It’s the breakthrough moments that really make the job worth it. When you speak to a student and get to the bottom of an issue that’s bothering them, when they open up and let you know what’s really going on, and you can do something about it, point them in the right direction. It’s an amazing feeling.”
Do you have any standout moments from your time at the College?
“Absolutely, it would have to be the first time we ever hosted the ESOL football tournament. There was such an amazing atmosphere the whole day, and I remember the referee coming up to me and saying he’d never seen such a well-behaved, polite group out on the pitch before.
“There was one student who really wanted to play, but didn’t have a pair of football boots. We provided some support to help get him kitted out, and he wound up scoring the goal of the tournament and winning a £100 shopping voucher. On the bus back, I asked him if that was the highlight of his day, and he told me that actually, it wasn’t. He’d been living in Scotland for four years, but it turns out that was his first time leaving Edinburgh, and he just loved getting to see somewhere different. That’s the sort of impact widening access can have, and it’s why I’m such a strong believer in it.”
Finally, what are your plans going forward?
“I’m going to keep working to try and improve the culture at the College towards exercise. It’s improved so much in my time here, and I don’t have to push the need for exercise anywhere near as much now. I’d really love for it just to be embedded here, and we’re moving in the right direction.”