Shropshire Colleges Programme
Since October 2022, the Community Wellbeing Outreach Team has been working with Shropshire Colleges Group (SCG) to develop a comprehensive support and service strategy for students. The project has two primary objectives:
- To deliver health promotion events across three campuses for all students.
- To engage health and social care students through an extensive learning programme, ultimately establishing a sustainable health promotion framework for the future.
The outreach team has conducted Making Every Contact Count (MECC) conversations with 65 students, mainly focusing on sexual health and substance misuse. Recognising specific needs among young people, the team organised targeted training in partnership with MPFT Sexual Health, enabling them to deliver the C-Card scheme directly from the mobile hub. This service provides confidential, non-judgmental support related to pregnancy, sexual health, and substance misuse.
In collaboration with the Cancer Champion Coordinator and the SCG Student Council, efforts are underway to establish Cancer Champions within the student body. Currently, 32 level 1 and level 2 health and social care students are trained as 'cancer champions'. The programme is set to be integrated into the curricula of courses such as health and social care, hair and beauty, sports science and public service.
During Mental Health Awareness Week, lunchtime sessions were held to promote awareness of available mental health support services. Future plans include incorporating women’s health topics throughout the year. Additionally, there's an opportunity to train students and tutors in managing parental conflict, equipping them with tools to address relationship issues more effectively to reduce their impact.