Building a Healthier Bradford

Did you know a single shisha smoking session could be as dangerous as smoking an entire pack of cigarettes?

Health and Social Welfare degree students arranged a special event helping to create a healthier, happier Bradford.

Held in Bradford College’s David Hockney Building, the Health Fair united health professionals and organisations from across the district. Together they shared the message with students and staff about healthier lifestyles and looking after physical and mental wellbeing.

Topical health issues

Claire Holliday, Level 6 Health and Social Welfare Degree programme lead at Bradford College, said: “To help get our students ready for employment after their degree, they study a module called Promoting Public Health. As part of their research they look at various topical health issues and ways to promote better health to communities. This year the chosen topic was ‘Bradford’s health’. Students use their research and module learning to organise the health fair to raise awareness of the issues they have studied. It’s been lovely to see so many people come to the fair and ask questions. It’s a good interactive teaching tool. It’s also a great experience for the students to run their own campaigns alongside other health and welfare professionals.”

The students researched some of the main health issues faced by the Bradford population. Organisations promoting health alongside the students including the NHS, Young Gamblers and Gamers Education Trust (YGAM) and Three Valley Vegans set out stalls. There, they spoke to people about health issues affecting the city. They also highlighted the effects of smoking, including shisha pipes and cigarettes, online gambling, obesity and lack of exercise. Just ten minutes’ brisk walking in a day can positively impact physical health and mental wellbeing.

Support for mental and physical wellbeing

Community wellbeing worker Kelly Munro-Fawcett of Mind in Bradford was promoting the support available to young people in the city. She said: “Our services offer emotional support and wellbeing. They also offer tips on coping with loneliness, coronavirus and student life.”

Staying Put, a charity which supports people affected by sexual abuse and domestic violence, was also there to highlight its services to visitors.

Bradford College Project Officer Karen Piotr was sharing the message about organ donation and signing up to the Organ Donor Register. After her husband Mark died suddenly in 2017, his organs were donated meaning eight lives were saved. Karen, who is Chair of the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Organ Donation Committee, campaigns to raise awareness of why it is so important for people to tell their loved ones about their wishes for organ donation after their death.

Health and Social Welfare at Bradford College

This degree course focuses on Health and Social Welfare within communities. You will have the opportunity to study contrasting perspectives on Health and Social Welfare. Learners also examine how social, cultural, political and economic factors affect individual and group experiences of Health and Social Welfare.

Direct entry onto Level 6 is available with a relevant Foundation Degree or HND. The course is also now recruiting new students to start L4 in September 2022.

The range of careers stemming from this degree is vast and varied. Some students go into further study on while others go directly into occupations such as family support worker or working in alcohol and drug rehabilitation. Others have gone into NHS Policy development and supporting vulnerable members of the community with housing.

Find out more at https://www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/courses/course/health-and-social-welfare-ba-hons/