SHU Press Release
Paramedic science students at Sheffield Hallam University are delivering first aid sessions to primary schools in South Yorkshire.
Children aged between 5 and 11 will learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and basic first aid training as part of a series of workshops delivered by Hallam students studying on the BSc paramedic science course.
The programme comes less than a month after the government revealed details of its new health education plans. Next year, schools in England will be required to teach life-saving skills to children as young as five, including dealing with common injuries as well as how and when to call 999.
Paramedic science student, Adam Price who is leading the sessions, said: “The idea of a child learning vital skills, including CPR is fantastic. Being that person who may be called upon to help save a life is an amazing thing and it’s so important to teach young people these skills. Not only is this a great opportunity for us as students to apply the skills we learn on our course to the real world, we get to pass on our knowledge to help to save more lives.”
Sessions have already been delivered at Eastwood Village Primary School, East Dene Primary School and Coleridge Primary School in Rotherham, in collaboration with Active Leaders, an initiative to provide employability and life skills to children in the UK.
The initiative began in secondary schools in 2016 and is now available in primary schools nationwide as a ‘junior’ programme. Active Leaders recently acquired accreditation from the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).
Penny Snowden, founder of the Active Leaders programme, said: “We are delighted to have the support of Sheffield Hallam University paramedic science degree students for the junior active leader’s sessions. We know how vital the delivery of CPR and basic first aid training is and welcome the recent news that it is to be added to the school curriculum.
“I hope that these sessions will spark an on-going interest in the importance of first aid and other life skills for the students we will come into contact with, and perhaps even an interest in taking a health care focused degree in the future.”
The sessions taking place in Rotherham are part of a wider initiative to bring the Active Leaders programme to the South Yorkshire region. The project has garnered funding and support locally from the Greggs Foundation, a charity affiliated with the popular UK bakery chain, which aims to improve the quality of life in local communities.
The University educates more new members of the NHS workforce each year than any other provider in England and is the largest provider of health and social care education in England.
With courses covering all aspects of healthcare including: nursing, midwifery, allied health, social care and sport, its curriculum creates the skilled workforce the NHS needs to deliver better long-term health outcomes for the nation.
Health professional trainees benefit from an interdisciplinary teaching approach, working with partners and academics who are leaders in their fields. The University’s partnerships with hospital trusts, social care providers and leading health charities, provides around 20,000 placement opportunities for Sheffield Hallam’s healthcare students each year.
For press information: Laura Burden in the Sheffield Hallam University press office on 0114 225 5301 or email l.s.burden@shu.ac.uk
For further information on the Active Leaders programme visit: www.activeleaders.co.uk
