Julia, from Brandon Centre, shares with us their collaborative work with the Student.-Led Project b.zine. Keep reading to find out about the very impactful partnership they have built.
Can you briefly describe the activities that your participants were involved in?
By consulting and linking with other young people the student volunteers have come to develop the Zine pamphlet, which is really impressive. It's beautifully designed by students at UCL, it's very explicitly open about relationships and what sexual relationships mean to young people. It's just designed in a way that isn't traditionally communicated. It hasn’t been done to market and get money, which I think is fantastic, it’s been developed in order to communicate and get young people engaged in having these important conversations, positive conversations.
Also, Lillan (one of the volunteers) has helped set up the Young People's Board at Brandon Centre, which she is now chairing. So they engage with young people who have accessed Sexual Health Services and the Brandon Centre Mental Health Services and talk about the key issues that matter and this way they make sure that this feeds into our Board.
They've attended our Board Away Day, which was really, really good. They're very clear, very articulate, not shy to come forward and explain the current issues.
Also, they've developed and led focus groups with young people. The Sexual Health Service was re-tendered by the commissioners, and unfortunately, we didn't win the tender so we could not continue with delivering Sexual Health Services at Brandon Centre from the end of June. However we are continuing to deliver Mental Health Services, so we're hoping to build some of this into our Mental Health and Well-being Services. However our Young Ambassadors were part of the focus groups as well for the commissioners, so they’ve been very involved and they remain very positive.
What impact did these Student-Led Projects have on the participants and/or your organisation?
I think they've had significant impact. I think when they've come to talk to the Board, they have been very engaging, they come over in a very mature way. However from a young person's perspective, to be able to clearly and succinctly explain what young people want and need, and so they are heard loud and clear. We all have total confidence in them.
I should say volunteers are not only Young Ambassadors, we have also been training some in health coaching. So I think that's one of our ways to continue to offer relationship advice, even though we've lost the sexual health contract. Through this BWell Coaching Service, which will be up to 5 free sessions offered to young people, we can talk about sexual relationships and support young people to have positive relationships, and if one’s not in that positive relationship, where one can go and be signposted for help.
I think they've been very supportive. We receive so much positive feedback and engagement with our young people around our current services.
Why did your organisations decide to host one of our Student-Led Projects?
I think as we care deeply about young people, we've been here in Camden and Islington for 53 years. So we've been providing services in the area for a long time. A lot of our young people who come to our services are from UCL, so we're really keen to see how we can continue to develop services with UCL, not to duplicate for any of the services that you're already running through the university, however to ensure we are able to offer additional services, close gaps in services and look for additional funding.
I think young people are crucial to everything we do, so believe that services should be developed in a co-productive and collaborative approach.
I can head the organization up, but I'm not a young person… I might feel it, but I'm not, so young people know best what they need for their generation, and then we can help support that.
What advice would you give to another organisation considering whether to host one of our Student-Led Projects?
I think be really clear about the projects that need to be developed and how they need to be delivered. Make sure everybody understands how to do co-production and collaborative working. We think from a coaching perspective that's an adult-to-adult relationship, not a parent-child model, so sitting alongside a young person or a student and listening to people effectively.
So yes, be clear about what the project is, where the funding is coming from, beginning, middle and end, and how that's evaluated.
If your school or organisation is interested in partnering with one of our Student-Led Projects? Find out more information here!