The study from the Co-op in partnership with Mind, Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) and Inspire revealed the impact the pandemic has had on the nations mental wellbeing, with almost a quarter of respondents saying they became more isolated from their community during the pandemic, resulting in a decline in mental wellbeing for almost two-thirds. The in-depth research, a combination of qualitative conversation carried out by Leeds Beckett University and Traverse and a survey of 4,500 people, highlights the vital role of community in promoting good mental wellbeing. The Co-op, alongside Mind, SAMH and Inspire are calling on governments across the UK to recognise the importance of community resilience in post-pandemic recovery policy making, and beyond. Kris Southby, Research Fellow at the School of Health, who led the Leeds Beckett research said: "We know that people living in disadvantaged communities are at risk of experiencing multiple and complex challenges to their mental health and wellbeing. This study allowed us to look at why people in some disadvantaged communities appear more resilient to these challenges and have better mental health and wellbeing than expected. Partnering with Traverse allowed us to utilise our respective skills and knowledge to explore this issue. Myself, Prof. Anne-Marie Bagnall, and Prof. Jane South were involved in designing the data collection methods, identifying research sites, analysing the data, and report writing alongside colleagues from Traverse who also led on data collection. The conversation-based research was conducted in four areas of the UK Bilston (England), Haverfordwest (Wales), Yoker (Scotland) and Portadown (Northern Ireland), that have higher than expected wellbeing when compared to typical risk factors, to understand what drives mentally resilient communities. The research found four key themes that support better mental health in common across all the communities including: a strong network of community hubs and voluntary sector organisations; open environments to talk about mental health and wellbeing; opportunities to actively participate and make connections in communities; and a sense of community identity and belonging.
The new Help to Grow scheme is backed by 520 million from the Department for Business, Energy Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and its aim is to boost economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19 by helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The programme aims to support the leadership skills needed to boost business performance, resilience to future crises, and achieve long-term growth. The 12-week programme is 90% funded by the Government with a total of only 750 per business to contribute. It has been designed to be completed by senior managers of SMEs, alongside full-time work. Olga Munroe, Help to Grow Programme Director, explained: The course consists of a blend of online webinars delivered by our academic experts with practical case study workshops focusing on giving SMEs in our Yorkshire region practical skills to drive future growth. Participants will also receive bespoke support in form of one-on-one business mentorship, peer to peer discussion sessions, and sessions where we explore case studies from relatable SMEs. We ensure a real focus on practical problem-solving techniques and all businesses come away with an action plan to embed in their organisation from the word go. We are directly providing the skillset the frameworks and toolkits - needed to support people to adapt to any future crisis situation. The first programme begins on Tuesday 14 September, with further groups starting from October. To find out more, and register your interest, please visit the Government's Help to Grow website. Help to Grow builds on the success of the Governments pilot scheme the Small Business Leadership Programme (SBLP). More than 100 Yorkshire businesses have completed the SBLP with Leeds Business School at Leeds Beckett over the last six months and more than 2,000 have completed the programme nationally. Professor George Lodorfos, Dean of Leeds Business School, said: Our SBLP has been so successful and we are proud to be building on this with Help to Grow. The programmes bring national recognition to the value that business schools offer to small businesses giving them the practical skills and knowledge needed to enhance their leadership, adapt to change, stimulate innovation, and improve their long-term overall business performance. It is wonderful that the government is recognising that not only do SMEs need financial support - they also need the skills to become resilient and grow.
This campaign by Universities UK is a platform for the higher education sector to promote the achievements and innovations of students, alumni, and academics across all sectors, and the work we do with business and industry to rebound, grow and develop. At Leeds Beckett University the work of our schools touches upon every sector, and all aspects of life, and we know we have a great capacity to help the UK build back better. Here are just a small selection of the work being done across the university to help bolster economic and social recovery in our region and beyond. Our Business Recovery Programme supports businesses in hiring Leeds Beckett graduates, benefitting both businesses and graduates. We also provide extra training and support to those graduates to ensure they can better meet the needs of their employers. Our School of Events, Tourism and Hospitality Management has supported these sectors through academic insights, practical help with campaigns and further training and resources for alumni. Our academic staff have sought to use their research and innovative approaches to help members of our communities made more vulnerable through restrictions and lockdowns. Senior Leeds Beckett University Lecturer Dr Alun Dunn has delivered a programme of workshops across the North West to help alleviate loneliness among people living with dementia. And our alumni have been active in playing their part as essential workers, both in Leeds and further afield. Occupational therapy graduate Chris Wood now works as part of a team to deliver services to our citys homeless population, allowing them to overcome health exclusion. With all the institutions working with Universities UK, over the upcoming months we will be sharing the successes of our institution, our students, and our associates in the wider community to show how were all working together and #GettingResults.
The collaborative team made up of partner universities and schools in the UK, Netherlands, Germany, Portugal, Belgium and Hungary will pool together new research and insight from each country to collectively strengthen the inclusivity of the education systems across Europe through digital learning opportunities. Professor Mhairi Beaton, of the Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett, and one of the leaders of the project, explained: It is extremely important that we make sure that all children are included in an excellent education. COVID-19 has had a dramatic effect on education worldwide - and the use of digital technology has expanded vastly across all stages of education. It is very exciting to be working with our partners across Europe whilst we are geographically different and have differing educational policies, we are facing many of the same challenges. By working together and pooling our knowledge, we can improve education here in the UK and make it a truly 21st century education for all children. The team will collaborate with young people, parents and teachers across Europe to find out what has been working, and not working, for them, in terms of digital learning. Rachel Lofthouse, Professor of Teacher Education at Leeds Beckett, and co-leader of the project, said: We have seen many instances of creative digital education developed by teachers during the pandemic. Rather than starting with a blank slate, we want to acknowledge this innovative practice and develop them further - providing not just guidance for digital practice, but resources to support changes in thinking, understanding of dilemmas and possible ways to develop solutions within digital practice. The key aims of the project are: To increase educators abilities and confidence in providing effective and inclusive digital learning opportunities; To support educators abilities to manage change in their working practices through developing their co-coaching skills and attitudes; To help the wider community including parents, carers and other family members to understand and support educators and young people in digital learning contexts. Professor Lofthouse explained: One of our strengths here at Leeds Beckett is our unique CollectivEd research centre for mentoring, coaching and professional learning. We will use our expertise to help schools develop co-coaching communities to explore and share new ideas related to digital education and empower them to make changes. Through the centre we also have a large international network of practitioners and researchers who will input into the project and help to share the new resources that we will create. This means there will be a huge potential for long-lasting positive change in education practice across the world. Professor Beaton added: During the pandemic, digital technology has brought many positives. For example, children with autism have told us that having the ability to attend online classes with their cameras switched off has been a great help in removing the challenging social aspect of school allowing them to concentrate solely on learning. By drawing on the wide expertise of our project team, we want to focus on the positives of the digital tools we have been using and find practices that can work for us all and support all children as best we can through this pandemic and into the future. The team want to increase the capacity of school leaders to build professional competencies across the school and will produce a series of free, practical resources for all educational sectors, and all career stages, across national boundaries. The resources will all be available online and will include: An interactive learning resource for teachers to develop their skills in teaching in the digital environment; An online toolbox to develop educators coaching skills to guide them through creating new co-coaching communities to support future change; An interactive digital resource for families and the wider community to learn how to support young people in the what and how of creating a suitable digital learning environment from digital security to methods of learning and teaching. Professor Beaton said: The project will be very co-participatory with the volunteer parents, pupils, educators and members of the wider community who share their views with us. In this way, our resources will be very practical and real and have a real impact on teachers, young people and their families. Professor Lofthouse added: It is so valuable to us to collaborate with our European networks it helps us to improve education in the UK in a way that is unique. By crossing boundaries, we can draw from a wide pool of expertise and motivations and it reminds us that there are alternative ways that we can try which can help us to meet the needs of all pupils. The two-year project entitled Reimagining A Positive Direction for Education (RAPIDE) - has received funding of 292,882 from Erasmus+. The Leeds Beckett University team leading the project is Professor Mhairi Beaton, Professor Rachel Lofthouse, Meri Nasilyan and Diana Tremayne; and the full list of partners is: University of Aberdeen (Scotland), PLATO Research Institute at University of Leiden (Netherlands), Fontys University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), National Education Institute of Slovenia, Seminar fr Ausbildung und Fortbildung der Lehrkrfte (Gymnasien) Tbingen (Germany), University of Aberta (Portugal), Katholiek Onderwijs Vlaanderen (Belgium) and Etvs Lornd University (Hungary).
These universities, including Leeds Beckett, will deliver the skills, ideas and innovations needed to generate the pillars of growth for an economic recovery that will see communities across the country thrive once again, the campaign Powering the UKs Future says. Calling for higher education to be positioned and funded as a major asset for the nations recovery, University Alliance has released a set of high-level policy asks which if enacted will enhance universities contribution to the national economic, social and cultural recovery. The Alliances 12 universities train almost a quarter of the nations nurses, support almost 24,000 businesses with consultancy, facilities and research, and have been awarded more than 68m to spend on regenerating their local communities, alongside their own significant investments. As the UK economy grapples with recession, todays campaign highlights how Alliance universities will use their critical role within the NHS and public services, support for businesses, locally-rooted research and innovation, and partnership with industry to find solutions to the economic and social challenges we all face and support the governments investment pillars of growth. Already they are finding new treatments to tackle obesity, creating new training routes for police officers, supporting SMEs to develop new technologies, developing innovations in green services, redesigning a struggling high street, and working with TV companies to produce new programmes. The campaign has been backed by major employers and industry partners, including the International Chamber of Commerce, along with support from numerous SMEs and local organisations who work with Alliance universities to deliver change for their communities. University Alliance CEO, Vanessa Wilson said: As a mission group we are committed to working together, to unlock potential in order to effect change, and this has never been more important for the UK than now. I am proud that through launching this campaign we are demonstrating our potential and readiness as a collective group of universities to power a national renewal and recovery which we all strive for as we look to rebuild from Covid-19 and beyond. With their closeness to industry, entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to levelling-up, Alliance universities are well placed to support national pillars of growth in innovation, infrastructure and skills. The success of this role will be dependent on the Governments policy approach and we look forward to working with them to harness the potential and power of our institutions and institutions like us to support their plan for national growth and renewal. The success of this role will be dependent on the Governments policy approach and we look forward to working with them to harness the potential and power of our institutions and institutions like us to support their plan for national growth and renewal. How Alliance universities are powering the UK Alliance universities train almost a quarter of all nursing and midwifery students, 18% of all social work students and 15% of all teacher training students in England and Wales. Over 1/3 of all courses at Alliance universities result in professional accreditations such as medicine, nursing, teaching, social work, engineering and law There are over 4,500 apprentices on programmes across Alliance universities in England, we train more than 50% of all civic engineering degree apprentices in the country. Commercialisation and entrepreneurialism are ingrained into the DNA of Alliance universities, who support around 24,000 commercial and non-commercial organisations with consultancy, research and the provision of facilities and equipment-related services. In 2018/19 alone our members supported over 2,000 active graduate and post graduate spin-offs, start-ups, and social enterprises with a combined turnover of 157m that year alone. Our members are research active and community conscious, conducting world-leading research in areas such as health and engineering. In 2018/19 Alliance universities received over 100m worth of research grants and contracts from research councils, governments, charities, and commercial businesses and between the years 2016-19 received 68m alongside their own significant investments to support community regeneration. Follow the campaign on University Alliances website, and on Twitter using #UApoweringUK.
As soon as the details were released for the national vaccination campaign, the university was asked by the Leeds Health and Care Academy to use its nursing expertise within the School of Health to train 300 people. So far, 200 existing NHS staff and those returning from retirement have been through the training and next month 100 healthcare students, who will be contracted by the NHS to administer the Covid-19 vaccines, will receive their training. Vaccine training is only part of the help LBU is offering. Next month it will also be running six weekly sessions in Basic Life Support, Anaphylaxis and intramuscular injection technique. Around 150 learners will be supported by the weekly sessions to tie the varied aspects of their training together. Paul Mackreth, a Course Director in the School of Health at LBU and a District Nurse, has been in charge of the training: Being able to offer specific Covid-19 immunisation training has helped us feel that we have all played our part in getting the nation vaccinated. Responding quickly to training has been challenging alongside maintaining and managing the assessment, learning and teaching for our existing students on health courses. It has required a team effort to release staff from existing commitments. Supporting our health students remains a priority and offering time for NHS colleagues has been essential. Last year, LBU also helped train and update 350 vaccinators within the NHS workforce and adapted the training to support 100 Foundation Dentists who wanted to help with the wider vaccination campaign.
To offer an alternative experience, Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University (LBU) has launched an online platform to connect students to the city of Leeds and beyond. LBU is the first UK university to make use of this innovative platform, which was realised with the help of Deedmob, a European social tech start-up based in Amsterdam. Deedmob is a sophisticated, extensive platform that connects students, employees and staff with social organisations to help them volunteer, collaborate and communicate. Students can search for suitable opportunities in their chosen area, by filtering on location, duration of the volunteering, and the type of work. Moreover, they can track their volunteering activities on their personal page, and organisations can leave them a review. Meri Nasilyan-Lowe, Course Director for Digital Pedagogy in the Carnegie School of Education at LBU, said: Since students are not able to experience our beautiful campus, we wanted to give them an alternative campus experience, where students can be connected to the course, find volunteering opportunities in Leeds, network and share ideas. This partnership will enable us to bring innovative change for our students and staff and help them engage in civic and volunteering opportunities and create campaigns on the causes they are passionate about. Its particularly vital amid Covid-19, when possibilities of having campus student experiences are limited across the country. The partnership will also allow us to engage widely with our international and distance learning students. Our aim is to provide innovative opportunities to our students to bring in change in the community and their studies. For organisations, the platform offers an overview of their volunteers, and statistical tools such as which volunteer did what at which location, and at which period. Another part of the platform regularly uploads podcasts and interesting materials for students to broaden and elevate their student experience. The platform recently hosted two LBU-led online events as part of the Being Human Festival, including Saving Anksi an immersive online adventure which explores eco-literacy and the joy of wellbeing associated with making creatively together. Commenting on the partnership with LBU, Boudewijn Wijnands, Founder CEO of Deedmob, said: Leeds Beckett University is truly innovative. They are making the most of this complex Covid-19 period, they are continuing to look for different ways to make an impact both on their students and their community. Deedmob is one of the largest online volunteer platforms representing over 1.5 million volunteers in Europe that enables more people to volunteer via its technological tools. At the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, they launched Coronahelpers.nl a coalition of more than 150 local organisations including municipalities, corporates and charities to coordinate help requests with volunteers. In the first three weeks alone, over 700,000 people have been reached and over 3,500 people were helped via the platform.
The project is investigating the time period during which antibodies develop for SARS-CoV-2, the causative virus of Covid-19, in young people compared against military recruits taking the nutritional supplement. A research team at LBU is looking for 450 males and females aged 18 to 33 from Leeds and the surrounding areas who are not already taking vitamin D. The research aims to understand whether military recruits who are taking prevention measures, including vitamin D, show different rates of infection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus compared with an age matched population. It could help demonstrate whether coronavirus infection can be suppressed below the expected level in young adults with simple and cost-effective strategies. The 16-week study, being carried out by LBU and the Defence Medical Services, will involve blood tests to look at calcium and vitamin D levels, as well as finger-prick blood tests every four-five weeks to look at the development of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the cause of Covid-19 infection. Participants will also need to fill out questionnaires regularly to record any symptoms they experience related to Covid-19. John OHara, Professor in the Carnegie School of Sport at LBU, Colonel David Woods of the Defence Medical Services and Professor Julie Greeves of Army Health and Performance Research, are leading the study. They said: This should be a simple, yet highly informative study and if the results show a benefit from higher vitamin D levels due to supplementation it could make a big difference to people. The research is happening during the first and second terms of the academic year and will require two visits to the Carnegie School of Sport at the Headingley Campus, each visit lasting less than 30 minutes. Volunteers will receive a 25 Amazon voucher on completion of the study which is investigating ways of reducing the impact of coronavirus. You can sign up or find out more, or contact the team at impact-covid19@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
Lockdown has been tough on all of us. I have learnt new ways of being lazily active without feeling guilty. But keeping jokes aside, I did learn a few skills that helped me survive lockdown. Check out some of my survival hacks to help you stay busy during November. Cooking Sushi I am a big sushi fan and I learnt online how to cook sushi in 30 minutes. Try ordering an online sushi kit and follow the instructions included or watch this online tutorial. Dont forget to pre-order your sushi, ginger and wasabi. Be bold, experiment with different recipes inside the sushi roll and see what tickles your taste buds. Paint your home* Learn to paint your home and add colour to bring it to life. Trust me, painting is one of the hardest skills and is well paid. You never know after being self-trained, you could earn some extra cash after the lockdown, by painting for your friends and family. *please check your tenancy agreement/discuss with your landlord before decorating if you are in rented accommodation. Play board games with your housemates/family Order board games online such as snake and ladders, ludo, chess or casino games and create a bond with your housemates or family. Let this lockdown bring out your inner kid and enjoy the madness of being at home. Life Hack Above all, I learnt to live life and cherish every moment of it with positivity. Life is unpredictable and this pandemic has made me realise that even though most doors are shut, the door that is open for me is the door to my own home. It taught me a life lesson, despite the world being locked down, I am blessed to have a beautiful family (near or far, they are always with me). What could be a better hack? A skill that teaches you to live life in any circumstances!
During September, we warmly welcome students back to Leeds and together look forward to the start of the new academic year. This year, we understand there may be concerns about the impact on the safety of our communities. Together with Leeds City Council, the police, hospital trusts, community groups and other partners, we are working to ensure the wider community is supported when it comes to staying safe. We are proud of the long-standing and positive relationships we have forged with our local communities. Universities and colleges are important to the local area, boosting employment and spending. Their social and cultural influence places them at the heart of the community. A huge amount of work has been undertaken to make campuses welcoming and covid-secure, and to ensure our students and staff understand what we must all do to keep each other and our neighbours safe. More than ever, it is crucial that we all protect and share responsibility for the communities we all work and live in and that we respect, support and show consideration for one another. This includes not organising or attending gatherings which break laws and Government social distancing guidelines, and showing kindness and support for everyone who is vulnerable or needing to self-isolate. We all take reports about anyone organising or attending illegal house parties very seriously and make students aware of the potential sanctions they could receive, which include police fines and disciplinary action. Anyone with concerns about behaviour in their neighbourhood can contact the Neighbourhood Helpline (via web, email or 0113 3431064), which is operated by the citys universities, in partnership with the city council and police. The higher education providers have established guidelines to help keep each other safe. These include encouraging regular handwashing and using newly-installed hand sanitisation stations, wearing face coverings where required and maintaining a safe distance from each other on and off campuses. Students and staff are advised to remain at home if they feel unwell booking a test if appropriate and following official guidance. Some students arriving from outside the UK will need to self-isolate when they arrive. They can get support with food and essential supplies from their respective institution to help them during this period. We are also introducing a wide range of measures related directly to learning and teaching to reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission, including delivering large lectures and teaching online, limiting room capacities, enhanced cleaning on campuses and asking staff to work from home whenever possible. Finally, the University of Leeds also hosts a COVID-19 testing centre to support the NHS Test and Trace service. This is currently open to everyone experiencing symptoms and needing to book a test, whether they are staff, students or members of the public. Please rest assured that we are all committed to doing everything we can to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for everyone in our communities throughout these difficult times. Professor Peter Slee, Vice Chancellor Barbara Pereira, Students Union Affairs Officer Leeds Beckett University Professor Simone Buitendijk, Vice Chancellor Lotti Morton, Students Union Community Officer University of Leeds Professor Margaret A House OBE, Vice Chancellor Chelsey Grooby, Students Union President Leeds Trinity University Professor Joe Wilson, Principal Hollie Arnold, Students Union President Leeds Conservatoire Professor Simone Wonnacott, Vice Chancellor Poppy Belcham, Leeds Arts Union Student President Leeds Arts University Councillor Judith Blake CBE Leader of Leeds City Council
The university is making available its city centre facilities including the Rose Bowl and Portland buildings to offer teaching spaces, catering facilities and meeting rooms. The move is part of a bid by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to recruit 1,000 non-clinical staff in areas such as cleaning, catering, security, driving, childcare and maintenance over the next month. Both the LBU buildings, which were closed recently following Government guidelines about restricting the spread of coronavirus, will be re-opened from 1 April. Once re-opened, the facilities will ensure that social distancing measures are in place to protect LBU staff, the new NHS recruits, and the wider public from the spread of COVID-19. Talks are also on-going with the NHS to provide online medical training, loan medical equipment and offer staff expertise in areas including nursing, diagnostics and physiotherapy. Professor Peter Slee, Leeds Beckett University Vice Chancellor, said: As national efforts to tackle the devastating effects of Covid-19 are escalated, its vital that everyone plays their part. Our Leeds city centre campus neighbours Leeds General Infirmary and lending our facilities to the NHS for this purpose is one small way we can support the outstanding NHS efforts. In these exceptionally difficult times for everyone, these NHS workers are going above and beyond to help others and well be doing our best to look after them. Julian Hartley, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Chief Executive, said: We are very fortunate to have a strong relationship with Leeds Beckett University and are grateful to them for working with us to provide this excellent solution. The support of Leeds Beckett and other local organisations and businesses has been invaluable in helping us to prepare so that we are ready to provide the best possible care to our patients, including those diagnosed with COVID-19.