Student life - January 2018

ISSUE 12 • JANUARY 2018

Lifestyle Magazine for the Students of Suffolk

Proud supporter of

Cover photo from STUDENT LIFE image library

STUDENT Life

1 • JANUARY 2018 • S T UD EN T L I FE

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Editor’s

WORD

In other exciting news, I’m proud to announce that Leanne Arnold has taken on the role of our Student Life Mental Health Co-Editor. Leanne is a current student at the University of Suffolk, studying Mental Health Nursing. The passion and drive Leanne has, to see Mental Health spoken about more openly, is amazing and I for one can’t wait to see what she has planned for this year. If you have any questions about Mental Health or you wish to write an article on this topic, please contact Leanne directly at leanne@student-life.co For any other queries, please feel free to contact me!

We’re always on the lookout for new content and welcome all ideas and suggestions.

You can contact me at rachel@student-life.co or for more information about Student Life; head over to our website www.student-life.co Best wishes, Rachel Gilbey Co-editor

Contents...

CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 rachel@student-life.co www.student-life.co Snapchat : studentlifesc FB : @studentlifedigital

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Happy New Year! I hope you are all feeling refreshed and ready for the New Year ahead. This year will see lots of challenges but also opportunities. It’s my new year’s resolution to seize the day, embrace change and challenge myself! What’s your resolution? It’s time to kick 2018 off the right way, with your latest edition of Student Life! We have another jam-packed edition with fantastic content written by you!

STUDENT STYLE 2018 Trends .................................................................................................... 4-5 STUDENT BEAUTY Buying Online .......................................................................................... 6-7 STUDENT SAFETY Substance Abuse ................................................................................10-11 STUDENT SUPPORT Parkside Academy .........................................................................16-17 STUDENT HEALTH Mental Health Magazine ............................................................... 21-34 STUDENT WORK Career Ready UK .................................................................................. 35-36 2 • JANUARY 2018 • S T UD EN T L I FE

MYSTERY SHOP REPORT

ITFC

REVIEWER’S NA ME : Rachel Gilb ey VENUE : Ipswich To

wn Football Club

APPEAR ANCE

1

NEEDS IMPROVIN

TIME & DATE : 22 /11/17 at 19:45 SCENARIO TO RE VIEW : Football Match

2

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FAIR

4

GOOD

5 EXCELLENT The stadium is ea is clear and visib sily located, being central to Ipsw ich town and sta game from, the ticle, making it easy to locate the sta tion. Signage ket office and othe nd that you are wa blue colour r entrances. The tch stadium itself is ing the in the ITFC REASONS WHY

RATE THE OVER AL

1

NEEDS IMPROVIN

L INTERNAL AP

2

G

VERY GOOD

PEAR ANCE OF

3

FAIR

THE VENUE

4

GOOD

5 EXCELLENT The minute you step something and su out into the stands, the roar fro m supporters is dd quite seated quite high enly you feel part of a vibrant co mmunity. Even th up, the view from ough I was pitch and also th my seat was good e screens each en and I could see th d. e whole REASONS WHY

CUSTOMER SE ACKNOWLEDGE D WITH A SMILE/ GREETING?

YES

RVICE

PROFESSIONALLY / APPROPRIATELY DRESSED

YES

1

NEEDS IMPROVIN

VERY GOOD

SMILING AND GAVE EYE CONTACT

YES

2

G

FAIR

REASONS WHY

WEARING A NAME BADGE

THANKED FOR CUSTOM

N/A

YES

3

GOOD

HANDLED QUERIES/ISSUE S PROFESSIONALLY

N/A

4

VERY GOOD

5

EXCELLENT

I only encountere d a member of sta could be scanne d. It was just rout ff on arrival at the stadium, so th at my ticket ine subtract from m y experience thou and there was no conversation.

It didn’t gh.

OVER ALL EXPE

1

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SUMMARISE TH

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Vibrant, Exciting,

3

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4

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IN 6 WORDS

5

EXCELLENT

Fast-paced, Com munity, Busy, Lo This was the first ud. fo ot ba ll m at ch and I was very we have access to ex cit a sta ed. We are so fortu di um so close to th Union gave out ov nate that e Univer Football Club an er 200 tickets to students under sity and town. The Students’ d 23 Being surrounded it was a great atmosphere to be courtesy of Ipswich Town really made you by passionate football fans and a part of. The vibe was incredible. goals, and perhapfeel like part of a community. I wapeople who just love their town, minute! I’m not a s not so lucky to see the opposit s lucky to see Ipswich score tw enjoyed my expe huge football fanatic and couldnion score an equalizer in the 95tho rience and definite ’t ly hope to go agaitell you the off-side rule, but I n.

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WITH FASHION EXPERT PAM DAVIS

2018 TRENDS WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR? Christmas and New Year has been and gone, and normal life has been resumed! Amongst other things we are now at that point where we will be thinking about holidays and brighter weather.

We maybe at that point of the winter season where we’re just tired of winter and ready for spring. This is also the time of year that the weather tends to be a little all over the place, warmer spring-like temps one day, a blizzard the next, true story. Since we can’t control the elements, unfortunately, we can, however, control our styling!

With Christmas sales in full flow, now is the time to hit the shops and seek out bargains ready for the seasons ahead.

There are many trends that are going to stay from the previous seasons (and years!), despite moving into new directions.

We are holding onto some key trends from 2017, however we will be injecting some new 2018 Spring/ Summer trends into our wardrobes within the next few months.

During the late winter days, you certainly begin to prepare clothing items to welcome the spring. However, as the coldness is still around, you have to make sure that the outfits you wear are warm enough. Late winter style is influenced by spring to some extent. Perhaps, you are considering leaving padded jackets at home, and shift to simpler coats to ensure warmth.

THE IDEAS OF LATE WINTER STYLE

You should always create your own style and take this forward each year, just tweak according to our ever changing lifestyles.

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Winter is usually characterised with dark colours, but you may not need them during later winter days.

The most favourite option of later winter style is layered tops. This street fashion style is simple and warm.

KEY MAJOR TRENDS TO LOOK OUT FOR GOING INTO SPRING/ SUMMER 2018 PASTELS Every time the Spring/Summer shows come around, a new pastel palette takes over and this year is no different.

TRENCH COAT The wardrobe staple trench coat gets a refresh in 2018, complete with new cuts, accessories and embellishment.

JUMPSUITS Jumpsuits are going to be a staple item in our wardrobe this spring, and we can’t wait. There’s going to be one for every taste and body shape.

DENIM ON DENIM Will denim ever not be a trend?

Well, let’s just say this season it’s going to be even more of a trend.

Think head to toe denim looks – literally.

PRINT ON PRINT To remain in the theme of mixing and matching, another trend we are loving this spring/summer 2018 is the mixing of different prints and patterns in the same outfit.

OTHER KEY TRENDS FOR 2018 Military Pink – Unisex Purple B&W Polka Dots Ruching Feathers Fringing

SPORTSWEAR Sportswear pieces and fabrics made appearances in 2017, Athleisure will be huge in 2018.

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GET IN TOUCH E: pamela@fashioncandy.co.uk M: 07713 095355 www.fashioncandy.co.uk S T UD EN T L I FE

STUDENT Beauty

Buying ONLINE WRITTEN BY STUDENT LIFE’S BEAUTY PARTNER - ROSIE MAY

Rosie May is a Kesgrave High School alumnus, having been a student at the School since Year 7 and having completed her A-levels in June 2017.

Purchasing makeup products online can always come with the worry of how it will turn out, especially if it’s a product you’ve never tried before. However, in today’s ecommerce the internet creates a lot more opportunity to access certain beauty products that are only sold in certain countries, for example America.

America is one of the leading sellers of makeup and the range of brands on offer is to die for. This is why a lot of people living in England sacrifice their money

on paying import taxes and ridiculous shipping prices, just to get the certain products. However, when it’s products you’ve never tried before it is a risk. For example, buying foundations, guessing your right shade online is so difficult especially when you won’t go through the hassle of returning it. This applies for ordering in England too!

For me personally, trying out the formula and colour of products first is very necessary in order for me to buy it.

Don’t get me wrong - I’m no stranger to spending all my money on makeup online and not trying it beforehand (mostly for the brand!), however I do prefer to shop in store and test it all out to see if it’s worth my money! There have been a lot of products that I have ordered online and they unfortunately didn’t live up to the expectations. If I had tested them in store I would have known!

Shopping on the high street also comes with the benefit of speaking to a beauty consultant who knows their products. If you’re unsure on what product is best for your skin type, skin tone or personal preferences, a beauty consultant is the best person to speak to. Most high street stores such as Boots and Debenhams have a beauty consultant on the makeup counters.

These are the best people to speak to regarding the best products for you. This is a free service that you can’t get with online products.

At the end of the day, I think that the amount of products you can access online outweighs the help and information you can get on the high street. Doing your own research online is still as effective!

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Instagram - @rosiestewartbeauty_ YouTube - Rosie Stewart Beauty Blog - rosiestewartbeauty.wordpress.com 7 • JANUARY 2018 • S T UD EN T L I FE

fancy yourself

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ISSUE 11 • DECEMBER 2017

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Lifestyle Magazine for the Students of Suffolk

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Our Strategic

PARTNERS

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Life

in 2018

In December, we had the opportunity to arrange a meeting of most of our key, strategic partners. We had a chance to discuss 2018 and all that it has to offer students working on the magazine, the website & on our social media platforms.

We also chatted about the direction that the publication was likely to take under the guidance of our steering groups and the key elements of collaborating with additional schools & colleges across Ipswich and the wider Suffolk area.

WE CANNOT WAIT TO SHARE ALL OF THIS NEWS WITH YOU, SO WATCH THIS SPACE! IN THE PHOTO BACK ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT) Ezra Hewing (Head of Mental Health Education, Suffolk Mind), Richard Stewart (Director, Student Life (Suffolk) CIC), Darren Oxbrow (C & YP and Schools Engagement, Suffolk Constabulary) FRONT ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT) Geraldine McLaughlin (Head of Year 12, Kesgrave High School), Sarah Wheatley (Head of 6th Form, Kesgrave High School), Rachel Gilbey (Students’ Union President, University of Suffolk & Co-editor of Student Life), Leanne Arnold (Mental Health Nursing Student, University of Suffolk & Co-editor of Student Life), Siobhan Hemmett (Mental Health Co-ordinator, Suffolk Constabulary), Pam (Owner, Fashion Style 9 •Davis JANUARY 2018 •Candy S T UD EN& T Fashion L I FE Editor of Student Life)

The use of harmful illegal substances continues to be a threat to our young people, as law enforcement agencies and other organisations try to stem the flow; in respect to both the increased use and the increased availability of such substances on our streets.

SUBSTANCE MISUSE Darren Oxbrow is a Sergeant in the Suffolk Constabulary, heading up the C & YP and Schools Engagement team. In the first of a regular series of articles written by the Team, Darren gives a brief overview of the problems of substance misuse that we in society and within our own neighbourhoods, need to address. We want to create debate with young people and show that the Police are an active community partner; both looking to find solutions, but open to views and ideas from the public.

Various strategies are put in place, but it’s trying to find a solution to a very complex problem which is worth millions to the barons and dealers across the world, but also costs millions for those trying to prevent and deal with the after effects of entrenched usage.

Within Suffolk, we have seen and witnessed some disturbing trends developing which have been highlighted within a recent report delivered by the local Authority. It identifies a growing concern around increased gang activity, which threatens our communities around the fear of increased criminal activity linked to violent crime and exploitation of our young.

The Police response has to be one, which incorporates a multi-agency approach in order to have the right resources and professionals on board; to ensure that it has effective and productive outcomes - whether that is around the arrest and prosecution of suspects, or the prevention, intervention programmes to deter those young people at risk or on the

WRITTEN BY DARREN OXBROW

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periphery of crime and gang involvement.

In order to have a strategy that works, we need to understand the complexities of not just our local drugs market but the wider picture, which goes all the way back to the fields in South America where the vast amount of these drugs are produced and harvested.

where they can, to assist and promote the message that drugs are not to be tolerated.

Our schools need to have drug policies which are effective and reflect consistent views, with appropriate and proportionate discipline measures in place to deal with those who are supplying and those who are using substances.

There is clearly a commodity here that reacts to demand and supply and like any business, if the demand is large enough, then individuals will continue to be prepared to flood our streets with these products.

Parents and families need to seek advice and guidance and educate their children about the dangers of drugs; to be aware of their children’s associations and friends and to take an interest in their behaviours.

Enforcement of the law alone will not stop the problem, so we need to ensure that within Suffolk we have various strands to our strategy which incorporate; prevention work, interventions and alternative activities - which include supportive and recuperative avenues.

Yes, a strong message should go out from Police that we will not tolerate Drugs in our county and we will pursue and disrupt those who think they can come into our County and supply our young people with such substances.

Our community needs to support the positive action of all agencies and look to provide information and intelligence

We know that we all need to pull together if we have any chance of turning this evil away and to have communities who are proud to be drug free, but it requires a multi-agency approach where we all support each other with a consistent and loud message: Suffolk will not tolerate drugs on its streets and within its schools.

The cost to the local economy, I suggest, is big and will continue to increase and it is therefore in the interest of us all that we do all we can to prevent this escalating further.

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TOP 10

TRAVELLING TIPS FOR 2018 PACK LIGHT TO TRAVEL LIGHT. If you can manage with a carry-on, do it.

Try taking half of the things you need and twice the money. You can make buying a few new items a fun part of the adventure.

PACK A SLEEP MASK & EAR PLUGS.

These can come in handy on a plane, train or in your hotel room.

CAPITALISE ON EMPTY SUITCASE SPACE. Roll your clothes, instead of

folding them. Stuff socks, underwear, and accessories inside shoes. Leave no space unused.

KEEP A SARONG OR PASHMINA IN YOUR CARRY-ON. They can be used as

a blanket on the plane, a scarf if it’s cold or a shawl on an evening out.

BAG IT. Kitchen sandwich bags can be

used to hold your accessories, vacuum pack bags can be space savers, and bin bags have multiple uses (laundry bag, shoe covers).

SKIP AIRPORT SNACKS. You can save yourself a bit of money and keep your hunger at bay in case you have a delayed flight.

CREATE COMPARTMENTS. Two words: packing cube. If you are visiting more than one city during your trip, packing cubes will keep your suitcase organised and save you from having to pack and unpack.

SHARE YOUR PACKING SPACE.

Travelling as a couple? Split your clothes between two suitcases on the off chance one of them gets lost during the flight.

BRING A MULTI-SOCKET EXTENSION CORD. Although newer hotels have USB

ports in rooms, it’s best to have an extra outlet to charge all of your electronics at once.

MAKE PHOTOCOPIES BEFORE LEAVING HOME. If you’re travelling out

of the country, make two photocopies of your passport. Use your smartphone to take pictures of your car in the airport car park and do the same for your luggage and its contents in case it gets lost.

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STUDENT Travel

BAGS OF

TIME Travelling with Attitude

WRITTEN BY STEVE JOHNSON

Our newest series of monthly articles invites readers to send in light-hearted stories of their travel experiences.

It’s twenty to seven in the morning and I’m standing on platform 2 at Ipswich station.

The mainline London train always departs from platform 2, so that’s another piece of information that doesn’t need to be given a second thought at such an ungodly hour.

Included in this stored & locked mind box, is the fact that my car park season ticket is valid, as is my Ipswich to London Liverpool Street season ticket. This means that the short drive from my home to the station is in mind cruise control, as is the short walk from car park level 2 to the exact spot that I am standing on now. And I mean exact spot. Oh yes, I have joined the CPPC. The what?...The Commuter Platform Positioning Club. An exclusive club; for those who travel so often that they know exactly where their chosen train carriage will stop and not only that, but exactly where & when the door to the chosen carriage will be exactly opposite their cold & tired, southbound body. Although it’s an exclusive club, there

are still enough members to ensure that at least one other commuter on the 06.44 is surreptitiously jostling for space to be first on the train and gain a slight advantage over seat choice.

So, the 06.44 pulls in at 06.47 (standard), two passengers alight from my door and I swerve ever so gently right, to ensure my foot reaches the carriage step just before my latest nemesis engages his brain (I should point out at this juncture, that if a female member of the CPPC is present at this moment then annoyingly, the wellbrought up gentleman in me takes over and said lady is given CPPC privileges).

I find a seat and this particular morning I get my first choice of forward-facing, window seat at a table. This is the holy grail of train seats and even a mature lady staging her coat, bag and laptop in such a way as to stave off seat-suitors, does not deter me from politely asking if anyone is “sitting there?”. The expected tut and grimace is so anticipated that I stifle a laugh and position myself accordingly. I open my newspaper, place my iPhone on the table and settle in for the next 1 hour & 14 minutes.

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STUDENT Life

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Student Life catches up with the University’s Alumni WRITTEN BY SIAN ROBERTSON

Sian is 28 years old and studied her A Levels in Ipswich, before deciding to go to university with future plans of becoming a teacher.

Although I didn’t excel in my A Levels, I was keen to pursue my chosen career following inspiration from my Geography teacher. In 2007, the University of Suffolk (University Campus Suffolk as it was known at the time) was new and exciting, and provided me with the opportunity to study a degree in English locally.

During my studies, I became a mentor for Aimhigher, mentoring younger students at a local high school, and helping them to think about their future choices. I loved this role and upon graduation in 2010, decided to hold off my application for teacher training, applying instead for a one year post at the University in Student Recruitment and Marketing.

It was during this year that I received the greatest guidance and support from my

line manager in regard to developing my career, and came to realise that I definitely wanted to work with young people; however not as a teacher. My aspirations had altered and I wanted to continue working to support local students with making good career choices. The University provided me with the chance to do this and I became a Widening Participation Officer in 2011.

The University then supported me in studying for a Post Graduation Diploma in Childhood and Youth Studies, from which I graduated in 2014.

I moved on to support students in Norwich as an Outreach Manager for UEA, and then in both Cambridge and Peterborough as a Collaborative Outreach Manager for Anglia Ruskin University. In 2016, I decided to challenge myself by moving out of higher education and into the charitable sector.

I became a Regional Manager for Career Ready, a fantastic charity that works to support young people in becoming work ready. I now support students in Cambridge to discover local employers, work related opportunities, and to develop a set of core skills that will enable them to find success in their chosen career.

In my personal life, I recently bought a new house, married and had my first child; I am back to work this month, following 10 wonderful months with my son.

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Q& A SALLY SWANN Head Teacher at Parkside Full name Sally Swann.

What was the last thing that you bought for less than £20?

Eye shadow.

Age 40 years old.

What occupation did you dream of doing whilst growing up?

PE teacher or newsreader.

What was the last photo you took on your phone?

A photo of me and my daughter icing a Christmas cake.

What was the last music that you purchased/downloaded?

Don’t download music- that’s my husbands job! I think it was JP Cooper.

You go to a restaurant that serves every cuisine in the world, what starter do you order?

Olives.

What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?

Happy Anniversary to me.

Bungee, parachute, skydive or terra firma?

None. A skiing holiday please.

How much money would tempt you on to a reality show and what would the show be?

No amount!

If you could have personally witnessed an historical event, which event would it have been?

Too many to choose...End of World War II celebrations. I’d also like to have watched Bannister run his sub 4 min mile.

What is your signature dish?

Lasagne.

What is the last book you couldn’t put down?

The couple next door by Shari Lapena What is one word that describes you best?

(CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...)

Happy.

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STUDENT Support

A year in the life of

PA R KSI D E ACADEMY WRITTEN BY TRUDY READ

Trudy Read is Deputy Head Teacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead & Subject Leader for English and Literacy at Parkside Academy. Here, Trudy and her students get together to reflect on 2017.

This year has seen a whole host of challenges, successes and achievements for students and staff at Parkside. 2017 began with Year 11 returning to school for mock exams which marked the final stages of their time with us. Always a stressful time, students did well and in May, all students faced and conquered anxiety to sit final exams. After a school Leavers’ Ball in 2016, this year’s Leavers chose a trip to Chessington World of Adventure to celebrate finishing school. It was an early start and any of you reading this who’s 15/16, will know how early starts are no fun for us teenagers! It was well worth it though and we made some amazing memories to cherish. Exam results came in August and gave us grades to be really proud of and doors opened for us in the next phase of our lives with every student moving on into work, an apprenticeship, sixth form or college studies.

Students who attend Parkside all face personal challenges in life. Sometimes,

getting to school feels like an impossible task. Sometimes, talking to another human being seems unmanageable. For some, these are daily trials which test spirit, determination and confidence. But despite all these difficulties, what unites everyone at Parkside is their compassion for others.

Every year we aim to raise more money for charity than the previous year and try to come up with new and funny ways of doing it. We’ve washed cars, cycled virtual marathons and worn Christmas jumpers.

We also love a big bake sale and have many great student bakers who’ve cooked up gorgeous sweet treats. We’ve raised well over £300 since January and have probably put on as many pounds in weight what with the delicious cookies, buns, muffins and cakes we’ve sold.

A first this year was for our key stage 3 students to watch ten chicken eggs hatch!

Back in April, we did a Science project in which we learned about different life cycles. Watching the eggs crack and hatch in the incubator was really exciting and a bit weird too. Most of us hadn’t seen a new born chick and we were surprised by how gooey and ugly they were! We got to name them and then once they were old enough, a student and her family adopted them.

This has meant that we’ve heard about how they’ve grown and have also had some of the eggs they’ve laid. Life is full of more cycles than we thought.

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In another first, we held a Creative Arts Week in July. We were given lots of options to choose from: music performance and recording, woodland adventures and camping. The whole week was a great success and on the last day, we all came together and shared stories of our adventures, experiences and what we had learnt. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves, gained confidence and discovered that we can do things that we hadn’t thought we could. With support and encouragement from others, and a bit of self-belief, we can achieve so much.

A new school year began in September and a number of new students joined the Parkside family. It’s such a scary and stressful time for us: new people, building, routines and a lot of change which are many of the things we find difficult. Some of us have had bad experiences in other schools and so it’s tough to try and trust again. It takes us a while to get used to Parkside because it’s like no other school we’ve been to. Other students and all the staff are so understanding of our different needs that it makes it easier for us to

get up in the morning and get stuck into learning. We all have our wobbly days but if we need it, there is always someone who can give us time to talk.

Maybe that’s one of the key things that makes Parkside so special: there is time for everyone; everyone gives someone time.

2017 closed for us with end of term activities which included a drumming Flash Mob in the centre of town.

Organised with our music partner Musica, students and staff hid in doorways, shops and alleys, and then appeared to perform for unsuspecting shoppers on a chilly Friday lunchtime.

It was a great feeling to see complete strangers stop and listen to us. Some even joined in!

As we look back on 2017 and forward to 2018, we realise how much we’ve learned about each other; as well as the usual school stuff in science, maths and other subjects. We also accept that there’s still loads to learn. 2018 is bound to throw us a few challenges but in our end of term Celebration, we were read the words of a famous baseball player, Babe Ruth who said, “…you just can’t beat the person who never gives up…” And we think that’s us.

Bring on 2018.

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TERRY HIGGINS

TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST WRITTEN BY ANDY TURNER

Student Life is delighted to announce our newest partnership - with Terrence Higgins Trust.

Here, the Trust’s Senior Health Promotion Practitioner – Andy Turner - introduces the Trust to readers.

Terrence Higgins Trust is the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity, and provides a wide range of services to over 100,000 people a year. The charity also campaigns and lobbies for greater political and public understanding of the personal, social and medical impact of HIV and sexual ill health.

HOW DID THE CHARITY GET ITS NAME?

Terry Higgins was one of the first people in the UK to die with AIDS. The charity has always been, and continues to be, at the forefront of the fight against HIV and AIDS. Over the years, the charity has also developed sexual health services – not only for people living with or affected by HIV, but also the wider population, especially young people who are most vulnerable to poor sexual health. The charity has grown and evolved in response to the needs of people using its services and is not only the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity, but also one of the largest in Europe.

TERRENCE HIGGINS TRUST IN SUFFOLK

Terrence Higgins Trust arrived in Suffolk in 2012, offering support services to people living with HIV, and delivering health improvement services across the county to the general population.

Our Long Term Condition Management team offers advice on benefits, housing and employment for people living with HIV, and offers assistance for people struggling with the emotional aspects of HIV through group and peer support. Supporting people with HIV to live healthily and well with their condition remains central to our work and

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we work in partnership with Suffolk County Council to achieve this.

Our health improvement service is delivered in partnership with Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, covering all sexual health services, and is split into two teams: Health Promotion (for adults) and Youth Engagement for those up to 25 years of age. Additionally, we offer services which bridge these two age ranges; with rapid HIV testing available to those over the age of 16. Our HIV Fastest clinics offer rapid HIV testing in community settings: results are available in 60 seconds and the clinics are free and confidential, with clear referral pathways to iCaSH (Integrated Contraception and Sexual Health) clinics where required. We run a regular HIV testing clinic every Monday between 6pm and 8pm, from our office at 3-9 Arcade Street, Ipswich IP1 1EX. Our Youth Engagement team do a variety of work, from delivering Sex and Relationships Education to schools and colleges, to facilitating training for professionals who work with young people around subjects such as delaying early sex and homophobia. The main focus of the team though is to deliver services directly to young people, and chlamydia testing as part of the NHS National Chlamydia Screening Programme forms a large part of this service.

is free and confidential, which means we won’t share any details about your test.

You’ll get your results back within 10 working days, straight to your phone.

Chlamydia can be treated very easily by taking a course of antibiotics. However, if left untreated it can lead to health issues such as infertility (this is where you have problems conceiving or are unable to), and reactive arthritis which can be painful and cause long-term joint problems. Our tests also check for gonorrhoea, another easily treatable sexually transmitted infection.

We also provide the c-card scheme, where 13 - 24 year olds can sign up to get free condoms from outlets across the county. Using condoms also reduces the chances of getting STIs like chlamydia and can also prevent pregnancy.

We are regularly seen at different venues around Suffolk, so keep a look out for our outreach staff around campus and in schools.

Email: sexualhealthsuffolk@tht.org.uk Website: www.tht.org.uk

Chlamydia is very common, affects the 15-24 age group the most and, as it often has no symptoms, the only way to know if you have it is to test regularly. Testing for chlamydia is really easy - it just involves peeing in a pot or having a swab - and you can order a self test kit online (www. youngandfree.org.uk). Our online service 19 • JANU ARY 2018 • S T UD E N T L I FE

WATERFRONT Churches

RESOLUTIONS. Just for a new year?

WRITTEN BY REV. TOM ROUT

Tom Rout is vicar of the Ipswich Waterfront Churches (St Helen’s, Holy Trinity and St Luke’s) and Anglican Chaplain to the University of Suffolk and Suffolk New College. He is married to Nicola and father of 3 young children.

Many people like to start a new year by making a resolution. A few brave souls may even make more than one!

Resolutions can be made for all sorts of things. Sometimes they’re relatively simple lifestyle changes – to do with diet or exercise. “I must eat less chocolate, cut out cigarettes, limit my alcohol intake, burn off the weight I put on over Christmas.”

Sometimes they touch our character, our moral fibre. “I’m going to give to charity. I’m going to cut out swearing and bad language.

I’m going to reconnect with the church / temple / mosque. I’m going to stick to the speed limit.”

On one hand we take this New Year rite incredibly seriously… but at the same time

resolutions have become something of a standing joke. We all know, the resolutions we solemnly make on New Year’s Eve seldom see the end of January.

Some readers will already know what it feels like to have broken their New Year’s Resolution!

The resolutions we make are jolly hard to keep. Why so hard? Because we’re essentially trying to change ourselves, from the inside out. We’re fighting the habits and attitudes of a lifetime. We can end up feeling like Sisyphus the king of Ephyra who, in Greek mythology, was forced to push a giant boulder up a steep hill knowing it would always come tumbling back down again.

From that point of view, it could be argued that resolutions are the worst way to start a new year. We’re setting ourselves up for a fall – and accompanying feelings of failure and self-loathing. That’s why some avoid making them at all!

But resolutions do tell us one thing… many of us want to be better people, different people. We’re looking for a better way of life, a life that is less selfish and more considerate of others, a life that is less take and more give, a life that is happier for us, and those around us.

I believe such change is possible, but that it comes not from the inside out… but the outside in. So, the question this year for me is, not what am I giving up or taking up, but who is influencing me, and teaching me, and putting truly lifechanging thoughts and ideas into my life?

As a Christian, I look to Jesus, who didn’t expect people to fix themselves, but shared his life-changing teachings and ideas with moral failures and resolution breakers.

Wishing everyone a prosperous and happy 2018.

2 0 • JANU ARY 2018 • S T UD E N T L I FE You can always get in touch via tom@ipswichwaterfrontchurches.co.uk or t.rout@uos.ac.uk

MENTAL Health SUPPLEMENT

Mental health difficulties are like weeds in your garden.

We can spend so much time ignoring the issue that the root spreads. Digging deeper identifies the root; removing the root, removes the problem.

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“

Editor’s

WORD

Best wishes, Leanne Arnold Mental Health Co-editor

Contents...

CONTACT US 01473 35 35 12 leanne@student-life.co www.student-life.co Snapchat : studentlifesc FB : @studentlifedigital

“

Hi everyone! Let me introduce myself!

I am Leanne, a student mental health nurse, and I am your new and shiny mental health co-editor! I began writing articles for Student Life when it was part of Waterfront Life, as I thought the peer to peer style was genius. My love for Student Life grew and I found myself getting more involved in other work with Rachel and Richard. I found myself becoming more and more enthusiastic about the idea and purpose of Student Life, especially regarding the mental health section.

One of my passions in life is striving to do all I can to remove stigma surrounding mental health and I believe Student Life is a fantastic platform aiding this. By talking about mental health and sharing experiences, readers can expand on their knowledge, relate to others in similar positions, and gain reassurance and confidence that they are not alone. THIS is why I wanted to get further involved in Student Life. When I was in school studying I would have found a publication like this to be comforting and reassuring. If Student Life can help even just a handful of students….we are winning.

SELF CARE ............................................................................................................................................. 23 SPEAKING OUT ........................................................................................................................ 24-26 WHERE’S YOUR HEAD AT? ..................................................................................................... 27 YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED ...................................................................................28-29 HANDLING DISTRESS ......................................................................................................... 30-31 MENTAL HEALTH IN PREGNANCY .................................................................................... 33

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STUDENT Health

SELF CARE THE GALAXY JAR WRITTEN RACHEL GILBEY The charity Mind promotes self- care tips and techniques as a way of managing symptoms of ill mental health. It is suggested that engaging in self-care activities may help to prevent problems from developing or getting worse. This segment will aim to explore various selfcare activities and tips that you can engage with from the comfort of your own home.

In this month’s edition, we will be looking at creating a galaxy jar. These magical glitter jars are designed to be soothing and calming and are a great sensory object.

Best thing is they are so easy to make.

YOU WILL NEED: A jar with a lid Cotton wool balls or pads Water Plastic cups for mixing A variety of coloured paints – the more vibrant the better!

Glitter/Sequins/your magicalness of choice

METHOD: 1. Start by placing a layer of cotton wool at the bottom of the jar and ensure it is even and flat 2. Time to get the glitter and sequins out.

Pour as much glitter as you like onto the cotton wool 3. In a plastic cup, pour in some water til about half way and then add your first paint colour and mix 4. Once you are happy with the colour, pour it onto the cotton wool. The cotton wool will absorb the paint 5. Repeat steps 1-5! Change up the paint colours as often as you like to create the galaxy look!

Ta-da! Place on a window sill or bedside table for the ultimate relaxation!

At Student Life, we would love to see your galaxy jars! Tag us in them on Facebook @studentlifedigital

MENTAL Health

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T U O KING

SPEA WRITTEN ANONYMOUSLY

It takes a lot of courage to speak out about your feelings and mental health.

Too many people stay quiet due to a fear of judgement or humiliation. But, mental health issues are nothing to be ashamed of. Admitting you need some help or just discussing your situation could be a life saver. Mental health issues ARE real and we all need to do everything we can to help people who may be suffering.

Understandably, you may be feeling apprehensive about telling someone about the way you feel, but in the long run, it is the best thing you can do. I started off by telling my student support officer at school. This felt like a huge step for me, but because I’ve done it, I can see how that 10 minutes alone has benefitted me. From that chat, I managed to get counselling; which led to therapy and medication, and more support within school. If I hadn’t

spoken out in the first place, I might not be where I am now.

It doesn’t have to be through school; it can be your closest friend or family member. Talking to your parents is a common fear among people with mental health issues. Perhaps you are afraid they won’t understand or they will get annoyed.

They definitely won’t, they have your best interests at heart and even if they get upset, it’s probably because they don’t want you to feel that way – for your sake.

Talking about your feelings with someone can help you understand what you feel yourself. Talking about it and putting it into words may seem less messy than if you keep your feelings all jumbled up in your head. You can even write it down in a diary if you feel like you can’t voice it. This can make your feelings make a lot more sense instead of them constantly going round in your head. Raising awareness about your own mental health can also encourage others to talk about it. So many people

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suffer in some way from poor mental health that if you mentioned it to someone, they would understand how you feel. I know when I started telling my friends about how I was feeling, they opened up about problems they had in the past/their current mental state.

There is always someone around to talk to.

IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING OUT WRITTEN BY LEANNE ARNOLD Talking about mental health is SUPER important! Just like it is with anything else. If you don’t talk about it the subject becomes taboo, and suddenly everyone is afraid to mention it. This can be easily tackled though, if we all spoke more openly about our mental health, good or bad, that taboo would disintegrate which would result in lower levels of stigma.

I have personally experienced the journey of talking about my mental health, when it seemed the most daunting thing to do.

I was suffering with depression and often would self-harm as a coping strategy. Once I had discussed my struggles I really did feel a weight lift from my shoulders; it was like I felt comfort in knowing someone else knew, that when I felt bad I could talk about it rather than trying to cope alone.

At first, I confided in a school friend, this was difficult and scary, they were very supportive and tried their best to understand. However, because my mental state deteriorated, they had to bring in another person. At the time I was angry and felt betrayed, but on reflection I understand that they were looking out for me. Once I spoke to a teacher it all became very real and very scary, however the teacher was able to support me in getting help and with speaking to my family about it. Once my nearest and dearest knew I felt relief; I didn’t have to hide, I felt ‘free’.

My family found it difficult to cope with; I believe a lack of understanding fed into this. However, we all worked together and as their knowledge and understanding grew, so did the level of support. If I had a magic time-machine I would not go back and re-write history. I am glad I spoke to a friend, I am glad they acted on the situation and got me more support. Although it was scary and very difficult at the time, it helped me.

MENTAL Health

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(CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE...)

HAVING SOMEONE TO RELATE TO IS UNBELIEVABLY COMFORTING WRITTEN ANONYMOUSLY Mental health has always been such a taboo subject in society. Breaking the stigma is so important, as there are so many people out there that can relate to what you’re going through!

I’ve suffered from Anxiety for 12 years now and opening up to professionals was a very important step in learning to deal with this disorder. I was reluctant at first as anyone would be! It seems terrifying having to explain to someone how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking, especially when it sounds so silly to myself when I say it out loud. Through my bad patches of anxiety I’d have at least one panic attack a day, and now 12 years later and with all the strategies I’ve been taught it’s down to no more than once every few months. The anxiety is still very much present, but professionals have taught me methods of defeating the presence before it takes over.

I went through several different professionals; privately and through known NHS organisations. I didn’t find a huge difference in the teachings of both, but they were both a huge help. They

taught me ways to control my breathing if I felt a panic attack coming on, ways to deal with my fears and how to have more positive thoughts. When my anxiety first manifested itself, any little thing could trigger an attack. That was why speaking to a professional was so important; so that I could control what was going through my own mind. Sounds so strange doesn’t it? But when it’s yourself that’s going through it, it is terrifying.

Opening up to family members is equally as important as professionals. A professional can teach you techniques but family will give you the support you need to get through it. My father was one of the main reasons that I ever got through any of the bad patches.

He suffers from anxiety himself so he could relate to everything that I was feeling, which in itself was a blessing.

Having someone you can relate to is unbelievably comforting and it made it easier to open up to other family members about mental health. Not everyone will always get it or may not even be the most supportive, but as long as you’ve got someone else closer to you than a professional that you can also talk to, makes all the difference.

Breaking the stigma on mental health, seeking professional help and being generally open about it is so important.

You’re not the only person experiencing this and you shouldn’t feel like you are!

Speak out and be happy, it makes all the difference.

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to bring their laptops and work if they’d feel more comfortable doing so in a relaxed environment.

CO-WRITTEN BY ASHLEIGH MORTON, REBECCA HUDSON & MADELEINE NORRIS

Where’s Your Head At? is one of a number of Societies based at the University of Suffolk. With a primary focus on mental health, the Society also focuses on general wellbeing; aiding students & staff with additional issues such as stress or even loneliness, through events and socials.

Over the last month the Society has continued to hold events for students to come to socialise and de-stress. We have continued our weekly meet-ups at Cult Café, and recently started a new weekly event too; these informal Mindfulness sessions allow students to take a step away from their studies and relax for an hour.

We started these sessions to help students de-stress by providing them with board games, adult colouring books, music and snacks. The focus is not based around the students’ studies, however they are welcome

We also held an extra event in December, in collaboration with the University’s Film Society and screened The Polar Express (2004). This Christmas classic was chosen as it was released at a time when the majority of students were children and we thought it would be nice for them to escape from their studies and join in with the festivities.

We have now set out our goals for the next semester: To continue to be a catalyst for change for mental health.

To continue to hold regular events and socials.

To appeal to a larger audience.

To reach out to more local charities and larger organisations.

Post more questionnaires to receive student feedback and availability.

The Society hasn’t, currently, got any events or socials planned in January, as University lectures don’t restart until February, but we will be continuing our evening meetups, as well as our Mindfulness sessions.

In the meantime, if you would like to contact anyone on our committee for dates and times of events, or would like to contact us regarding advice about where you can go for professional help - feel free to message us on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/WYHAUOS or via the Students’ Union email su.admin@uos.ac.uk We hope our members and readers have a great start to 2018 and we can’t wait to see you at future events!

MENTAL Health

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Tips & Advice

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED Got a burning question about mental health difficulties? Want non-professional, peer-to-peer advice? Look no further, this feature will appear every month and invites readers to send in questions regarding mental health for tips and advice*. My name is Leanne and I have both specialist training and personal experience in mental health and will aim to provide userfriendly, non-professional advice to anyone who asks for it!

Q.

WHAT DO YOU FIND HELPS TO EASE ANXIETY BEFORE EXAMS? A. I find that using calming techniques such as calm breathing can help in those minutes before an examination. I also find that the more prepared I am the less my anxiety kicks up, this may be because in a sense I am starving it of worries to cling onto. I also would always advise talking to your tutors or anyone else about any anxieties you have regarding the exam.

Q.

HOW LONG SHOULD I WAIT BEFORE ACCESSING PROFESSIONAL HELP? A. This is a hard question to answer in general terms. I believe this is individual per person, per mental health difficulty.

I guess if I was to generalise the answer, it would be as soon as you recognise the problem is becoming unmanageable. It’s important to highlight that not everyone needs professional help, but it can be very

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beneficial for others who may need that bit of extra support.

Q.

CAN MY ANXIETY COME AND GO? A. Yes. There are different types of anxiety disorders and research says that Generalised Anxiety Disorder is what some people call “free-floating” which basically means it can come and go. And I think one of the worst things about this is that it can do this for no apparent reason. From personal experience anxiety can manifest itself in all of us, due to stress, worry and fear of things in life. Likewise, these stressors can come and go, and therefore so does our anxiety!

Q.

I’M WORRIED ABOUT MY FRIEND’S MENTAL HEALTH, SHOULD I APPROACH IT WITH THEM? A. Here’s my opinion, yes. However, you don’t necessarily have to be the person to approach them. I believe that if someone had approached me about my depression and anxiety sooner it may not have escalated to the level it did. Although, taking that into consideration, it is also important to think about who is the most appropriate person for that individual and whether you believe this intervention will benefit them. Another thing to highlight is that for some people reaching out is one of the hardest things to do, but by offering a helping hand you aid them in bridging this gap!

Q.

DID YOU FEEL BETTER AFTER SHARING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH DIFFICULTY? A. Yes! This is huge! What’s that phrase people use? “A worry shared is a worry

How to ask: PLEASE SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO: LEANNE@STUDENT-LIFE.CO *Please note not all questions will be answered, and all will be posted anonymously. If you are seeking urgent or professional advice, please see our contact list at the end of this sub-section.

halved” When I was comfortable with discussing my mental health difficulties I found an almost closure feeling, or, that a weight was lifted off my shoulders.

It was like it wasn’t just my ‘problem’, it was something that I could share and discuss with others which enabled me to sometimes rationalise my worries or elevate my mood. If all of us discussed our mental health difficulties, there wouldn’t be the breeding ground for stigma. Did you know mental health difficulties are as prolific as cancer, yet for some reason we don’t discuss mental health. By talking about our experiences, we are ‘normalising’ what people refrain from voicing.

MENTAL Health

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STUDENT Health

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL WRITTEN BY EZRA HEWING, HEAD OF MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION, SUFFOLK MIND We know that many more people don’t seek help with their mental health, often until their symptoms have become extremely distressing. So, why can opening up about our experiences of mental ill health be so difficult?

One of the main reasons is that human nature has evolved two strategies for coping with distress which are quite different – each of us will tend to rely upon one of the two strategies.

The first strategy seeks to cope with distress by communicating how we feel to others – we sometimes describe this as ‘offloading’ or venting. This approach has given rise to the proverb ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’ and tends to work well for people who have strong social support networks.

Because they tend to be open to talking about how they feel, people who are wired to handle feelings in this way are more likely to seek help when they experience distress.

The second strategy works by suppressing strong feelings, ‘keeping a lid on it’, while seeking a solution to whatever is causing their distress. People who are wired to handle difficult feelings in this way may find the prospect of talking about things makes them feel even more distressed.

This is especially the case if they are managing the symptoms of trauma, which may include intrusive thoughts and memories, flashbacks and fight or flight reactions – angry outbursts or panic attacks.

Understandably, if a person is wired to handle strong feelings in this way then they are unlikely to be enthusiastic about talking about how they feel. And, if they cannot find the solution to a problem, they may avoid seeking help if they think it will require talking about things which they find upsetting.

Another reason people may avoid talking is that the phrase ‘opening up’ is a metaphor

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their mental health as about half of their appointments are with people experiencing stress, anxiety or depression.

Before they go to the GP ask the person you are supporting if they know their preferred strategy for handling distress – do they want to talk it through or problem solve?

If they know this then it can help the GP make better suggestions.

which suggests that by talking about a problem we are opening up old wounds.

This is not very helpful if a person is trying to avoid distress, so try to use healthier metaphors for describing how to talk about difficult feelings – ‘getting it off your chest’ or ‘finding some solutions’ might work better to create hope for positive change.

However, we also know that mental health exists along a continuum between a state of wellbeing to severe mental ill health and that stress is the crossover point. If we don’t address stress, it can give rise to anxiety and depression, and if we don’t address the symptoms of anxiety and depression then they can become worse the longer we leave it.

If a friend or family member tells you that they are experiencing distress, don’t encourage them to disclose or retell the details of painful events, or ‘play’ at being a counsellor. They may choose to share personal details when seeking professional help, but this should be done when they are in a calm state so as not to make the symptoms worse.

It’s useful to know that, very often, people who take the first step towards seeking help experience their mood lifting. It’s really important that they follow through on this first step so that they keep the light at the end of the tunnel in sight.

For more information about mental health and wellbeing visit suffolkmind.org.uk or call 0300 111 6000.

So how can we encourage people to seek help when they need it? Here are some suggestions.

The first port of call when seeking help should always be the GP. Remember that GPs are used to talking to people about

MENTAL Health

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Working together to make Suffolk the best place in the world.

WRITTEN BY CAROLE THAIN Suffolk Mind wants to make our county the best place in the world for talking about and taking care of mental wellbeing.

have pledged to find out how important mental health is and how to look after it.

· All of us have mental health, just as we have physical health, and one in four of us will suffer from mental ill health in any given year.

It’s free to join and will give you lots of useful information and support to make your own mental health a priority and create a life that meets your needs, and helps others meet theirs.

· Just as five-a-day, a little exercise and a balanced diet are part of keeping physically healthy, so it is with mental health.

A small step but one that could make a huge difference in your life and the lives of people you care about.

By joining Friends of Suffolk Mind you will be part of a growing network of people who

www.suffolkmind.org.uk

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Suzanne is 21 years old and is studying midwifery. Suzanne decided to get involved with Student Life because she wants to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of mental health conditions during pregnancy and up to a year following birth.

Perinatal mental health is the clinical word used to describe mental health conditions in pregnancy; local services also classify this as up to a year following birth.

1 in 5 women are affected with mental health conditions during pregnancy, which most commonly include anxiety and depression. It is important to recognise that you do not need to have experienced a previous mental health condition to be affected by one in pregnancy. However discussing your mental health, including previous conditions, can help your midwife provide the best support for you. Past history of mental health conditions could resurface during pregnancy due to the way the body changes, so the support from the midwife can help to tackle this. I feel many women are afraid to discuss this with their family and/or midwife through fear that it may have repercussions for themselves and/or their baby. We are here to help and support you, not make things worse. Also, you may have heard that medication shouldn’t be used in pregnancy to treat your mental health condition; this is not always true! In fact, a lot of women feel that coming off their medication is the best thing to do, however this could antagonise your mental health condition.

It is important that you discuss this with your midwife and/or GP before stopping medication altogether.

MENTAL HEALTH IN PREGNANCY WRITTEN BY SUZANNE BROWN There are normal emotional changes that occur during pregnancy, labour and following birth. Even if you are unsure about some emotional changes you can discuss this with your midwife, who will be there to listen to you and identify if you need a bit of extra support. Partners can be affected by mental health conditions during pregnancy too; it is just as important for partners to speak up if they are feeling concerned about their mental health.

Having a baby can be an emotionallycharged time, with many adjustments having to take place. Take a bit of time off for yourselves when you can, even if that is just having a nice, warm bath or popping over to a friend’s house for an hour or so for a catch up. An important message to take away from this article, is that it is important to speak up, and not try and cope in silence. The more we talk about these things, the less taboo they are.

MENTAL Health

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CONTACTS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CONTACT NHS OUT OF HOURS SERVICE: 111 OR CALL FOR AN EMERGENCY AMBULANCE: 999

Otherwise you can contact other services such as: SUFFOLK MIND: 0300 111 6000

or Your Local GP: www.nhs.uk/service-search/GP/LocationSearch/4 4YP – 01473 252607 or www.4yp.org.uk Childline: 0800 1111 Inside out Community: www.insideoutcommunity.com Lighthouse: 01473 228270 or www.lighthousewa.org.uk Papyrus Hope Trust: 0800 068 4141 or www.papyrus-uk.org Samaritans: 116 123 or www.samaritans.org Stem4: www.stem4.org.uk Students against depression: www.studentsagainstdepression.org Suffolk Wellbeing: 0300 123 1503 Turning Point: www.turning-point.co.uk 3 4 • JANU ARY 2018 • S T UD E N T L I FE

Student Life is delighted to have joined forces with Career Ready UK. The organisation helps raise young peoples’ aspirations and bridge the gap between education and work, by providing access to real experience of the world of work. Here Career Ready’s Regional Manager for Cambridge and Ipswich, Sian Robertson, introduces the charity to readers.

Career Ready is a UK wide charity that links employers with schools and colleges to open up the world of work to young people.

It began in 2002 with three schools in London and focussed on supporting young people into Business & Finance roles.

Thirteen years later we are working with 300 schools and colleges in all parts of the UK, specialising in additional sectors like STEM, construction and logistics.

We work with businesses throughout the UK and are lucky to have over 4000 employer volunteers from several hundred organisations working with us. Many of the companies which helped to found Career Ready are still supporting us strategically, as well as with funding and paid internships. They include Citi, S&P Global, AstraZeneca, BP, Canary Wharf Group and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Career Ready offers structured programmes of employer engagement that enable schools and colleges to meet Ofsted careers requirements and Gatsby benchmarks. We offer a Core Programme of activity, a Masterclass Programme and a Tutorial Programme. In Ipswich and Essex we have worked alongside Business in the Community (BiTC) to deliver a specialised programme called Employability for All. The bespoke Employability for All programme combines elements of our existing tutorial and masterclass programmes, with the Careers LAB masterclasses used by BITC. Through a series of masterclass workshops and workplace visits, we aim to enable young people in Ipswich to make wellinformed choices about their future career, and to ensure that they enter the world of work prepared and able to succeed.

We consistently work with experts in education and business to develop high quality, employer-endorsed materials, which deliver a set of Skills for Career Success to help our students compete with the best in the country. These are Communication and Networking, Team Work, Organisational Skills, Managing yourself, Self-awareness, Problem Solving and Analysis, Managing your Career and Resourcefulness. These skills are at the heart of everything we do and we support students regularly in reflecting on their development of each one.

We currently have 29,000 students enrolled across all of our programmes and have worked with an additional 14,000 since 2002. In 2017 we delivered more than 3,000 individual interventions with students in Ipswich.

The Career Ready core programme

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supports our students even further, providing both a mentor from the world of work, and the opportunity of an internship or work placement. Our students meet with mentors on a monthly basis, in a professional setting and are responsible for maintaining their relationship. These students also take part in masterclasses and workplace visits and the first of these takes place with all Career Ready students in London.

The paid internship or work placement takes place for core programme students during their summer break and is vital in generating networks for future employment, as well as developing essential skills. 20% of the businesses that support us have recruited at least one student that they met through the Career Ready internship programme, and of the 40 students who completed an internship at Lloyds Banking Group in London in 2015, 19 were offered future employment.

In addition to the fantastic benefits of our core programme, every year we also offer a number of awards that recognise individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the programme. These awards are funded by our business partners and are available for students, mentors, volunteers and the school coordinators who support us in implementing our programme. The prizes for each award are fantastic and our winning STEM students are even given the chance to travel to Geneva to see the Hadron Collider.

Career Ready is working with Student Life because we are dedicated to supporting all young people across the East of England to make good career choices. The Employability for All programme works with students age 14-18 in Ipswich schools, however we are keen to support students in joining our core programme and want to

support our community in additional ways.

We really value the opportunity to speak to students through this magazine; particularly those who we may not get a chance to come in contact with face to face.

We invite you to ask us any questions you may have on becoming more employable, such as; how to develop key skills for the workplace, how to write a strong letter of application or a CV, how to succeed in an interview, how to network with businesses locally, or even how to develop a strong presence on LinkedIn. YOU CAN CONTACT US AS FOLLOWS:

Career Ready UK National Office 25 Canada Square Canary Wharf London E14 5LB Tel: 020 7986 5494 www.careerready.org.uk https://twitter.com/CareerReadyUK https://www.facebook.com/CareerReadyUK https://www.linkedin.com/school/954160/

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