Partnership brings generations together

A partnership between Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC) and community group, MHA Burton Live at Home is seeing young people sharing their skills to help older people live well.

Over the past year, students have supported Live at Home which has helped to bring the young and older generations together. BSDC students from a range of curriculum areas have undertaken industry placements at MHA Burton Live at Home, working alongside the team to gain transferable work related skills, while learning to communicate with people from varied walks of life.

As part of their industry placements, Health and Social Care students have been setting up and running social groups in the community and looking at all aspects such as assessing new members, health and safety and budgets. Business students have been setting up a member’s discount shopping scheme which helps to maintain relationships and introduce new businesses to the scheme. Meanwhile, one of the College’s Graphic Media students has been producing posters, flyers and adverts for its social media platforms, as well as being the editor of the scheme’s newsletters.

MHA Burton Live at Home started operating Support Services in Burton on Trent for Older People Live at Home in September 2018. MHA Burton Live at Home provides home visiting befrienders, social groups and activities that aim to reduce social isolation, improve quality of life and help people live later life well. The scheme is one of 62 across the country run by older person’s charity Methodist Homes (MHA) which also provides care and accommodation. 

In addition to industry placements, the College supports the scheme in a variety of ways, including organising a gift tree in aid of MHA Burton Live at Home, helping them to give presents and cards to 80 lonely and isolated older people in Burton on Trent. A group of Catering students also ran a bake sale in order to fund a further 15 presents for the members of its Monday afternoon social group. The students delivered the presents in their own time and helped the Live at Home Team deliver a Christmas quiz and bingo session.

Five students are also set to organise a fund raising Fire Walk in June 2020, in aid of MHA Burton Live at Home.

Simon Farneti, Live at Home Scheme Manager commented: “All of these students are aged 16 to 18, and the joy that they bring to the older people they work with is unmeasurable; they look forward to their visits and sharing skills. Without the ongoing support from the students and staff of Burton and South Derbyshire College, the Live at Home Scheme wouldn’t be able to support as many older people in the community. We would encourage all younger people to get involved in any way they can.”