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Peer Manchester Informal Peer Education in the Student Community. Dr Cliff Shelton F1 House Officer, Tameside General Hospital. Background. What is Peer Manchester? A sexual health promotion project. Run by students for the student community. Informal peer education.
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Peer ManchesterInformal Peer Education in the Student Community Dr Cliff Shelton F1 House Officer, Tameside General Hospital
Background • What is Peer Manchester? • A sexual health promotion project. • Run by students for the student community. • Informal peer education. • Who initiated the project? • Unisex Manchester. • Manchester Students Union. • NHS Public Health Development Service.
Why Target Students? • Women 18-24 have an abortion rate twice the national average • HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, genital warts, genital herpes are all still increasing amongst 16-24 year olds. • Young men and women account for 57% and 75% of chlamydia diagnoses, respectively. • There is a large body of research linking alcohol and drug use with risky sexual behaviours; and another large body of research linking students with alcohol and drug use. • According to the NUS, abortion rates among students peak 2-3 months after freshers week. Sources: Office of National Statistics, Health Protection Agency, NUS
Why Use Peer Education? • Prior success in the Manchester Student Community: • The safer sex in the city campaign • Evidence base to support peer education as an agent for behavioural change: • APAUSE • Similar Projects Overseas: • P6 • Last but not least… • Common Sense!
The Search for the ‘Silver Bullet’ • Manchester Student Demographics: • Total Students: 35,005 • Undergraduates: 23,681 • Mature Students: 17% • International Students: 10% • Countries of origin: 165 • Arts vs Sciences: 44:66 • Student Societies : 183 • Sports Teams: 40 “Can one project target a group this diverse?” Sources: UCAS, University of Manchester, UMSU
Peer Manchester’s Aims • Reduce STIs / unwanted pregnancies. • Increase knowledge of sexual health. • Improve access to services. • Combat taboo. • Reduce the negative influence of peer pressure. • Benefit both peer educators and the student population.
Project Design • Back to the ‘Silver Bullet’ Question… • Provide a generic, expert-led training for a diverse volunteer base. • Make use of existing social networks. • Encourage and support ‘bespoke’ projects. • Follow up with a robust and accessible support network.
Training Design • Expert-Led, Interactive. • Sessions on: • Student Health • Sexually transmitted infections • Contraception • Rape and Sexual Assault • Public Health Promotion • Reproduction, Pregnancy and Childbirth • Communication Skills • Project Design • Risk Appreciation
Participants • ‘An Uphill Struggle’ • Student community leaders. • 12 Participants: • UMSU • Student Welfare Societies • Nightline • Medsin
Training Objectives • Desired Outcomes: • Participants find the training useful and enjoyable. • Participants gain knowledge. • Participants build skills. • Participants will be empowered to act as a sexual health resource. • Participants will run bespoke projects.
Data Collection • Data was collected using structured questionnaires. • Participants were presented with a number of statements which they rated on a 5 point Likert scale: • 1=Strongly Disagree, 5=Strongly Agree • General comments were also recorded. • Of 12 participants, 8 completed the questionnaire satisfactorily.
Conclusion • All desired outcomes were met. • This data strongly implies that this project has the potential to make a positive impact on student sexual health. • Although responses were generally positive, areas for improvement can be identified. • All our trainees expressed an intention to act as a peer educator to the student community.
Next Steps • Areas for improvement in the next Peer Manchester training: • Knowledge of reproduction and contraception. • Skills in talking about sex. • Inspiring our trainees to run bespoke projects. • Attendance is our major challenge. • Sustainability is paramount. • Permanent staff member?
Final Thought • “Thanks very much – inspired me to take a more active role in sexual health promotion” -Peer Manchester Trainee