Children enjoyed a day of hands-on messy but educational fun at the launch of the Kent Schools Project.
More than 20 Year 5 children, all aged nine or 10, had to delve their hands into jelly to find plastic organs, balance as part of physio exercise and practice their suturing skills on vegan bacon.
The pilot project brings together NHS Kent and Medway Allied Health Professional Faculty, the Golden Thread Alliance and Canterbury Christ Church University and is designed to inspire future allied health professionals.
The aim of the day, at the university’s Old Sessions House, was to give the children experience of what it’s like to work as an allied health professional, also known as an AHP.
Nine-year-old Raphael attends Oakfield Primary in Dartford. He said: “I found the heart in jelly and it felt weird.
"I want to work in medicine, so I was really looking forward to today.”
Classmate Chelsey, 10, also enjoyed the hands-on learning. She said: “This experience might help me decide on a future career. Stitching up the bacon was strange but a good experience.”
Karen Amber, NHS Kent and Medway’s Allied Health Professional Faculty Lead, said: “The Kent Schools Project is a pilot project designed to inspire primary school children to think of future careers in the allied health professions.
“There are 14 AHP roles and we want to highlight these jobs to younger children, who often think ‘doctor’ or ‘nurse’ when they think of jobs in healthcare.
“As part of the project, we are producing a workbook, which other schools across the county will be able to use as part of the national curriculum.”
There are nine schools within the Golden Thread Alliance. CEO Garry Ratcliffe explains why he was keen to involve four of the schools.
He said: “It’s important to raise the aspirations of children from a young age, especially those from deprived areas and who might not have the knowledge or opportunities, to find out about the range of careers available in healthcare and the local courses and apprenticeships open to them once they leave school.”
Dr Mark Gradwell, Senior Lecturer in Diagnostic Radiography at Canterbury Christ Church University, said: “We’re delighted to work in partnership with the NHS Kent and Medway Allied Health Professions Faculty and schools from the Golden Thread Alliance to inspire children to think of allied and public health professions as potential future careers."
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