Foundation Early Years students at Northumberland College’s Ashington Campus have participated in a hygiene poverty project, as part of a Clean Start in Life research and in Life and in Partnership with Children North East.
Staff from the Early Years team at the college’s Ashington Campus have been working with their students on this project.
A survey of 1,000 children in Great Britain was commissioned. Over 100 children and young people across England have been spoken to and findings indicate hygiene poverty impacts education, play, friendships, and mental health, with an estimated 10% of children missing school because they can’t keep clean.
Jill Oxnard, Learning Practitioner at Northumberland College, who has been facilitating this project said: “It has been a great opportunity to work with a leading children’s charity on a subject that has been close to the hearts of all involved.”
For college students to take part in a project like this, it provides great recognition for real world student projects at the campus and is highly topical around child poverty and the impact it has on education.
The project has provided experience of real-world learning and involvement in national research, where these students have been able to share their views.
The students discussed their understanding of poverty and the impacts not only on attendance at school but also on well-being, health and academic achievement.
Judith Quinn, Northumberland College’s Ashington Campus Principal, said: “It is essential that our young people are involved in real world projects, have the opportunity to try and influence a positive change and that they see the relevance and connection to this important research carried out.”
Children North East are a UK charity focused on distributing consumer products, donated by companies, to charitable organisations in their network to ensure that everyone has access to the products they need to keep clean, safe and well.
Having been founded in 1996 by HM King Charles III, the charity finds a home for all donated products, prevents waste, and ensures they end up where they are needed, impacting the lives of 543,000 people every week.
We are the largest further education provider in Northumberland with campuses throughout the county.
Our student transport scheme is available for eligible students to make getting to and from college as easy as possible.
Our extensive re-development programme will create outstanding new facilities.
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