As part of the movement behind Empathy Day, LifeLab teaching fellow and programme lead for Early LifeLab Dr Hannah Davey talks about how we harness the power of reading to empower children to lead the change in their own health.

From the very start, Early LifeLab resources for schools have included the use of stories to inspire and support learning, and we always provide a range of complimentary fiction texts with our modules.

Our focus is on the belief that we can empower children to lead the change in their own health, and act as agents of change in their families and communities. However, we recognise that this level of social change is only possible if children develop the core life skill of empathy.

This is where the use of stories in our work is invaluable. For example, in our module for four and five year olds we use an alternative fairy tale, ‘Keep Running Gingerbread Man’.

In this story, we watch as the Gingerbread Man out runs his community because they aren’t fit enough to keep up. Children have the opportunity to discuss how they think the Gingerbread Man might feel, but also how the members of the community feel. They can often relate to this kind of scenario in the playground. Later in the story, the cunning fox starts a fitness camp to train everyone up so they can run faster next time. This this gives children the opportunity to think and talk about the transformative power of health, and how the feelings of the community might change if they are fitter and healthier.

Fostering an ability to relate to others feelings, see things from the perspectives of others and feel concern for others has the potential to motivate children to begin to make changes in their own health and that of their community. Let’s keep reading.

This year’s Empathy Day is on 11 June and is a lightning rod for a new story-driven empathy movement. A wide range of organisations are joining forces to harness books’ empathy-building power, inspired by scientific evidence that in identifying with book characters, we learn to see things from other points of view.

One of the things that makes LifeLab special is the unique position it holds between the University of Southampton and the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. A thriving research hub, supported by University academics and part of the UHS family as we welcome thousands of students to our purpose built labs within the hospital. An example of how joined up, collaborative working can promote and sustain healthy lifestyle choices, particularly in the younger generations.

Making the most of that relationship is also behind a unique work experience programme that is being run by the University that offers students the chance to spend time at UHS. This opportunity gives young people a real insight into what really happens in the wards and clinics of a busy NHS hospital.

We are happy to share details of this opportunity on our blog, and encourage students who may already know and have visited LifeLab, and those who we have not yet met, to apply.

The University of Southampton is offering a Hospital Work Experience Placement programme to students who are interested in a career in medicine.

The opportunity is for Year 12 students who are already 17,  or Year 13 and who are interested in becoming a doctor or medical professional and would love the chance to gain work experience in a hospital setting.

This work experience placement programme will provide successful applicants with information on medicine, help  develop transferable skills and provide information to support an application to university.

Applicants will be prepared for the placement at a pre-placement workshop that will include ethical issues and practical advice on how to get the most out of the placement.

They will also be required to attend a post placement workshop to reflect on the experience and how this can help an application to medical school.

The workshops will be held on Monday, 18 February and Wednesday, 10 April. The placements will be between 19 February and 22 February at University Hospital Southampton. Placements may be two full days, or four half days, or a combination.

Eligibility Criteria:

Applicants must provide a statement to outline why they think they are suitable to participate in the programme.

In addition they should meet a minimum of 2 Widening Participation eligibility criteria:

• Parents, guardian or self in receipt of a means-tested benefit
• In the first generation of my immediate family to apply to higher education:
• Young people looked after by a Local Authority
• In receipt of a 16-19 bursary or similar grant
• In receipt of free school meals at any point in Years 10-12
• Living in an area with a postcode which falls within the lowest 20 per cent of the Index of Multiple Deprivation, or a member of a travelling family.

To apply:

Complete the application form at https://isurvey.soton.ac.uk/30172 by Wednesday, 23 January

There will be additional opportunities for hospital work experience in April and July. If you are not yet 17 years old, please do contact us for other opportunities available, any questions can also be directed to the University of Southampton, UK Student Recruitment and Outreach team, on 023 8059 7377

Christmas is a time for giving, and what better way to give than volunteering?

As part of International Volunteer Day we are saying thank you to all of the wonderful people who give up their time to support our project. Our volunteers are all ages, from students themselves who come back as ambassadors to experienced scientists who inspire through our ‘Meet the Scientist’ sessions, they all doing an amazing job.

To mark today’s awareness day we have said a particularly big thank you to the volunteer medical who help us out during our LifeLab Summer School where aspiring medics have had the chance to get hands on with healthcare.

Based at University Hospital Southampton and supported by the University of Southampton and the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, forty teenagers take part in the two-day event during the summer holidays.

Students aged from 14 to 16 get the chance to experience what life would be like as a junior doctor in a series of practical sessions and workshops.

Activities include practicing how to take blood, understanding ECG readings and a range of other clinical skills. The students were also taken on tours of various parts of Southampton General Hospital including the Acute Medical Unit and the Emergency Department.

Teaching fellow and course leader of the Medical Summer School Dr Hannah Davey said: “It is always an inspiring and exciting couple of days to spend time with young people who have high aspirations for a career in medicine and to give them an insight into what life is like as a doctor.

“We couldn’t do it without the medical students who give up their own time to run activities and inspire our students just by being there and talking to them about their own experiences. Who knows how many of the young people will be inspired to follow in their footsteps and train to go into the medical profession.”

Three of the medical students, Laurence Baker, Ellen Bodger and Regina Gul have all helped put a short video together to explain what they get out of volunteering for LifeLab and the impact it has had on them.

It is also another chance to say a great big thank you to them and all the other students who make the summer school possible.

Watch the video here