Freshers Fairs Engagement report 2023
What did we do & how did we do it?
We created ‘graffiti’ table with different interactive activities including: a dice activity, a playing cards activity, a poker chips activity, and a roulette wheel.
Activities
Graffiti Table
We wrote a key message on the tablecloth – ‘Are you gambling with your health and wellbeing?’ - and invited students to scribble their thoughts / messages / experiences of health and care services.
Dice Activity
We asked students to roll a dice and then share an experience / view / comment on a health / wellbeing topic relating to the number they rolled.
Poker Chips Vote
We asked each student to take 3 poker chips. We had 6 pots labelled with 6 topics / themes and asked students to vote on which topic they felt was the most important to them.
Feedback cards
We had playing cards with blank sides for students to note comments, feedback or personal accounts that they didn’t want to write publicly in the tablecloth.
Roulette Wheel
We invited students to spin the wheel and throw in the roulette ball … if it landed on red, we asked them to share a negative experience or view of health or care services and if it landed on black, we asked them to share a positive view or experience.
What did we hear?
The top 4 themes were [in ranked order]:
- Mental Health (Most important)
- Urgent/Emergency Care
- Sexual Health
- GP Services
Emerging themes and new issues
Vaccinations
Across the 5 sessions, around 100 young people talked to us about their hesitance, anxiety, and mistrust of vaccines.
Friends and Family Experiences
For the first time, we heard from a number of young people that they were concerned, upset, or frustrated by the care or treatment experienced by friends or family.
Insight & Experiences Collected
- Mental Health
- Urgent Care
- GP’s / Primary Care
- Dentistry
Actions and Opportunities to Follow Up
Networking and Partnerships
Attending the events hosted by Chichester College Group enabled us to network and develop relationships with existing and new partners.
We have been able to collaborate with the NHS Sexual Health Teams on public engagement and involvement activities following the introductions and conversations we have had at fresher fairs over the years.
Learning
The Chichester College Group asked us to evaluate and reflect on the events we attended and feedback to them regarding the hospitality, communication, environment, facilities etc
As part of this evaluation, we identified areas of learning for both the hosts and for ourselves.
In addition, a team de-brief was undertaken the week after the events, to consider what worked well and what we might do differently next year.
