Students from East Coast College, learnt about the impact of unsafe driving with a staged car accident scene put on by the Emergency Services.
The event was part of the college’s Career and Wellbeing programme. Driving awareness sessions have been delivered by the Fire Services for the past couple of months, culminating in the #IMPACT event. Last year East Coast College launched the Norfolk Drink Driving Campaign and this year’s event has continued to raise the awareness.
The students said that they liked the interactive element of the event and liked meeting the partners of the event. East Coast College Health and Safety Student Union Officer Chelsi Dodd willingly acted as the ‘driver’ and was cut out of the car, allowing the emergency services to demonstrate their skills to the many students and staff watching on.
Since the event 9 students have signed up to volunteer with the wellbeing service.
One of the partners of this event said ‘’we have noticed that Wellbeing is really important at East Coast College and it’s good that students can take part in events like these’’.
The careers and community event, that ran alongside the #IMPACT event was for students to meet external partners to gain advice and support and look for potential work experience and volunteering opportunities. Some of the partners were directly linked to #IMPACT, including bereavement, mental health and drug and alcohol support services.
The events of the day were important to promote social action, awareness of safety on the roads and wellbeing support.
As well as the #IMPACT event, the college also hosted many local organisations such as Norfolk Young Adult Carers, Volunteering Matters, Wellbeing Service, Great Yarmouth and Waveney MIND, Revolutionary Roots and Norfolk Lowland Search and Rescue as well as others. Students had the opportunity to meet representatives from these organisations and speak to them and ask any questions.
The University of Suffolk also attended with their selfie station, encouraging students to have selfies dressed up for their chosen profession. This was followed up by talks from Mental Health nurses.