THIRD year medical students from Queen's University have been working in Short Strand as part of a three-week initiative to help promote health and well-being in the community.
Students and workers at Short Strand Community Forum teamed up with local health and community groups to put on a health day, which focused on issues to do with women’s health, general health and also mental health.
Kathryn Allen, who is a third-year student at Queen's studying Medicine, said: “We chose to go to Short Strand for a three week placement. There are nine of us here, and we’ve each been given a project, and Bernie McConnell at the Community Forum mentioned about the possibility of doing a women’s health day, focusing on issues that would affect them particularly.
“I started looking at what would be relevant for them to have health information about, but also wanted to make it a chance to do some self-care as well, so we also had stalls for eyebrow waxing and massages, plus some snacks and blood pressure checks and it all came together to make sure we were meeting their health needs in the community.”
Taking part in the health initiative at Short Strand
The health day featured several stalls, one with medical students taking blood pressure checks and another stall was for Survivors of Suicide East Belfast. There was also a stand for general cancer awareness, plus a ‘stop smoking’ stand hosted by Cancer Focus NI. The East Belfast Community Development Agency (EBCDA) had two stalls also, one discussing breast checking, and one focusing on their health hub app which is specific to the East Belfast area. The Belfast Drugs and Alcohol Connection Team also had a stall with non-alcoholic versions of popular drinks available for people to try, as well as awareness on alcohol and drug-related issues. There was also a stall hosted by the East Belfast Independent Advice Centre, and two stalls focused on eyebrow waxing and massages.
Kathryn Allen said: “Health is more than just about physical health, which is why we also focused on the stalls that allowed for some pampering, to improve mental health as well, and having it here in the Short Strand Community Forum allowed the ladies to meet up together and connect socially as well.”
She added: “Last week we did another health event with the ladies around the idea of ‘Take Five’, centred on the five steps to wellbeing with Marie-Anne Templeman from East Belfast Community Development Agency and we took part in crafts and activities to help people with health and well-being.”
Each student working within the community in Short Strand have been working in different areas, with some at the Community Forum, others at the Doyle Youth Club and also in the wider community at large.
“My fellow students have been involved in different groups around the community, some have been involved with Sure Start at the nursery, and others have been down at the Doyle Youth Centre, with Community Restorative Justice and also helping out with outreach programmes for elderly people.”
Speaking about her time working within the community at Short Strand, Kathryn added: “We’ve been made to feel so welcome, and we’ve just got stuck in.”
