A team of students from Robert Gordon University’s (RGU) School of Nursing and Midwifery have made it their mission to educate their peers on empowering people with learning disabilities through a dynamic and interactive conference.
The one-day event – titled ‘Breaking Barriers: enabling social inclusion and empowerment of people with learning disabilities’ – will be the first of its kind in the North-east, as a teaching conference organised by students for students.
Taking place on Wednesday 27 June, it will be open to all levels of nursing and midwifery students at RGU, giving them an insight into how their practice can impact on and improve the lives of people living with learning disabilities.
There will be presentations from a number of key speakers, including professor Ian Murray, head of RGU’s School of nursing and midwifery, who will open the conference; Isla McGlade, nursing consultant for the LD Service at NHS Grampian; June Brown, associate director of Nursing NHS Grampian; and Elaine Scougal and Jamie McCallum, who are parents of children with learning disabilities and have raised awareness of their children’s experiences.
Jackie Marshall, 3rd year Adult Nursing student and chair of the Breaking Barriers planning team, said: “This event is the culmination of work that began when a number of us attended the ‘Building Momentum’ conference two years ago in Edinburgh and came away with the task and determination to deliver a similar student-led project here.
“We have had a lot of positive engagement with NHS Grampian and other third sector partners, who will have stalls on the day to assist attendees with their learning.
“I’d also like to offer thanks on behalf of the team to staff at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, who have supported our ambitions to make this conference the best experience possible.”
Billy Jackson, academic lead for learning disabilities at the School, is looking forward to seeing these ambitions come to fruition.
He added: “This will be an excellent learning opportunity for all of our students to get direct insight from health and social care providers, as well as service users, on how to keep in mind the needs of people with learning disabilities throughout their practice lives.
“I’m very proud of the work the Breaking Barriers team have undertaken and am keen to hear what their colleagues think about carrying this on in future years.”
‘Breaking Barriers: enabling social inclusion and empowerment of people with learning disabilities’ will take place on Wednesday, June 27, in the Sir Ian Wood Building on RGU’s campus.
