Applications for the Royal Veterinary College Summer Schools are now open

APPLICATIONS for the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) 2021 Summer Schools, including the RVC Sutton Trust Summer School, are now open for students in Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12. The outreach team is calling for those who meet the Widening Participation eligibility criteria to apply for the opportunity of gaining experience of what it is like to study animal science careers including Veterinary Medicine, Biosciences and Veterinary Nursing.

Taking place between July and August 2021, the 3 RVC Summer Schools offer students 1st hand insight into what it is like to study at the internationally renowned RVC. As part of this, participants will get involved with online lectures, virtual practical demonstrations, and question and answer sessions with world leading researchers. This year, the RVC also hopes to be able to welcome each of the participants to campus for at least 1 day to gain hands on experiences across its animal Hospitals, Clinical Skills Centre, laboratories, and farm.

Following the success of last year's Summer School, which was the 1st to be hosted online due to the Pandemic, 91% of participants surveyed either agreed or strongly agreed that the Summer School made them feel more confident about applying to university. Additionally, 91% of respondents felt like they would fit in at the RVC after taking part.

Varying from 2 to 5 days experience, students were able to meet current RVC students and professionals, take part in online lectures, virtual dissection demonstrations, team projects and social activities led by RVC Student Ambassadors including a pet show and tell, an escape room and lockdown Zoom quizzes.

Reflecting on the 2020 Summer School, one student, Kaya, said:- "I found the lectures and videos fascinating and enjoyed learning about new topics such as animal handling. I also feel much more confident in my career goals, as before the summer School started, I was unsure if I wanted to be a vet or vet nurse, but now I have decided on veterinary nursing."

Reflecting on their child's experience of the 2020 Summer School, 1 parent said:- "My daughter has really enjoyed attending. This is the start of her childhood dream to be a vet and I can see her enthusiasm has grown this week thanks to you. Even before she started you sent her some items to help her in the sessions, she was over the moon. I'd like to extend my utter gratitude to you and take this opportunity just to say thank you all so very much."

Both the RVC Summer Schools (for Years 10 and 11) and RVC 2021 Sutton Trust Summer School (Year 12) are part of the RVC's Widening Participation Scheme which was established to support young people who are under represented at the RVC on their journey to studying animal science. The RVC runs a range of programmes for young people from low income backgrounds, areas with low participation in Higher Education, and targeted groups such as care experienced young people, asylum seekers, or young people from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Nina Davies, Director of RVC Access and International Engagement, said:- "We are so proud of the success our Summer Schools have had in engaging students from the widest possible range of backgrounds and providing them with an experience that may encourage them to study with us. We work hard to ensure students from underrepresented backgrounds have equal access to the RVC, feel welcome here and able to achieve their goals. I would like to encourage any young budding animal enthusiasts and prospective vets out there, to take part in one of our Summer Schools this year; it is a wonderful experience for young people seriously considering a future in animal sciences."

The RVC has a long history of running Summer Schools and has hosted the RVC Sutton Trust Summer School since 2013. This year it will offer 60 young people from underrepresented backgrounds the chance to take part. Applications close on the 2 March 2021. To apply or to find out more information, visit:- RVC.AC.UK or contact the Outreach Team on:- OutReach@RVC.AC.UK.

Give your street a health check
Photograph by Denis Oates...

WILL your street pass the health test? Are there safe crossing areas? Is the pavement wide enough for people and buggies to pass with ease? Are there trees or benches?  Southport Liveable Neighbourhood project is looking for local volunteers to survey their streets to find out if they meet the needs of families, older people, people with disabilities, as well as anyone who wants to walk, cycle or use a wheelchair to get from A to B. The project, which is run by Sefton Council and the charity Sustrans, works with the local community to make the area a safer, healthier place for everyone. The neighbourhood area stretches between Lord Street and Cemetery Road. It aims to reduce problems such as speeding traffic and returning, improve social connections and the environment. Anyone can volunteer to carry out the street survey, which takes around 30 minutes to complete. It can be done alone or with your family group, and there's online training and support available. The results will help reveal problem hotspots, such as rat running or the lack of safe places to cross on the streets, as well as features which help the health and wellbeing of residents and local businesses. Street designers use the views and data gathered from the community to help re-imagine the local neighbourhood as a public space where people are the priority.

Ali Dore, Sustrans community engagement Officer said:- "We're looking for volunteers who live or work in the project area and want to get involved in long term improvements to their street. It might not be obvious that streets impact our health but simple changes to a design can improve the safety and feeling of the street, as well as air quality and noise. The healthy street survey is a simple task you can do in your own time to provide valuable information that helps our designers understand the issues on your street. If you're interested please do get in touch!"

Everyone in the neighbourhood has a chance to contribute through the Tell Us About Your Area survey, which runs online until 21 February 2021. Over 650 people have already told us about their streets. There have also been 5 online engagement events for local residents and businesses. Current national lockdown restrictions mean that further face to face meetings and workshops, which are part of the process to gather views from all sections of the community, have been postponed. Workshops to feedback the results of the surveys and initial meetings and to start to develop designs for the area will take place at the beginning of March 2021. The community will have a chance to comment on each stage of the design process via online workshops and surveys through the post or on the phone. In addition School children from 7 Schools in the area will survey their own streets and contribute ideas through activities and workshops. Find out more about becoming a healthy streets volunteer or contribute your views on Southport Liveable Neighbourhood here.