Tag Archives: global horizons fund

Student visit to Uganda with the BU Global Horizons Fund

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MikeAndJodieMike Thomson and Jodie Willis, Graduates in Operating Department Practice, reflected upon their experiences of visiting Uganda during their final year in July 2014. With support from the BU Global Horizons fund, they spent two weeks in Uganda supporting a training project for the Basingstoke Hoima Partnership for Health.

Mike and Jodie were in Uganda to assist in the training of operating department staff. Working in very different circumstances to what they have been used to; they helped to develop the skills of local doctors, clinical officers, nurses and midwives in drug administration, routine observations and important life-saving surgical techniques.

The placement was part of a longer term commitment to assist in the training of existing staff.

“as a team we were very excited to hear of Mike and Jodie’s experiences and how, no matter where you are, the essential  skills of patient care during the perioperative period are transferable, no matter what environment you are in” Lesley Elcock, Practice Fellow in Perioperative Practice, Programme Lead – Dip (HE) Operating Department Practice, HSC.

Students help Colombian communities move on from violent past

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Five students from Bournemouth University (BU) have just completed four-week internships in Medellin, Colombia to volunteer with families and communities hoping to change perceptions of their country.

The BA Social Work students had the opportunity to complete their work placements in a kindergarten or an elderly person support centre. The kindergarten offers free placement for children under six, enabling them to give support and advice to families and communities who want to free themselves from the violent troubles of their past. The students were also able to work for Fundicol, a housing and support facility that helps elderly people that may have been abandoned or can no longer live alone.

The group was made up of first and second year BU students Karen Sampson, Gemma Chiverton, Georgia Foy, Cassie Dando and Michelle Lillywhite who were guided by the local Colombian social workers during their trip. One student, Karen Sampson said “We were told more don’ts than do’s. The warning of safety issues and possible hostility to tourists by local ‘guerrillas’ could not have been further from the truth.”

As well as the local social workers, the students received support from a local university as well to help them bridge the language gap. This allowed them to explore how organisations were coming together to overcome their historic issues. Sampson continued, “We were asked if it was safe and actually yes it was; as safe as anywhere here in the UK. It was suggested that we did not venture into certain areas alone at night but that is not dissimilar to some areas within the UK.”

The students were able to fund their trip thanks to the BU Global Horizon Fund, securing them £1,500 each to go towards their visit. Michelle Lillywhite said, “The whole experience was amazing and we need to bring back the message from Colombia  that asking for help is a positive move and does not mean people are weak or to be shunned. Families and individuals should be celebrated for understanding when support can make all the difference to empower themselves to be more independent.”

Jill Davey, a Social Work lecturer at BU, commented, “This was a great opportunity for our students to be exposed to the social work profession in different countries; to see the issues and care solutions in rural communities is a once in a life time opportunity. Our Social Work curriculum is centred around globalisation of the profession, but for these students to see it first hand and then share their experiences will be a great learning experience for other students too.”

By Charlotte Cranny-Evans

Charlotte is a graduate of Budmouth College in Weymouth, who is working at Bournemouth University in the Press and PR Department. She joined BU on a Sir Samuel Mico Scholarship, which provides 10 students from the college with work experience for four weeks over the summer.

Columbia placement for Social Work students with help from Global Horizons Funding

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The qualifying social work team are delighted to announce that five undergraduate social work students have been successfully awarded Global Horizon Funding to undertake a four week placement visit to Medellin, Colombia.

As part of the BU International Taskforce, Social Work Framework Leader, Jill Davey, visited EAFIT University, Colombia, and established a link with the Social Work Department to secure reciprocal placement exchanges between social work programmes delivered by BU University and EAFIT University, Colombia.

BA (Hons) Social Work students, Karen Sampson, Gemma Chiverton, Georgia Foy, Cassie Dando and Michelle Lillywhite, all secured funding from Global Horizon, and will each receive £1,500 to go towards flights and accommodation.

Whilst there, the students will be taught by academics from the Social Work Department at the university, and will undertake work placements. The type of placements students can undertake include visiting housing projects half way up the Andes, forest projects, drug and alcohol rehabilitation projects, and projects which work towards getting women off the streets.

Michelle, one of the students, said,

“At BU we are taught to understand and appreciate the complexities of the lives of vulnerable people that we aim to be working with. This opportunity allows us a unique perspective to engage with a different culture where poverty has different implications in everyday life. As an experience it will be equally valuable and exciting!”

BU Midwifery Students receive funding for placements in Kenya

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Third year BSc (Hons) Midwifery students Amanda Gill (Portsmouth) and Emma Barton (Bournemouth) have received funding from both the Iolanthe Midwifery Trust and the Global Horizons Fund to visit Kenya as part of their elective placements.

The Iolanthe Midwifery Trust is a charity which awards funding to pre-registration students for their electives to enhance their coursework.

The application process involved writing a funding application detailing their reasons for choosing Kenya, their plans while there and what they hope to achieve not only for themselves, but also for their education and the profession.

As well as Iolanthe, Amanda and Emma also applied to Global Horizons Fund, a scheme run by BU.

They each received £1,000 from each fund to cover travel, accommodation, subsistence and associated costs of the visit. They will be presented their awards at the annual Iolanthe Midwifery Trust award ceremony in Edinburgh in September.

Their three week visit will take place in July 2014, where they will be joining a small team from the UK to visit maternity services in central Kenya – Nanyuki District Hospital and the surrounding rural communities and health facilities of Lewa.

The initial project was established by three former BU students, aiming to provide training and sharing of skills and knowledge to midwives in Kenya to improve the lives of mothers and babies.

The project supports the development and provision of a range of education resources for use in the hospital and community clinic settings. Amanda and Emma were chosen to accompany these midwives and a paediatrician following interviews.

The elective experience will include observational placement of midwifery and obstetric services, visits to rural health facilities and participation in training and skills sharing sessions.

Amanda and Emma will have the opportunity to witness pregnancy and child-birth from different cultural perspectives, in both a district hospital and rural community settings.

Amanda and Emma are also raising money for training equipment and resources for the Kenya project.

Directly after the elective, Amanda will be partaking in a trip that includes climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and, amongst other activities, Emma will be completing the Bournemouth half-marathon in October.

Should anyone wish to contribute to their fundraising efforts, they can do so on their JustGiving page.

Social work students to undertake placement in Columbia

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Five BU social work students have successfully been awarded Global Horizons Funding to undertake a four week placement visit to Medellin, Colombia.

As part of the BU International Taskforce, Social Work Framework Leader, Jill Davey, visited EAFIT University, Colombia, and established a link with the Social Work Department to secure reciprocal placement exchanges between social work programmes delivered by BU and EAFIT University.

BU BA (Hons) Social Work students Karen Sampson, Gemma Chiverton, Georgia Foy, Cassie Dando and Michelle Lillywhite secured funding from the Global Horizons Fund, and will each receive £1,500 to go towards flights and accommodation.

Whilst there, the students will be taught by academics from the Social Work Department at the university, and will undertake work placements.

The type of placements students can undertake include visiting housing projects (half way up the Andes!), forest projects, drug and alcohol rehabilitation projects and projects which work towards getting women off the streets.

Michelle Lillywhite said “At BU we are taught to understand and appreciate the complexities of the lives of vulnerable people that we aim to be working with.

“This opportunity allows us a unique perspective to engage with a different culture where poverty has different implications in everyday life. As an experience it will be equally valuable and exciting!”

BU MA Journalism graduate wins BBC Student Innovation Award

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A Master’s journalism graduate from Bournemouth University has won a BBC Student Innovation Award for his work looking at ethnic tensions in Kosovo.

Joshua Longmore, who recently completed the MA Multimedia Journalism degree at BU, was awarded the accolade by the BBC College of Journalism, for his multimedia project Crossing the Bridge.

Joshua undertook the project as part of his MA course, going undercover in northern Kosovo to explore the ethnic tensions that exist between Albanians and Serbians in an area called Mitrovica.

“Crossing the Bridge is an in-depth multimedia project exploring ethnic tensions in Kosovo between its ethnic Albanians and Serbs as the Brussels Talks sought to normalise relations between Pristina and Belgrade,” said Joshua, 26.

“I actually completed my undergraduate degree dissertation on nationalism in Kosovo, so when the talks started towards the end of my MA, I thought it would be a great opportunity to take everything I’d learned and apply it in the field of independent foreign reporting.”

Joshua filming out in Kosovo

Joshua filming out in Kosovo

The final project consists of a website which includes video footage and audio interviews, alongside text and photography explaining the situation in the region and its history.

Joshua faced a number of challenges while working on it out in Kosovo, but said he is “really proud” of the final piece of work.

“Taking on such a big project by myself was really challenging,” he said.

“It took months and months or preparation and execution. However, filming and just practicing journalism in northern Mitrovica, still a volatile part of Kosovo, was difficult.

“I crossed into the Serbian-controlled north with some Albanians to interview an inter-ethnic couple, which was fairly dangerous.

“The whole thing has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to carry out though.”

Judges for the BBC College of Journalism’s Student Innovation Award praised Joshua’s work – describing it as “a strong, comprehensive and atmospheric piece of story-telling” with “excellent original content which demonstrates a high degree of multi-skilling and innovation.”

Joshua, who has recently secured a position as a broadcast assistant for new local TV platform London Live, said he was pleased to receive the accolade and exposure for his work.

“I’m enormously proud of winning this award and having my first piece of independent foreign reporting recognised by the BBC. Some really important people at the BBC have seen my work which can only do me good in the future.”

Joshua received around £1,250 from BU’s Global Horizons Fund to work on the project, which allowed him to travel to Kosovo and pay for things like flights, accommodation and a translator.

He said “I literally couldn’t have done this project without the support of Bournemouth University, both from the Global Horizons Fund and my course tutors. It’s been an amazing experience.”

Visit the Crossing The Bridge project website

Study and Work Abroad funding support available

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Are you interested in studying or working abroad as part of your course or as an extracurricular activity? If so, the BU Global Horizons Fund and Santander Grants are two sources of financial support, which you may be able to access.
The Autumn application round for both the BU Global Horizons Fund and Santander Grants is now open! For more information, please visit the new Study & Work Abroad site on the Student Portal to learn about international activities BU may be able to support, how to apply, and when you would have to submit your application.
For any queries, please write directly to studyabroad@bournemouth.ac.uk