A joint programme delivered through a multi-year partnership between Rise and Newcastle University Medical School has been recognised at the Educate North Awards, winning the Community Engagement Award (University Sector).
The programme combines theoretical Physical Activity Clinical Champions training (PACC) for Medical Undergraduates, alongside community-based shadowing opportunities.
The Community Engagement Award highlights university institutions that aim to develop individuals through community led projects, utilising a holistic approach.
The judging panel described the initiative as “a superb, well-evidenced partnership” with strong social impact. They also highlighted the benefits of combining academic learning with subsequent meaningful community engagement, particularly focusing on marginalized community groups.
The partnership between Rise and Newcastle University has consistently demonstrated strong, positive outcomes over the duration of the project, with over 1,100 students benefiting so far.
After training, 97% of students felt more confident promoting the benefits of physical activity to patients upon completion.
Adam Brougham, Rise Strategic Director, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to receive this recognition alongside our partners at Newcastle University. This project was codesigned on the belief that physical activity should be inclusive and community-led, bridging the gap between clinical expertise and community patient engagement. This award reflects the strength of the partnership between Rise and Newcastle University and demonstrates what can be achieved through meaningful collaborative working.”
Dr Scott Walker, MBBS Rise Project Lead and Head of Year 1 Medicine at Newcastle University Medical School, said, “Community-PACC is about developing good citizens, as well as good doctors. This recognition reflects the passion of our students, colleagues, and community partners who are working together to strengthen lifestyle medicine education and contribute to a healthier future for our region. By allowing pre-clinical students to see patients as people in their social context and understand the communities in which they serve, we are driving long-term progress for health outcomes across the North East.”
Looking further ahead, our ambitions are to:
- integrate PACC training as part of the core curriculum for all universities across the North East Combined Authority footprint
- to support the formation of a North East Physical Activity and Learning Community of Practice
- broaden our student shadowing offer to include access to a wider selection of VCSE wellbeing services.
For more about the whole approach, please click here.
PACC is an initiative funded by Sport England and run by a consortium consisting of The Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, Sheffield, Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK and Intelligent Health.
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