FREE, recovery-focused, educational courses are now available to help Oldham residents improve their health and wellbeing.
The Health and Wellbeing College, run by Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, is accepting
enrolments for the spring semester.
The courses are for anyone over the age of 18 years who lives in Bury, Heywood, Middleton, Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport, Tameside or Glossop.
They are designed to support people to recognise their potential and make the most of their talents and resources, through self-management.
Every course is jointly developed by someone with professional skills or knowledge and someone with skills or knowledge gained through living with the condition.
These aim to be fun and interactive and will include a number of different learning styles to ensure there is something for everyone.
Enrolment for the new semester runs until April 13 and courses will run from May to July. Some of the new courses available for the spring semester include:
- Living With Pain – a course for people living with persistent pain or caring for someone who does. It explores strategies to manage pain effectively.
- Loss and Bereavement – considering the impact of loss, adjusting to change and strategies to cope with grief.
- Assert Yourself – helping people to use positive communication skills, know their rights and become more confident.
Katie Kay, Health and Wellbeing College Project Lead, said: “We’ve had two fantastic semesters so far and we’re delighted to be able to deliver courses at new campuses in Bury and Rochdale and to expand the range of courses on offer.
“Students have told us they like the friendly, positive nature of the college courses and we know they’ve made a real difference to people’s health and wellbeing.”
Amy Wilcox-Jones, 23, from Oldham, helped design courses on healthy eating, believing in your abilities and overcoming anxiety.
She said: “My experiences have been brilliant. I really enjoyed developing ideas for future courses, creating a whole timeline for the college and feeding back on how courses have gone so far.”
Student Samantha Benedek-Chaplin, 37, from Oldham added: “I joined the college to get my confidence back and to make new friends. For the first time I am a person not an illness!
“The college has been a God send. It’s a safe place where I can be myself, it doesn’t matter that I am disabled. They accept me for who I am.”
The main college campus is in Oldham at Maple House, Southlink Business Park.
People can enrol for this semester by calling 0161 716 2666, email hwcollege.penninecare@nhs.net, or come into the Oldham campus between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday.
For more information and to see the prospectus, visit www.mhmc.penninecare.nhs.uk/HWCollege or go on Facebook @healthandwellbeingcollege
