Glyndŵr to help boost your health and happiness

* From left: Petros Andreadis, Senior Lecturer, Public Health and Wellbeing; Justine Mason, Programme Leader for the Mental Health and Wellbeing programme, and Catherine Hewins, Senior Lecturer – Health.

 

A series of masterclasses looking at how communities can work together to improve health, happiness and wellbeing are to be held at Wrexham Glyndŵr University.

The free masterclasses, being held across May and June, examine ways that the general public – and specific professionals – can make an impact in their community.

On May 23, the Art and Science of Public Health Masterclass - https://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/ShortCourses/PublicHealthMasterclass/ - will look at how our lifestyles and systems can affect our health and wellbeing – and ways we can reduce disease and illness and increase wellbeing.

On June 22, the Beyond Barbells and Beefcake Masterclass - https://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/ShortCourses/BeyondBarbellsandBeefcake/ - examines ways that fitness professionals can link their work to the wider picture when it comes to public health and wellbeing.

And on June 25, the Tints, Tips and Talking Masterclass - https://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/ShortCourses/TintsTipsandTalking/ - will consider the impact that those working in the beauty industry can make. Designed for any kind of beauty industry professional, the class looks at how beauty professionals can recognise issues such as loneliness – and ways that they can signpost their clients to services.

Programme Leader for the Mental Health and Wellbeing programme, Justine Mason, explained that one of the drivers behind the masterclasses was to set out the ways that different groups can play in keeping a community healthy.

She said: “One of the areas where we have been doing a lot of work – and which is growing in importance – is social prescribing. This is essentially where a person’s needs are looked at and a range of activities are suggested for them to take part in – such as volunteering, cookery or gardening. These are designed to help boost their wellbeing.

“When social prescribing first started, it was very much GP led – you would see your GP, and they would refer you on from there. What we are finding, however, is that other members of the community can have that knowledge too.

“Take hairdressers – people will tell their hairdresser how lonely they are, indeed the hairdresser may be the only person they talk to that day. These masterclasses can help people to identify situations like that where they can improve the health and wellbeing of their community, what they can do – and how a hairdresser could tackle social isolation without even leaving the salon.

“The same is true for fitness professionals too – and for other members of the public. These masterclasses are designed to show how our communities can get involved in public health – and the difference that makes.”

* To find out more about the BSc (Hons) Public Health and Wellbeing course, please click here: https://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/Undergraduatecourses/HealthandWellbeing/ and to find out about the BSc(Hons) Mental Health and Wellbeing course, please click here: https://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/Undergraduatecourses/MentalHealthandWellbeing/