University welcomes Danish visitors to discuss dementia work
Date 4.05.2017
The University of Northampton’s Faculty of Health and Society had the opportunity to share ideas and ways of working with people with dementia with staff from VUK-Aalborg in Denmark.
Helle Hansen and Kim Sorenson visited Northampton as part of the Erasmus+ programme as VUK-Aalborg provides education and communication for both adults and adolescents. The school also has a provision of lifelong learning for people with dementia, who attend the school as students.
During their visit, Helle and Kim gave a very well received presentation at Rushton Hall, sharing their knowledge and experience with representatives around the county, including Northamptonshire County Council, Northampton Borough Council, St. Andrews Healthcare, Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust and Public Health. In addition to valuable knowledge exchange, the visit established some useful collaborations in teaching methods and ways of working with people living with dementia.
Jacqueline Parkes, Professor in Applied Mental Health at the University of Northampton said: “Helle and Kim were the very first members of staff to participate in our Erasmus+ programme as ‘Invited Staff from an Enterprise’ which enables specialist staff from enterprises, such as schools, organisations and NGOs, to participate in mobility supported by our Erasmus+ funding, which is normally used for outgoing staff.
“Being able to learn from Kim and Helle’s experiences and to understand the provision of services from a Danish context has provided new learning and inspiration. The opportunity to host Kim and Helle through the Erasmus+ programme has been exciting and has strengthened our partntership with VUK. We look forward to welcoming Kim and Helle again later in the year to further develop the work from this first visit.”
Annie Pillans, Erasmus and Mobility Co-ordinator at the University of Northampton, said: “This initiative has brought a new dimension to the University’s Erasmus+ programme which continues to flourish, enabling study and work abroad activity with EC funding for our staff and students in conjuction with our Erasmus+ partners across Europe.”