An innovative approach to helping people manage their own health and improve their wellbeing is being launched in Bath and North East Somerset on 6th January.
The Wellbeing College provides courses to help people manage their physical and mental health
The government’s Measuring National Wellbeing programme highlighted the factors most strongly associated with personal wellbeing are health, employment and relationship status.
Now a Wellbeing College has been set up to bring together organisations across B&NES to provide people with the opportunity to manage their own health and wellbeing in a move which is the first of its kind in the UK.
A dedicated website will be the hub of the College, with Wellbeing Advisors available to offer one-to-one, face-to-face or telephone advice and help with enrolment on courses in Bath, Keynsham and Midsomer Norton or Radstock.
Sarah Prendergast, is co-manager of the College with Julia Collett. She said: “It will provide opportunities and resources in Bath and North East Somerset to help people manage their health and quality of life.
“Wellbeing is about the person as a whole; physical, mental and spiritual health and their relationships with their community and environment. Wellbeing affects our happiness.
“To be able to manage your wellbeing you need to be able to access information when you need it and to be able to talk to people you trust.
“The Wellbeing College is a social prescription rather than a medical prescription.”
The website, www.wellbeingcollegebanes.co.uk, describes courses on offer across the district by a range of organisations from Bath MIND to Sirona’s Healthy Lifestyle Service and from Julian House to Southside.
There are also lots of opportunities to get involved as Wellbeing College Volunteers.
Sarah said: “The idea is to give people the opportunity to take control of their life through education so they can manage their own health and wellbeing.
“This will give people the chance to meet others in the same situation and gain knowledge, skills and confidence. The courses and activities on offer are aimed at helping people feel positive and more in control of their lives.
“We want to help people to live as independently as possible for as long as possible with a good quality of life.
“The Wellbeing College is a pilot project which will try to determine whether people manage their health and wellbeing better by doing a course or activity.
“Everyone taking part will be asked about their wellbeing at the start and again six months later. If we can show that people feel better after attending the college, there could be funding for a permanent college in the future.”
Courses and activities range from Juggling life and caring, healthy eating, exercise and stopping smoking to more specific things like Living Well with Dementia (for carers), Mindfulness and Alcohol Awareness.
Enrolment is free for most courses and there may be a small fee for others.
The two year pilot project is funded by Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (BaNES CCG) and B&NES Council.
Dr Ian Orpen, Clinical Chair of BaNES CCG said: “The CCG is funding the Wellbeing College pilot because we want to ensure that local people have the support and opportunities they need to live healthy, independent lives.
“By supporting people to manage their own health and wellbeing better we can prevent them from falling ill or developing long term conditions in the future.”
Cllr Simon Allen, Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, said: “We are really fortunate in Bath and North East Somerset in having so much to offer people who want to find greater health, happiness and contentment.
“However we also know how difficult it can be to work through masses of information to find just what you need, and then take the plunge and actually get involved.
“The wellbeing college is an innovative approach which has been set up to be a friendly and easy access master-key that will help you unlock the doors by discussing your individual needs, informing, motivating and supporting you to take the first important steps on the road to a better life.”
To contact the College call 01225 831820 or email [email protected]
