Social Science students benefit from Dutch cousins after HAN University trip

Social and Community Development (Ba hons) students had the chance to exchange ideas with their European counterparts during a field trip made by Dutch peers to complement their ‘Youth at Risk’ module.

Students from HAN University of Applied Sciences in Arnhem visited Northampton this week during a field trip organised by the University of Northampton’s Faculty of Health and Society.

They gained an insight into UK law and ways of working during three days of lectures, activities and tours of the town designed to help them work better with children and young people.

The Dutch students also facilitated lectures for Northampton students, in which they gained useful insights into how Dutch social work professionals tackle the issue of children and young people who are at risk of abuse or neglect.

ScreenNorthants spoke to the students about how they use film to work with children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and increase opportunities for them in the film industry.

The visit included meeting with Northampton Borough Councillors and going on a virtual tour of the Ghosts of Northampton’s Past and visiting Northampton Town Football Club.

Victoria Boulton, Programme Lead for Social and Community Development at the University of Northampton, said: “It’s been a packed but enlightening agenda this week, for both our subject staff and students here at Northampton and for those who visited us from HAN.

“It’s been a pleasure hosting them and we look forward to more collaborative work like this in the future.”

HAN student Chinemezu Iheme said of his week here: “It’s been impressive, seeing the differences to working with children. From the exchange of knowledge, I’ll be taking home new ideas to develop about working with young people.”

Fellow HAN student Caroleien Sas added: “It’s been interesting to see how students have lectures here; they are much different to those in the Netherlands. The Right to Life lecture gave me a good insight into UK law and how things are decided in the UK.”

This field trip was organised after University of Northampton staff attended the International Week at HAN.  This was the first time that Social Work had engaged with Erasmus+ staff mobility. Both visits were made possible by Erasmus+ Key Action 103 staff mobility funding.

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