Cardiff Metropolitan University and Students’ Union hire current student to support their drug and alcohol work on campus!

Read all about the new student drug and alcohol harm reduction coordinator at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Cardiff Metropolitan University and Students’ Union hire current student to support their drug and alcohol work on campus!

Cardiff Metropolitan university and students’ union have firmly embedded student participation in their harm reduction work on campus, by hiring a current student as their new student drug and alcohol harm reduction coordinator.

“My motivation was deeply rooted in the belief that every student deserves an amazing university experience built on a foundation of safety, well-being, and informed choices. I'm already incredibly proud that we've managed to significantly increase our presence and visibility, making harm reduction more recognised on campus. However, this is just the beginning; I am genuinely excited to build on this momentum and see how much further we can integrate these vital practices into the heart of student life!” Lauren Young, student drug and alcohol harm reduction coordinator.
“We felt that employing a student as the Drug & Alcohol Harm Reduction Coordinator was the most effective way to ensure that the campaigns, interventions, events, and marketing of the work speaks to the audience it’s intended to reach. We believe in being student-led and this was a great opportunity to live that value and put a student into the heart of our work.” Will Fuller, Cardiff Metropolitan Students' Union CEO

When it comes to creating an inclusive and supportive environment around student substance use,student involvement is vital to ensuring that the support and information offered truly lands with the student population.

Cardiff Metropolitan university and students’ union have firmly embedded student participation in their harm reduction work on campus, by hiring a current student as their new student drug and alcohol harm reduction coordinator.Lauren Young, a current speech and language therapy student, has already made her mark by taking responsibility for promoting harm reduction information during welcome week and beyond.

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When thinking about her motivations for supporting drug and alcohol work on campus, Lauren said:

“My motivation was deeply rooted in the belief that every student deserves an amazing university experience built on a foundation of safety, well-being, and informed choices. I'm already incredibly proud that we've managed to significantly increase our presence and visibility, making harm reduction more recognised on campus. However, this is just the beginning; I am genuinely excited to build on this momentum and see how much further we can integrate these vital practices into the heart of student life!”

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The active involvement of students in work around harm reduction is vital, with 20% of students who drink alcohol noting that they do so because they want to fit in(insert survey link), having student representatives that promote inclusivity and informed choice feels especially important in challenging the perceived norms that still exist at university. By involving students as active contributors to work in this area, it ensures that any decision considers the complexities and experiences of being a current student in higher education.

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When thinking about the decision to hire a current student in this position, Will Fuller(CEO, Students’ Union) said:

“We felt that employing a student as the Drug & Alcohol Harm Reduction Coordinator was the most effective way to ensure that the campaigns,interventions, events, and marketing of the work speaks to the audience it’s intended to reach. We believe in being student-led and this was a great opportunity to live that value and put a student into the heart of our work.”

 

We’re so excitedto see how Lauren develops in her role and hope to see more institutions following Cardiff Met’s lead!

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