Session 25: Working in a wellness community: assessing the benefits to student curators in a creative collaboration

Abstract

The paper will present the outcomes of research that has investigated the impact on student wellbeing of an internship to enhance the public spaces at the new Royal Liverpool Hospital, (RLH).We asked if this contribution to the ‘common good’ enhances the student experience of internship, as opposed to a work experience that is based on ‘private good’ or only of commercial interest. This responds to ‘the philosophy of focusing on the common good as a measurement of wellbeing’ Ahuvia et al,(2015)

The paper has three central aims:
• To enable students to present their insights and conclusions.
• To offer the results of reflection and thematic analysis as an effective methodology
• To submit the results of the research to public scrutiny.

Students have recently participated in a curatorial project at the new RLH. Art works were transferred from the old buildings, prior to demolition, and rehung in the new hospital, building a sense of continuity and community. The response from staff and RLH senior management has been overwhelmingly positive, and we have been offered many art works to develop a phase two, commencing in February 2024.

Positive feedback from students was previously captured informally. In the next phase, we have offered paid internships to eight students to explore the impact of an activity that has a ‘focus on the common good’, i.e., improving the working environment of the community of staff at the RLH. Interns have been tasked to keep a regular reflective journal alongside their curatorial activities and asked to consider specific questions that will allow us to assess the impact on their wellbeing, both mental and physical, using a thematic analysis. This has received a Curriculum Enhancement Grant.

Working in a wellness community: assessing the benefits to student curators in a creative collaboration PowerPoint.  Only LJMU staff and students have access to this resource.