- Free membership!
- Learn First Aid skills in a fun, interactive setting from beginner to advanced, no experience neccesary.
- Learn to save a life and make a difference when it's really needed.
- Build your confidence with regular training sessions including active, scenario-based learning, problem solving tasks and more.
- Make friends and enjoy yourself, become part of a student community a share a passion for first aid and helping others.
- Add to your CV and develop your soft skills, as well as experience
- Guest speakers, CPD + BLS, ILS and OSCE/ISCE practice
- Exciting opportunities to volunteer with St. John Ambulance, going out to events all over the country and meeting student volunteers from different universities.
- Join us on Fundraising activities that help fund the work of life-saving charities.
Speakers currently booked for Semester 1:
Joshua and the critical care team from Devon Air Ambulance - Tuesday the 13th of October at 7pm - tickets available asap.
Who are we?
Hey! We're UPFA First aid Society, and our aim is to provide the student community with lots of fun opportunities to learn first aid skills in an interesting, friendly environment. To be honest, we're also here to have fun (Lots of socials!) , and share a passion for making a difference in local community one step at a time.
Through being a member of our society you can build self confidence, gather skills and experience for your CV, and make a difference through fundraising for charity and volunteering in a variety of roles within the community. You don't need to be a student HCP to join us, every year we have a wide range of students studying so many different courses.
First aid is really easy to learn, and saves lives - we are a free society and welcome everyone, regardless of skills or experience. We're also affiliated with St John Ambulance, and have our own Student Volunteering Unit. Through joining the society, you have the opportunity to apply and be selected to become a volunteer for SJA, putting your skills into practice at events all over the UK (Last year our members went to Wimbledon, London Marathon, various concerts/events including Two Door Cinema Club, Sam Fender, Jack Whitehall and also smaller, community events in the local Plymouth area such as the Barbican Light Switch on, Plymouth Argyle, UOP Summer Ball and more.
The support our volunteers provide makes such a difference, especially in current circumstances, and we're incredibly proud of them! :)
We want you to have a good time with us, so we've got lots of socials and events planned throughout the year.
Covid 19 may affect this but don't worry - we're going to do our best to make the best of the situation and give you the best experience possible. Events include our annual christmas meal, non drinking socials such Pizza/film nights, Snowtubing, Games, Jackbox/Kahoot as well as nights out/pub crawls at the SU and other local places. We're always looking for suggestions for socials so please let us know!
First aid training...
University of Plymouth First Aid Society aims to educate and promote first aid skills as well as helping to give the confidence to use them in real life. We run weekly training sessions (These are normally Tuesday Nights in Babbage building at 7pm onwards) which follow a training syllabus which is provided to all members. Our nights include:
- Taught group sessions on a range of different topics, beginning with an introduction to First aid, the recovery position, CPR and other basic skills. We cover a variety of subjects including burns and scalds, choking, asthma, and eplilepsy plus other wider topics such as mental health first aid.
- AMPLE opportunities to practice your first aid skills ( get it? ;) ??) through casualty simlulation scenarios with lots of support and practice to make sure you feel confident in your skills. We've got a SFX moulage kit which is pretty good too!
- Breakout sessions where problem solving and communication skills are encouraged, as well as the chance to speak on a one to one basis about any queries you might have.
- Potential for certification of attendance to be provided, as well as opportunities for other certificates/qualifiations; we're not really sure on that this year, we'll keep this updated!
- Normally one topic per night, with theory first half, practical second half. Lots of opportunities to ask questions at the end and then a trip to the SU for a friendly catch up.
PLEASE NOTE - you've not got to attend every single session to be a member of the society! Please come and learn as much as you like.
We also invite a range of speakers to provide insight into perspectives on first aid, as well as to learn new, more unique skills. Previously we have had interest talks from a 999 call handler, an Emergency Care assistant with SWAST, an Emergency Department Nurse, a Junior Doctor and many, many more - most of these being past members who have come back to support us.
St John Ambulance/Volunteering...
Plymouth First Aid Society is affiliated with Plymouth Student Volunteering Unit, St John Ambulance. This is student led, student operated unit dedicated to Plymouth university and provides a fantastic opportunity to become a volunteer for a really amazing organisation. Not everybody decides to join, and you definitely don't have to! However, it's a great way to put taught skills into practice.
But what does this mean?
- Access to top quality training material, equipment and resources.
- The chance to be formally trained, starting as an Event First aider, with options to progress and develop further clinical skills - Advance first Aider and eventually Emergency Ambulance Crew shoul (No prior experience neccessary) Plus! Opportunities for specialist roles such as Cycle responder
- Professional Development, and the opportunity to volunteer at events, in hospitals, and the local community. We currently have members supporting emergency department at Derriford Hospital, supporting Blood Donation Sessions all over Devon as well as delivering prehospital care- crewing Blue light emergency ambulances and responding to 999 calls on behalf of the NHS!
- Asforementioned, members can support events in the local area or further afield, gaining self confidence and meeting student volunteers from all over the country.
- It's not just clinical roles! Wel also need youth leaders, control room staff, logistics volunteers, and more.
- Recruitment starts in October/November with details being released to our members nearer the time. You must be a member of UPFA to apply for PSVU.
- This year things might be a little different - bear with us!
Student HCPS:
If you're working with a fully registered HCP, You'll be able to use skills you've been signed off for, under their supervision. You also get the chance to experience a VERY different side of healthcare- Muddy fields, sports, festivals, and everything in between. It's a great opportunity to practice pre-hospital skills, practice towards OSCEs, and access a HUGE programme of CPD.
Fundraising and raising awareness...
Each year we fundraise for our chosen charity - this year it's St John Ambulance.
We do this through our merchandise, through events such as a CPR marathon and Restart a heart day, and also through sponsered Fundraisers.
CPR Marathon...
Restart a heart:
Socials...
Each week we head to the SU or similar for a catch up and a drink (soft drinks too!)
We've also got lots of other socials planned such as our end of year christmas meal, non drinking socials such as games nights, walks on dartmoor and trips to the beach, and drinking socials such as pub crawls and nights out.
The pandemic is no-doubt going to affect this but we'll do our best to make sure we come up with lots of ideas to keep you engaged!
Thanks for reading! Please get in touch if you have any questions and we look forward to meeting you.
*** update - due to Coronavirus some of our activities will be online for 20/21 - but don't worry! We've got tonnes planned to keep you occupied over the net few months. Watch this space for more information on upcoming talks and events!