SHEU works with FE & 6th Form Colleges to deliver independent survey services.

		Link to...Surveying Students in FE & 6th Form Colleges
		PLUS... link to Healthy Student News PLUS... articles published about FE & 6th Form Colleges

Based on over 30 years experience of working in the Health and Education sectors.

Q. Who are SHEU?
The Students Health Education Unit is part of SHEU, an independent research unit. SHEU have, since 1977, developed expertise through providing independent survey services to Health and Education Authorities across the UK. It's reputation has been gained by enabling local communities to understand the health and health-related behaviour of young people. This is achieved through a range of survey, evaluation and monitoring services which focus around the communities where young people live. Authorities use the information to deliver appropriate services and design interventions that support young people to take more care of their health.

Q. Why would I be interested?
Other colleges are! Since 2000, SHEU has been developing services for FE & 6th Form Colleges. A student survey instrument has been successfully trailed and piloted with Colleges. A free online survey has been offered to colleges. A confidential databank is developing and currently holds information from students about their attitudes and lifestyle behaviours in relation to health. This unique resource enables comparisons to be made across a range of questions. Not only would college's have information with regard to your students you may also have comparative, anonymous data from students in your region or elsewhere.

Q. What else do SHEU offer?
SHEU have a number of approaches to students concerning their health and health-related behaviour. Typically they involve working with small groups and individual students in order to complement survey information. Data analysis and interpretation use a range of established methods. You determine the most convenient means to receive the results. These usually take the form of written reports, Powerpoint presentations and booklets. Data can be made accessible for your computer systems. In February 2007, at the first national Healthy Colleges conference, SHEU presented some survey findings.

Q. And the cost?
Our services, per student, can cost from pence to around five pounds. Using an existing online survey can cost from £250 and involve as many students as you choose. Pricing a tailored paper or online survey is less straightforward. If you can tell us how many questions you want to ask of how many students then we can give you an exact price for the work, but typically these considerations are decided after discussion. We can tailor a robust service to fit your resources, and advise on local partners who would also be interested in the same figures as yourself and may contribute to your budget.

Q. How do colleges use SHEU services?
The development of our services to the FE and 6th Form sector has been growing. We are in regular contact with Student Support Teams to inform them of the services described on this page and also to encourage a partnership approach to be considered. The data, resulting from this activity, is greatly strengthening the databanks and providing participants with rich information to inform service provision, deliver support and design appropriate interventions. How did colleges use data from the free online survey? (644kb pdf)

Q. What could I do next?
Talk to colleagues in your network. Consider if any of your existing survey, evaluation and monitoring services could be provided more cost effectively. By talking to SHEU you will also find that their interest is in working with you to meet your needs, and provide an efficient service at a reasonable cost.

For further information please contact
Angela Balding
Tel: 01392 667272