Our aims
The SHIELD service seeks to achieve two aims:
Firstly, allowing NTU Psychology students to gain industry-relevant experience as training coaches. Second-year students will:
- receive training in coaching as an intervention for support
- support a young learner in a series of structured sessions with the support of a clinical supervisor
- participate in group reflective practice to help them develop their professional practice.
Secondly, SHIELD aims to equip young learners in Nottingham aged 11+ with the skills for academic development. The SHIELD programme is designed to help each young learner to:
- engage well with their education
- reflect on practical and positive skills to better navigate adolescence
- develop self-acceptance and confidence
- practice emotional regulation
- build positive connections to form their support network.
This intervention helps all young learners achieve academic success in the short term, and life success in the long-term.
Information for NTU students
Find out how to get involved in the NTU SHIELD programme as an NTU Psychology student.
Information for young learners
Find out how to access the services provided by the NTU SHIELD programme, as a young learner or as someone referring a young learner.
Additional staff
- Katie Bush (on secondment from Base51), SHIELD Clinician
Additional information
We will be formally evaluating SHIELD from the perspectives of students and the young people accessing the service.
All adolescents who access SHIELD will be asked to complete a baseline questionnaire assessment and another at the end of their time with SHIELD. Students may be able to be involved in some aspects of this work.
NTU SHIELD is funded by Nottingham Trent University. In the future we hope to gain external funding in the future and partner with other organisations to continue to develop the programme further.
SHIELD is run by the NTU Psychology department.
In addition, we have developed a strategic partnership with Base51, an established support service for young people. Base51 will be forwarding referrals to the service, and they will also be providing support and input to the safeguarding procedures alongside the NTU Safeguarding team.
We have also developed a partnership with the School of Computer Science at NTU, who are helping us to develop an app for SHIELD, which will deliver therapeutic content to adolescents.