Working in partnership is a fundamental principle that sits at the heart of how and why LifeLab was created. A unique collaboration project, we bring together organisations in education, health, charity, academic and research. Across the south coast, we work in partnership with schools, colleges and local authorities. Nationally and internationally, we work collaboratively with like-minded organisations to achieve positive outcomes for young people.
If you would like to work with us work or you have a partnership idea you would like to discuss please do get in touch, email lifelab@soton.ac.uk
The LifeLab Global Network
We are developing an international network with institutions that share our mission, helping to grow our reach and impact around the world. We are working closely with partners in Australia (Sydney), South Africa (Soweto) and Ireland (Dublin) to demonstrate the scalability and generalisability of the LifeLab model, and how it can be adapted for students in different contexts
Partnership Case Studies
Royal Society for Public Health
Since 2017, we have worked in partnership with the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). In 2019 we received the RSPH's ‘Centre of Excellence’ Hygeia award in recognition of the quality of our work as an accredited delivery centre of the Young Health Champions qualification. In lockdown, we worked hard to enable enrolled students to complete the qualification online through a blended learning approach. This inspired us to work in partnership with the RSPH to develop a COVID-19 version of the Young Health Champions qualification. Launched in March 2021, the qualification is available across the UK through the RSPH network of accredited centres and nationally to schools and colleges via LifeLabOnline.
In July 2021, our COVID-19 Warriors programme, designed to help primary school children to protect themselves from COVID-19, won the backing of the RSPH who published the films on their YouTube channel enabling the films to be accessed by educators and young people across the UK.
Christina Marriott, Chief Executive of RSPH, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the COVID-19 Warriors Programme, as part of our ongoing partnership with LifeLab and the University of Southampton. We believe that the COVID-19 Warriors programme is an excellent vehicle for building young peoples’ understanding of the challenges that this pandemic continues to pose and how they can make choices that can help to keep themselves, their friends and their families safe.”
Since 2017, we have worked in partnership with the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH). In 2019 we received the RSPH's ‘Centre of Excellence’ Hygeia award in recognition of the quality of our work as an accredited delivery centre of the Young Health Champions qualification. In lockdown, we worked hard to enable enrolled students to complete the qualification online through a blended learning approach. This inspired us to work in partnership with the RSPH to develop a COVID-19 version of the Young Health Champions qualification. Launched in March 2021, the qualification is available across the UK through the RSPH network of accredited centres and nationally to schools and colleges via LifeLabOnline.
In July 2021, our COVID-19 Warriors programme, designed to help primary school children to protect themselves from COVID-19, won the backing of the RSPH who published the films on their YouTube channel enabling the films to be accessed by educators and young people across the UK.
Christina Marriott, Chief Executive of RSPH, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the COVID-19 Warriors Programme, as part of our ongoing partnership with LifeLab and the University of Southampton. We believe that the COVID-19 Warriors programme is an excellent vehicle for building young peoples’ understanding of the challenges that this pandemic continues to pose and how they can make choices that can help to keep themselves, their friends and their families safe.”
Rethink Food
Rethink Food is a not-for-profit company, who have worked in partnership with us since 2019. Their mission is to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for children, young people and communities by changing the way we think about food, whilst also working to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. With complementary visions for the future for young people, we love the innovative engagement opportunities provided by the Rethink Food programmes.
We partner with Rethink Food to complement their education modules with our "science for health literacy" approach. We delivered programmes to secondary school students as part of our "Cultivate! Teenagers can change the world with their green fingers" project. In primary schools we worked with students as they moved up to secondary school, to encourage them to think about what a "healthy food transition" looks like for them. Using aeroponic growing towers, children learn about growth and life, whilst being challenged to consider the health and climate change consequences of their food choices – both in terms of the food available to eat, but also how our choices can impact the planet’s health alongside our own health.
Nathan Atkinson, Chief Executive of Rethink Food, said: “Working in partnership with the team at Life Lab has enabled us to enrich our Rethink Food Futures programme. The specialist science for health element has added real value and further improved outcomes for children and young people.”
Rethink Food is a not-for-profit company, who have worked in partnership with us since 2019. Their mission is to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for children, young people and communities by changing the way we think about food, whilst also working to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. With complementary visions for the future for young people, we love the innovative engagement opportunities provided by the Rethink Food programmes.
We partner with Rethink Food to complement their education modules with our "science for health literacy" approach. We delivered programmes to secondary school students as part of our "Cultivate! Teenagers can change the world with their green fingers" project. In primary schools we worked with students as they moved up to secondary school, to encourage them to think about what a "healthy food transition" looks like for them. Using aeroponic growing towers, children learn about growth and life, whilst being challenged to consider the health and climate change consequences of their food choices – both in terms of the food available to eat, but also how our choices can impact the planet’s health alongside our own health.
Nathan Atkinson, Chief Executive of Rethink Food, said: “Working in partnership with the team at Life Lab has enabled us to enrich our Rethink Food Futures programme. The specialist science for health element has added real value and further improved outcomes for children and young people.”
