Safe in halls and at home 

Our research, undertaken by McCann, identified that 18 to 34-year-olds are at high risk from CO and its associated impacts. Participants were unable to correctly identify the signs of CO, with just under half believing that being able to “smell gas” was a sign of CO, highlighting that education to this age group is a key issue.

Why we’re working together

Students are classed as one of the hardest-to reach groups. There are many potential causes of student disengagement, including a lack of interest in the material, lack of personal relevance and lack of motivation.

Partnering with St John Ambulance means we can target this audience and tailor our messaging. We’re able to use St John Ambulance’s expertise and relationships within the universities to leverage our reach and approach.

How we’re working together

Over this three-year period working with St John Ambulance, we aim to reach 910,000 students with a range of services via face-to-face training and multi-media channels across our network including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X, to ensure maximum reach.

St John Ambulance will run a Safe in halls and at home awareness campaign to reach 75 universities on our network and create a legacy partnership to give students life-saving skills.

They will also create and design digital media and social media content, leaflets, and posters that are specifically tailored to each campus. Carbon monoxide alarms will be provided to students who may be in private rental accommodation and living without one.

Promoting safety in university halls and homes will primarily rely on the network of First Aid Societies.

Specifically, St John Ambulance envisions each society delivering First-Aid sessions to their members, covering topics such as gas awareness and carbon monoxide first aid.

Project impact and learning

The opportunity to work with specialist partners at St John Ambulance will provide us with the chance to learn:

• What approaches are the most effective for engaging young adults that stand to benefit most from safety messaging and advice.
• Which resources and training are the most effective and engaging for young adults.

Our partnership created the opportunity to teach a generation how to prevent and handle carbon monoxide poisoning, and by working together, we will save lives, bring students together, and create a long-lasting legacy.