The University of the Western Cape’s Interprofessional Education Unit (IPEU) offers an Interdisciplinary Health Promotion Module for students in the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences and in the Faculty of Dentistry. This module allows healthcare students to learn with, from and about each other to better prepare them for collaborative practice. The students are doing impressive work at underprivileged schools in underserved communities such as Delft and Belhar, to apply their theoretical knowledge to real work environments. In this way, students studying Dietetics, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Dentistry and Oral Hygiene learn how to deal with bias early, integrate empathy with their work, and gain real-life experience during their undergraduate years.
The UWC students conduct five visits over the course of five weeks to nine different primary schools in these areas to develop and implement relevant projects which aim to promote the general health and social wellbeing of school learners. The UWC students show care, support, share resources, and lighten the pressure felt by the teachers in these schools, which they feel is something that is constantly overlooked. The highlight of one of these visits was the Biscuit initiative. The second-year students of 2025 led a drive that showed a gesture of gratitude when they bought biscuits and office snacks out of their own pockets to show appreciation to the teachers, giving them something to enjoy during their staff meetings. They showed great commitment to their work in these schools and significantly engaged even amongst academic pressure. Not only did they do what was required from the module, but they went above and beyond. On one of the visits, it was apparent that although the school is under-resourced and the area struggles with crime and drug use, there is a continuous effort to make it a haven for the learners. The grounds are beautifully kept, and the school is neat overall. The school learners receive one nutritious meal per day through the National School Nutrition Programme, which takes pressure off parents to provide meals.
The UWC students were divided into interprofessional teams and assigned to Grade 6 and 7 classes. The school learners seemed to thoroughly enjoy the visits and were visibly excited to interact with and learn from the UWC students. During these visits, the school learner’s safety and privacy was honoured, the tutors were always on standby, and two security officers patrolled the school. The school learners and the UWC students interacted in small groups where learners were able to be heard, build trust and have an open dialogue in a safe space. This is different from the disciplinary approach taken by the teachers every day. The Interdisciplinary Health Promotion Module helps to fill the gap, providing opportunity to teach school going children about respect and health, in an interdisciplinary manner, which teachers may not always be able to do, due to heavy
focus on the curriculum. The health promotion project developed and implemented by the UWC students was based on the needs of the school learners and aligned to the life orientation curriculum as far as possible.
Since these visits, the school has seen a decrease in bullying and fights, as well as an increase in respect amongst learners, and between learners and teachers. In these interactive learning sessions, the UWC students informed the school learners about their core values, such as kindness and respect. They were taught conflict resolution techniques, to show respect towards others, to avoid bullying, and to take care of themselves, such as choosing the right foods to eat during exams to fuel their bodies. The learners would then demonstrate this through presentations for their class or group.
The module opens up opportunity for exposure on both sides. The UWC students gain practical experience in collaborative problem-solving, leadership and communication, while the school learners receive mentorship and get to see past their current circumstances, broadening their perspective on health and social wellbeing. They can now dream bigger for themselves and see the opportunity that awaits them within the health sector. The purpose of this approach to learning is to adapt health education and the future health system.
The IPEU believes that the environment is the best teacher. Creating an interactive health workforce at the university level is the solution to solving South Africa’s many complex health challenges.