News

ShelterBox and Plymouth University have launched a new partnership to develop innovative educational, fundraising and research projects for both organisations.

 

ShelterBox will work with the university to establish knowledge transfer and joint research opportunities across a range of activities such as psychology, design and sustainability.

 

The agreement will also lead to Plymouth University students and staff supporting the charity through awareness and fundraising campaigns, and ShelterBox response team leaders providing leadership training workshops and residential courses to student volunteers. 

 

The launch of the partnership was marked today (Friday 30 March) with a workshop at the charity’s Helston headquarters, with University academics meeting staff and volunteers to discuss potential partnership research opportunities.  

 

Tom Henderson OBE, ShelterBox Founder and CEO, said: ‘ShelterBox and Plymouth University share the same values of innovation, quality and creativity and I look forward to seeing this relationship develop to produce the humanitarians of the future. The partnership will have a local and global impact as well as offering students in the south west and beyond a world-leading centre for their studies.’ 

 

One of the joint projects already underway is the development of a ShelterBox Masters course in International Disaster Relief Management, to be accredited by the University. 

 

Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Plymouth University, said: ‘Plymouth University has a strong ethos of working in partnership with community partners such as ShelterBox to help shape a more prosperous, safer world. This new partnership will see our two distinguished, world-class organisations working together to tackle a range of issues facing ShelterBox and the communities in which it operates, as well as offering some fantastic opportunities for our students to develop skills in fundraising, communication and leadership. It also represents our continued commitment to working within Cornwall, a value that ShelterBox is well known for sharing.’

 

Following the launch event and formative discussions, ShelterBox and Plymouth University staff will work together to establish a programme of research activities, including investigating bids for research funding opportunities. Volunteering and awareness raising activities will soon be advertised to students and staff, such as a ‘Green Box Fun Day’ on campus, and curriculum design for the proposed Masters course is progressing with a  view to open to its first students in September 2013. 

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