Background:
SLT students have been posting on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram with support of an expert by experience (EBE) and SLT lecturers to increase HANCUK’s visibility on social media.
Method:
Initiated in Birmingham City University in 2022, now co-produced with Ulster University, this project has involved over 15 students (currently 4 from each institution).
Regular online meetings, with the EBE and a lecturer, identify topics consistent with the charity’s ethos. Students create posts together after researching, e.g. Betel-nut-chewing. Two online surveys were carried out to gauge impact– one open to participating students and one to HANCUK.
Results:
Followers grew from 11 to 741.The most re-tweeted posts were those with practical advice, e.g., videos of cooking meals suitable for those with dysphagia.
Charity feedback: ‘this has been a phenomenal success…some patients contacted us via email for advice and assistance; and brought connections … not …. possible without…. social media.’
Conclusion:
This social media campaign increased student and public awareness of HANCUK, and enabled students to meet someone who had had cancer. It has also fostered cross-fertilisation of ideas between universities, sharing technical skills, with scope to extend across Ireland with another relevant charity.
Carol Glaister1, Orla Duffy2, Chris Elkington3
1 Department of Speech & Language Therapy, Royal Victoria Eye & Ear Hospital, Dublin
2 Department of Speech & Language Therapy, Ulster University
3 Head and Neck Cancer United Kingdom (HANCUK)