Public health training

Making Every Contact Count (MECC) gives frontline staff and volunteers in Southwark the skills they need to have meaningful conversations with residents about health and wellbeing.

The free, 3-hour training courses are available for staff and volunteers working within services in Southwark, including:

• Southwark Council
• public sector
• voluntary and community sector

Every day, staff and volunteers in Southwark talk to hundreds of local people who are dealing with various challenges. MECC is about using the power of these short conversations to give brief advice and help residents access the support they need.

Talking to others can help

A brief chat with someone could benefit them in many ways. It might:

• give them the chance to talk about what is on their mind
• highlight some helpful information
• build their confidence to make a change they are already thinking about
• connect them with a local service

Training course topics

You can get training on:

• healthy living 
• mental health, loneliness or social isolation
• money worries, fuel or food poverty
• housing or employment
• falls or frailty
• vaccination, screening and health checks

Courses will:

• help you understand the principles of MECC and use the Ask-Advise-Assist approach
• allow you to reflect on what you do well when talking to residents about their health and wellbeing and highlight any areas for development
• introduce you to the services in Southwark that can support residents’ health and wellbeing
• allow you to access resources that facilitate good MECC conversations and help you to signpost residents onwards

We can tailor the time, place and content of the training to your team’s needs. To find out how to register for the training, email publichealth@southwark.gov.uk

Sign up to the MECC network