Gateshead-based contractor funds new student wellbeing app for local college.

BAM Construction funds new student wellbeing app for the Durham Federation.

Gateshead-based contractor, BAM Construction, has paid for a year-long subscription to a cutting-edge safeguarding app, for students at the Durham Federation.

The contractor, who recently built the Durham Federation’s new Creative Faculty, has bought the college the tootoot app which aims to encourage conversations around mental health, bullying and wellbeing.

The app serves as a way for students to anonymously and discretely report and resolve issues they may be facing at home or school, and provides a new way for schools and colleges to listen to their students, and monitor their welfare.

Mark Laidlaw, senior site manager at BAM Construction, said: “We worked closely with the school whilst we were on site, and when we heard about the tootoot app, we knew it could bring real benefits for students.”

“BAM runs an Enhancing Lives Programme which is about having a positive impact on the communities in which we build, so supporting schools and providing STEM learning opportunities is a big part of what we do.

“As an employer BAM is passionate about supporting mental health. We are also a company who continuously look for ways to enhance our offer to clients. Our partnership with tootoot provides the perfect opportunity to do both of these things.”

Elizabeth Ball, director of welfare at the Durham Federation, said: “Here at the Durham Federation we are like a family, we like to know what’s going on in our student’s lives, but we know that some students just don’t have the confidence to come and speak to us face-to-face.

“Having an app where our students can speak-up, in their own time and their own space, will really strengthen our link with them. We’ll be able to see issues developing more quickly, and support students better.”

The college is now using the app to support students during the run-up to a strenuous exam period, the partnership between BAM construction and tootoot  should now be in a position to grow with a view on bringing the safeguarding technology to all our educational clients

Mark Laidlaw added ‘’we hope that with the aid of tootoot and through our Enhancing Lives programme we can leave a more secure learning environment for all the staff and learners we engage with, that’s what we set out to achieve’’.