NSW secretaries witness immersive health science learning at LifeLab.
 

The Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney buzzed with energy as Year 8 students from Newtown High School of the Performing Arts immersed themselves in the LifeLab Sydney program – a health and education initiative helping adolescents understand the science behind their own health and promoting future science study and careers. 

Susan Pearce AM, NSW Health Secretary, and Murat Dizdar PSM, NSW Department of Education Secretary, joined the students, witnessing first-hand the impact of this collaborative effort between Sydney Local Health District, the University of Sydney, and the Department of Education. 

During the visit, Susan Pearce shared how she was inspired to enter the health sector. “I did work experience as a nurse in Year 10 and knew immediately that it was what I wanted to do,” she said.  

After speaking with the students and participating in the day’s activities, she reflected on the greater importance of the program. 

“It's been great to get out here today and meet the kids, who are getting an opportunity to learn more about science and some fundamental skills that will help them with their science studies, but also with their life in general. I think that focusing on their own health and wellbeing is something that's really important.” 

The District’s Sydney Institute for Women, Children and their Families launched the LifeLab program in 2022 to ignite curiosity, increase health literacy and inspire future career pathways among adolescents. 

The program includes curriculum-linked health science lessons at high schools, hands-on health science activities during their excursion to Charles Perkins Centre and an opportunity to learn about careers in health and science. 

Since its inception, LifeLab has engaged more than 430 Year 8 students, with another 250 students completing the program by the end of Term 4 in 2024. 

During their excursion, the Newtown High School students had a chance to extract DNA from strawberries, learn about CPR and meet people working in a range of roles in health care. 

Murat Dizdar commended the program’s immersive approach. 

“It is one thing to be in the classroom and learn about the science of health, but to be embedded in real life with experts and to bring that learning to life is another thing – such powerful learning,” he said.  

“Watching students at the diabetes station asking insightful questions like, ‘What happens next when someone is diagnosed with diabetes?’ – you can’t learn that from a textbook,” he said. 

“I'm very grateful as Education Secretary to the Health Department, the Sydney Local Health District, and Sydney University for making it happen. It's a top initiative.” 

One of the students in the excursion, inspired by the conversation she had with one of the District’s midwives, Karin Birkner, decided to explore midwifery as a potential career. “I'm pretty interested in being a midwife as a job when I'm older. I don’t know, I just feel like it’s pretty cool what she’s doing,” the student said. 

The head of Science at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, Aflal Sahabdeen, said students appreciate the practical activities. 

“When they have been learning about this for the past six weeks. It's very important for them to see the relevance and the real-life application,” Aflal said. 

As the students departed, many expressed excitement about what they learnt during the program and the possibilities ahead. 

“The most important thing I learnt today would be how to look after my health. I enjoyed everything as we got to know more about science, life and ourselves,” one student noted.  

Another said: “This experience has been amazing. It’s shown me how impactful one course can be and it’s definitely made me want to come to Sydney Uni in the future.”