“It's a funny old game”. Football as an educational metaphor within induction to practice-based interprofessional learning

The Common Learning Programme in the North East of England (CLPNE) sought to introduce interprofessional education into the practice setting for pre-registration health and social care students. Students, clinical educators/mentors, and facilitators met within groups over a period of 3 – 6 weeks to explore interprofessional working and learning together. This paper evaluates the use of a game, the Football Stadium, to stimulate participants' exploration of practice-based interprofessional working and learning at CLPNE induction sessions. Data consisting of verbal and written feedback from students and clinical educators/mentors, and field notes from facilitators covering 22 CLPNE pilot sites (February 2003 – July 2005) was supplemented by researcher observation at 12 sites. Two themes emerged from the data: the use of the Football Stadium as an “ice-breaker” at team induction and, the use of the Football Stadium as a vehicle to facilitate reflective learning. Key issues included personal identity and role within a novice – expert continuum, creating and developing the team environment and, enhancing and developing learning communities. Although recognized as requiring careful, sensitive facilitation, the Football Stadium is a simple means to present learning opportunities for interprofessional education within a non-threatening learning environment that facilitates active participation.