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Feedback, planning and celebrations!

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This was the sixth and final meeting. As Kerry (Project Manager on this project) had now gone on maternity leave, I (Gayle) facilitated this session with Rikke.

At this workshop we fed back what had happened when people tested their ideas in practice. We shared our interpretations and discussed what people could do next to further develop their ideas. We concluded by reflecting on our work together and celebrating, with some cake. See our programme.

Our goals for the day were:

  • Working groups to provide progress reports on improvement ideas
  • Action planning for testing out improvement ideas
  • Measuring impact of improvement ideas
  • Agreeing  next steps

Connecting up

As everyone knew each other well by this point, and there had been quite bit of activity since the last meeting, we moved straight into giving the groups space to reconnect. Groups discussed what they had been doing, what they had found out and what they were thinking in relation to their idea. At the end of this conversation we asked each group to share reflections and learning with the wider group. The following questions were provided as a guide to help structure this feedback:

  • What happened?
  • What worked well and why?
  • What didn’t work and why?
  • What is your group’s plan for the future?

We also gave groups a retrospective evaluation sheet that they could use to guide their conversations.

Progress reports from each working group

Since the last meeting people had met up to take their actions forward and feedback to others.

Group 1

Idea: Run a new local dementia café fortnightly

Since the last meeting, the first dementia cafĂ© had taken place. Afterwards, the group met at Jane’s house and reflected on what worked well and what needed further development. At this meeting, people decided that instead of running the cafĂ© fortnightly, it would run monthly. More frequent cafĂ©s were felt to be too demanding in terms of fitting in with other commitments and the travelling involved.

COPE was chosen as a suitable venue where staff were particularly helpful, ‘and the people who work there have made it so easy for us’ and they are ‘able to give us everything we need’.

Other locations were unsuitable because they didn’t respond to the group’s inquiry, were too big or cold and/or too expensive. It was recognised that the venue needed to cost ‘close to nothing‘ and that COPE as a charity, only requests donations for use of the venue. Another positive aspect of the COPE venue was the environment – comfortable chairs that recline and the offer to everyone, of a ‘fluffy blanket’. Additionally, COPE runs other events that the cafĂ© has been invited to get involved in, for example, head massage and singing sessions.

There were signs that word was spreading about the café.  Link workers were talking to people they supported and sharing information through their work base, the GlenKirk Centre. Local GPs were also now aware of the café, as were social workers linked to dementia services.

Sunny Govan Radio was planning to attend the cafĂ© the following week and report on what the group was doing. With all this far reaching communication maybe it wasn’t surprising that someone suggested ‘maybe we don’t need to hand out the flyers’ (which the group had also developed between meetings),  there was a worry that too many people might attend.

At the café a raffle was held and carers donated prizes which raised £100. The group was in the process of deciding whether to gift this money to other charities (such as Alzheimer Scotland) or save it and put it towards a trip in the summer.

People were reluctant to set up the cafĂ©s as charities, as it was perceived to be ‘too much paperwork’ and not necessary as ‘people trust one another’. However, some group members raised questions about the legal status of the group and there were offers of help to explore this from the Carers’ Centre. Setting up a dedicated bank account was suggested as an idea that might take pressure off individuals.

There had been discussions around transportation to and from the cafĂ©. It was decided that this should be the responsibility of the people who would like to attend. It was also recognised that the purpose of the cafĂ© must be clear, in particular, that it wasn’t a substitute for day care.

Generally this group was ‘not really surprised’ at how well it was going and how quickly things were developing. People felt that everyone was working well together and sharing responsibility for developing the cafĂ© idea.

Group 2

Idea: A new local carers’ group that is confidential and not run by ‘experts’

The carers’ cafĂ© had also been spoken about at Jane’s house and had also run a first session. At the first meeting, the group decided that they didn’t want this cafĂ© to get too big and that it would remain an informal space for a group of carers to relax and talk together. Twelve was considered to be the maximum number of people they would like in the group. If more people were interested, another group would need to be started.

The first session had included both carers and people with dementia. At the next group it was decided that only carers should be included.

The connection between the dementia café and the carers group was seen as useful for both groups.

COPE has also been used as a venue for the carers’ café as it has been so successful at supporting the dementia cafĂ©.

Group 3

Idea: Developing volunteer/ befriending service

This idea was not pursued (see session 5). Group members supported working groups 1 and 2.

Developing an evaluation strategy

The purpose of this activity was to encourage the groups to consider how they would gather evidence about the progress of their ideas. This might help them access support to further develop their cafés and could also contribute to evidence of the longer term impact of KiP.

Group 1

Idea: Run a new local dementia café fortnightly

The group had a visitors book which was full of positive comments. A group member explained ‘people are coming back, so we are doing something right‘. People described the atmosphere of the cafĂ© as ‘warm‘ with lots of ‘good laughs‘ and the opportunity ‘for a natter‘. It was suggested that it would be useful to keep a record of the number of people who attend each cafĂ©.

Group 2

Idea: A new local carers group that is confidential and not run by ‘experts’

Rather than evaluate this work, this group is at a stage of trying to raise awareness. Therefore, future plans include ‘keeping going‘ and creating flyers ‘to spread the word‘.

 

Discussing how these ideas will be developed after the final IRISS hosted meeting

People in the group already felt ownership of the ideas they had developed and were unsure whether and in what form they would like continued support from IRISS. The experience of designing and running their cafés had given people a clear idea of how they wanted to continue, which was reflected in their approach when evaluating/further developing this work.

Group 1

Idea: Run a new local dementia café fortnightly

The plan for this group was to ‘just keep going’, as through word of mouth and the flyers, the cafĂ© was getting bigger each time. There was also an idea to develop another cafĂ© in Partick.

Group 2

Idea: A new local carers group that is confidential and not run by ‘experts’

This group wanted to develop the carers cafĂ©. They planned to print out and share more flyers within the local community. An idea was discussed to develop a ‘how to guide’ that could support other carers to set up up their own cafĂ©s.

Those involved in both the dementia and carers’ cafĂ©s were aware of the risk related to their venue (COPE’s) funding. They recognised that they could have a role in providing evidence to help COPE demonstrate the need for continued funding for this venue.

Individual reflections on the project

As the project had taken place over a year, we started by asking people to reflect on their perceptions as the project progressed. We did this by printing out each of the blog posts describing the activity at each session and posted them up on the wall so that people could review them and take some time to recollect their thoughts.

<Screen Shot 2015-04-03 at 13.54.49 Reviewing previous KiP sessions

Group reflections on the project

After people had taken time to reflect on the work they had done and their experience of KiP we sat together in a circle and talked about:

  1. What do you think about the work you’ve been involved in?
  2. What has your experience been like?
  3. What have you learned?
  4. If you were to do this work again what would you do differently?
  5. What may you do differently as a result of being involved in this project?

To support people who have dementia we also referred to the blog posts on the wall and laid adjectives and words related to emotions on the floor to support and prompt and people. (This uses an emotional touchpoints approach.) This group reflection offered people the opportunity to share their thoughts with others in the group and to spark ideas and conversations. Some direct responses to these questions can be found in the section people’s hopes and experiences of this work.

Other feedback was gathered by speaking to people individually.

The final Evaluation Report combines these findings.

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Reflecting on experiences of KiP

Celebration!

We concluded this meeting with a party, cake, music and a slideshow of all of the photographs taken during the project to congratulate everyone for all their work.

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 Final group photo

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