Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today Training, 2012 - 2014
Welcome to the RYCTT area of the website where information about the latest 2012-2014 project can be viewed. Click a flag in the left column to find out about the RYCTT Reminiscence in Dementia Care programme that took place in each country, and read the content below to find out more about this project:
The European Reminiscence Network was funded under the EC Grundtvig Lifelong Learning Programme to continue and develop the work we had begun in 2010-12 under the title “Remembering Together: Reminiscence Training” (visit the RTRT project area of this website to view our previous project).
As a partnership, we developed a cross-Europe training and accreditation programme so that we could spread the work in our own countries and ensure that there would be competent group facilitators to lead it in the future.
European Partners in the RYCTT project
Eight partners were funded for the RYCTT project, but all the original 11 partners managed to attend our project meetings and participate to some extent in our common programme. All have continued their commitment to creative reminiscence work and to reminiscence training.
Image: One of the four project meetings - in Perpignan, France
The 2-day training course in Reminiscence in Dementia Care
Click here or see the top right column above for information.
The Apprenticeships
At least half of those who trained on our 2-day courses went on to become apprentices. They were attached to a group of family carers and people with dementia, meeting weekly over a ten-week period.
Led by experienced group leaders in each country, these reminiscence groups followed a common set of themes, using a variety of creative approaches to help participants find and share life-stories.
Apprentices had the chance to observe sessions, to contribute to them and eventually to lead them. They got to know the families and gained the confidence they needed to resource and run inclusive enjoyable reminiscence afternoons themselves.
They then reflected on their own learning in written essays before becoming accredited facilitators. Some of their essays have been included in the UK pages of the site - View essays.
Conclusion
This was a much more complicated project to run than the ‘Remembering Together’ project which preceded it. It involved finding families who would commit to series of 10 or more sessions, a venue in which to meet, plus all the necessary resources. In addition, we had to provide experienced group leaders to run the sessions and provide a model of good practice for the apprentices.
In some countries it was hard to find freelance arts workers who would dedicate their time once a week over up to four months on a voluntary basis to train and to complete their apprenticeship with us. It often involved passing up paid work, which was difficult for some on limited budgets.
Images above and right © Lorenzo Hernandez. Colour images towards the top of the page © Alex Schweitzer.
However those who completed the scheme showed a high level of commitment and took the course and apprenticeship very seriously. The challenge now is to help them all to find outlets for their new skills and to go on developing the scheme in partner countries and beyond. For this we are seeking new funding
