Review of RYCTT project: UK

Over the last two years, we have run six training courses, attracting 100 people. During this time, we have also held 56 reminiscence sessions, reached 33 families and worked with five organisations.

We have run four apprenticeship schemes, attracting 35 people from a wide variety of professional backgrounds, all of whom have completed the course requirements. Two of these schemes were in south-east London in partnership with the Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, one in partnership with Camden Carers and one in west London in partnership with Westminster Arts.  Over the two years, we have reached 33 families and worked with five organisations.

You may read about different aspects of the training course and apprenticeship below:

The 2-day training course

• The 2-day training course was delivered 6 times by Pam Schweitzer (ERN Coordinator) and supported by Errollyn Bruce, Caroline Baker and Kath Gilfoy (RYCT facilitators)

• 81 participants in all attended the course from various backgrounds: visual artists, theatre workers, musicians, dancers, arts therapists, dementia care staff, day care, community artists, film makers, oral historians, nursing and care staff and students

• The project was supported by the University of Greenwich Drama Programme, Camden Carers, Woolwich Memorial Hospital, Westminster Arts. Image © Lorenzo Hernandez

The Apprenticeship scheme

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  Kath Gilfoy, RYCTT facilitator, writes about running the Apprenticeship scheme in Westminster

  Click to view[PDF 417k]
  

  25 apprentices participated in our apprenticeship project, which took place in sheltered housing unit lounges and day centres in south-east London, Camden and Westminster

• We ran 10 sessions and apprentices were required to attend at least 8 sessions. Reminiscence groups have been led by Pam, Caroline and Kathryn. 3-4 sessions of these sessions were led by apprentices.    

• The apprentices were visual artists, theatre workers, musicians, arts therapists, dementia care staff, day care, community artists, film makers, oral historians

• "It has unlocked a lot of good memories that we may have forgotten"
  Person with dementia

  They were required to complete session records, keep records of debriefing meetings, attend preparation sessions and gradually assume the more active role in group-leading, planning and leading sessions
• 14 men and 9 women with dementia were involved in the project, plus 8 men and 19 women carers

Image © Lorenzo Hernandez

Assessment of apprentices:

• Practical work in the sessions was assessed by session leaders (Pam Schweitzer, Caroline Baker and Kath Gilfoy).

• Final written assignments were assessed by Pam Schweitzer (project co-ordinator) and Errollyn Bruce (project planner)

• Pam Schweitzer and Errollyn Bruce devised a marking scheme which was applied across the project

• They offered the option of submitting a film or video diary of the project instead of a written essay and one apprentice produced a film reflecting her understanding of the special qualities of the group.

Certification:

• 25 apprentices completed the programme

• 56 certificates were given to people who only completed the 2-day training course and 25 certificates were given to apprentices, accrediting them as RYCT group facilitators
  
  

The RYCT apprentice-led programme at Hider Court (Feb-May 2014)

Emma Golby-Kirk, an apprentice in the south Greenwich project in 2014, defines her experience of the project in this extract from her essay:

"I have whole-heartedly enjoyed the process of learning to deliver the RYCT programme through the apprentice-led sessions and, despite some minor concerns about my areas for development, I feel enthusiastic about delivering a RYCT programme in my home area of Hampshire and positive about the validity of the well-being benefits that the programme has to offer."

A sequence Emma's photographic highlights from the project:

Week 6 (Images 1 & 2 above):The group unite to act out a wedding, Chris and Christine are married by Linda and Lily shares a dance with apprentice, Maria.
Week 7 (Image 3 above):Lily plants some seeds.


Week 8 (Images 1 & 2 above): John and daughter Susan bathe and change the baby together and reminiscence about Susan’s baby days.

Week 9 (Images 1 above):The team help David act out a memory of a coach trip.
(Image 2 above): Iris makes a picture showing trips out with husband John, helped by Wioletta.
Week 10: A friendship flourishes between Alan and David.

End products from the Camden project

Art works created during the Camden project:

• A wall chart

• A wall hanging

• Crocheted recipes

• An apron

• A memory box for the Bowlby concert

• A wall hanging of a house

• Drawings of friends and neighbours

 

Carers' responses to the project:

• "She talks about this club all week to her family –without any prompting. It takes a lot of pressure off me – she has something else to talk about; it’s not just me and the four walls"
  Family carer

  "John plays the piano much more at home now. He was there this morning at 8.15 and can keep playing for longer. He can see the pleasure he gives. It’s wonderful to see how my cared for person is related to by everyone"
• "I’m being positive with mum about cooking again. She said “Let’s buy some cakes” and I said “Yes mum, we can take cakes, but we’ll make them”. I say it every day and we will do it"
• "Tom is offering to help me more. I used to say no but now I say yes as it makes him feel useful"
• "It’s great to have somewhere to go to have fun. When Hermione gets up in the middle of the night, fully dressed in hat and coat and ready to go out, it drives me mad; but we can come here together and it’s really fun"

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