Innovative theatre workshops in response to local training needs
Employer-led project, REACH Cornwall, rounded off 2019 with three impactful, fully-funded workshops aimed at care staff supporting people with dementia. The workshops featured Penryn based Az2B Theatre Company and were developed in response to needs identified by organisations working in social care across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The first two sessions took place at Heartlands, Redruth on Thursday 5 December and offered the attendees the opportunity to watch Az2B’s production of ‘What Do You See?’ exploring the later stages of dementia within a care home setting, and ‘Grandma Remember Me?’ telling the heart-breaking story of Lilly, a young child, and her much loved Grandma who develops Alzheimer’s Disease.
The plays were followed by a question and answer session led by Belinda Lazenby, Artistic Director of Az2B Theatre Company, and a talk on dementia led by Ann Champion, Lecturer in Community Studies at Truro and Penwith College. The evening session also offered the opportunity for REACH Cornwall to say a big thank you to all the amazing people who work in care and health with a fun, festive celebration and buffet dinner.
The final workshop took place on Friday 6 December at The Alverton Hotel, Truro and followed the same format as the afternoon session at Heartlands. The three workshops were attended by well over 100 social care and healthcare professionals from across the county who gave some very positive feedback. Nicola Pennicook, Care Assessor at Cornwall Care commented:
“I enjoyed the play because it was ‘real to life’ and looking at all aspects of care and support. It gave me ideas that I can bring forward and incorporate into all our training around dementia care, for example information packs for relatives and clients. In our organisation we provide in-house training on dementia, but there are still many care staff in Cornwall who don’t receive any training at all on this condition, so fully-funded workshops are a good way to make training more accessible.”
REACH Cornwall, which is part-funded by the European Social Fund and delivered by Truro and Penwith College, launched in November 2018 and has spent the last year liaising with organisations from right across the social care and healthcare sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to identify skills shortages and develop tailored training solutions. The workshops covering dementia were the last of a series of dynamic and incredibly well-received events staged by the project and the team have even more planned for 2020. As Jenny Gramnes, ESF Project Coordinator for REACH Cornwall, explains:
“We are thrilled with the engagement from the sector, partnerships we have forged and above all else with the quality, diversity and innovative pilot training sessions we have developed during 2019. We are excited to deliver even more workshops specifically tailored for the needs of social care and healthcare organisations in the new year including an HR Masterclass on Employment Law and a session covering Assistive Technology. January also sees the start of the Level 5 Registered Manager Development Programme, which REACH Cornwall has been instrumental in creating.”
In our organisation we provide in-house training on dementia, but there are still many care staff in Cornwall who don’t receive any training at all on this condition, so fully-funded workshops are a good way to make training more accessible.
