Summary
Creative Breaks is an exciting group for adults with additional support needs to provide them with fun and educational days out and weekends away, to meet old and new friends while providing respite for their parents and carers.
What Falkirk Dream Catchers did
We continued to try our best to keep the group engaged and feeling part of something throughout the current Covid 19 situation. We set up a closed group on Facebook and linked up with people that would be attending. We have also invited them into a virtual nightclub, we gave access to The Action Group digital active web page that people were able to access, this also had zoom events, The Action Group provided funding to purchase tables for those people that did not have the equipment to join in. When restrictions were lifted were we went to: Cinema, trip to pizza hut, activity days at Elgin park, Awakening festival and to see a Pantomime. People that participated were local adults in the community who have additional support needs, some were referred from social work and another voluntary group, also word of mouth and Social media.
Parent/ carers used their time to concentrate on other members of their family, have some time to themselves, devote time to tasks such as housework and DIY. We were grateful to be able to use Elgin park as so many places were closed.
We were grateful to be able to access Elgin Park, we were able to split the area into zone to keep everyone Covid safe, we pack so much into those days to provide learning, fun, exercise and socialisation. It gave the participants a lovely chance to get to know each other in a non-judgemental environment and form bonds. We had lots of space to try new things such as baking, crafting, dance, chat and plan
This biggest blow was not being able to go our weekends away, the first was during lockdown and the second got rescheduled twice but in the end it was safer cancelling, this is where parent/carers get the biggest break.
Stopping and starting when restrictions changed was a challenge as some people felt safer staying at home. But as said before this is when we reverted to holding digital events including, exercise classes, signalong workshops, discos, weekly challenges
What The Action Group has learned
We have learned that planning is better if everyone is involved. It is easy to sit and plan a year full of activities but maybe get it wrong whereas it is much easier if we involve everyone and share ideas and experiences.
We have managed to reach out and get to know many more families by being on social media and reaching out to ‘friends of friends’
We have learned that there are indeed other ways of providing help and support other than face to face due to covid 19. We have learned how to become digital and how to share this. We have had to think about what activities we can do digitally and how to help each other achieve this while thinking of internet safety and security.
However parent/carers do get a better break when there loved one is away for the day i n safe hands, the people that attend also enjoy it.
How The Action Group has benefitted from the funding
We have learned that there are indeed other ways of providing help and support other than face to face due to covid 19. We have learned how to become digital and how to share this. We have had to think about what activities we can do digitally and how to help each other achieve this while thinking of internet safety and security. Like many people we have had to adapt to the current situation, part of this was breaking into smaller groups which worked.
Project Outcomes
Outcome
We will design a questionnaire which will ask carers about their caring experience, their relationships and activities out with their caring role, the support they receive and the impact on their wellbeing. Carers will be asked to complete this questionnaire during the project.
Results
From feedback It was clear that carers took the time to enjoy life outside their caring role. They reported, shopping, leisure, exercise and meeting friends.
Case study
One parent used to struggle taking her young person to the shops as they often got heightened by the crowds and lights and noise so much that it was a great sense of anxiety for them both. Creative Breaks provided her a chance to go to the shops and spend time looking around and looking for bargains and good deals where before she just bought whatever came to hand to make it a quick experience, she ended up actually saving money with her shopping and with that she joined the gym with her friend
Outcome
We will design a questionnaire which will ask carers about their caring experience, their relationships and activities out with their caring role, the support they receive and the impact on their wellbeing. Carers will be asked to complete this questionnaire at the beginning of the project, after 6
Results
We are always being thanked from carers for giving them this opportunity. They say that they are grateful to The Action Group/ Creative breaks for supporting the people they care for and in turn supporting them. They also could tap into out knowledge of the facilities and opportunities in the area.
Case study
Creative breaks were part of The Awakening Festival, where there was an array of information stalls about facilities in the community with disabilities. They could take home information leaflets and business cards alternatively parents and carers could come and attend and speak to people themselves.
Outcome
We will design a questionnaire which will ask carers about their caring experience, their relationships and activities out with their caring role, the support they receive and the impact on their wellbeing. Carers will be asked to complete this questionnaire at the beginning of the project, after 6
Results
The groups we managed to run before Covid provided valuable respite for parents and carers. It provided time away from each other which allowed space and time for other things to be done and achieved. It allowed for conversation when they went home about how the day has gone. If attending the group, they would have benefitted from fresh air and exercise and socialisation which is important to wellbeing. Parents/carers used their time to do exercise and rest.
Case study
One young person came to Creative Breaks and learned how to Belly Dance with our Belly Dancer Diane at the Elgin Park fun days. She went home and told her mum all about it and her mum thought it sounded great, she went out and bought a Belly Dancing DVD and practised it when her daughter was at Creative Breaks. They then started to do it together every Saturday morning