Dementia Training for Schools and Young People

Generations Working Together  provides information, delivers support and encourages involvement to benefit all of Scotland’s generations, by working, learning, volunteering and living together.  In East Dunbartonshire there is a Generations Working Together Network and the Dementia Network is part of this.  The Dementia Network supports this by delivering a range of awareness raising training sessions for young people.

Working with Schools

There is a Resource Pack for use with upper primary school and lower secondary children to increase their understanding of dementia, Alzheimer Scotland has a campaign called Dementia Friends Scotland  which encourages people to understand a bit more about dementia and the small things you can do to help people with the condition. This could be helping someone find the right bus or being patient in a till queue if someone with dementia is taking longer to pay.

The Dementia Network are delivering dementia informed training to senior secondary pupils, s4-s6.  Learning about dementia provides an opportunity to explore inter-generational relationships, build respect and address issues of equality. Young adults can also explore their capacity for compassion and resilience.  There are 8 secondary schools across East Dunbartonshire. A certificate is issued on completion to the individual concerned.

Pupils in their senior years are offered the opportunity to participate in volunteering opportunities with people who have dementia.  To date these opportunities have included:

• Providing training on Skype to care home residents
• Assisting in a local community café held in a care home

Other opportunities are being explored.

Curriculum for Excellence

The following curriculum for excellence experience and outcomes are met:

• I can explain how the needs of a group in my local community are supported (Soc 2-16a)
• I can gather and use information about forms of discrimination against people in societies and consider the impact this has on people’s lives (Soc 2-16b)
• I can discuss issues of the diversity of cultures, values and customs in our society (Soc 2-16c)

This work is part of an ongoing commitment to creating a Dementia Friendly Community.

The Difference Working Together has Made

Following training pupils from Bishopbriggs Academy became volunteers at a Community Cafe in Mavis Bank Care Home, the cafe is attended by residents of the care home and is also open to the community, it runs monthly. Those involved told us of their experience:

• “This had a big impact on us all were are only one school, if this was done in all the schools think of the difference it could make to people’s lives. I will be putting this on my college application.” Pupil, Bishopbriggs Academy
• “It’s lovely having the young ones here to chat to, they’re full of fun.”  Resident, Mavis Bank Care Home
• “What has made this group so successful? Team work, understanding the strengths and support needs of each individual and being able to network, befriend and generally muck in with all the volunteering opportunities that came their way. They are an inspiration because they are not all academic, not all competitive and not all extrovert. But together they are more than the sum of their parts and they have demonstrated that High School pupils can achieve great things when they are given the opportunity to make a real difference.” Teacher Bishopbriggs Academy
• “The Centre needs to be part of the community so the cafe is a link for the residents to the community.” Care Home Manager, Mavis Bank Care Home