WEA is currently being funded by South Ayrshire Lifelong Learning Partnership to deliver the Skills for Reminiscence programme to 6 Care Homes within South Ayrshire. Through individual Information Sessions with each Care Home a group of up to 6 Care Assistants from each home are identified to participate. Each course run’s over 8 weeks, 2 hours per week so as not to impact too heavily on the learners working hours. The group sizes are no more than 6 learners in each group to ensure the quality of the learning experience. The programme is aimed at improving the literacy and IT skills of Care workers within the workplace.
The course requires Learners to work with a resident and their family and draw together a history of the resident’s life. The information gathered is recorded and presented in printed form by the learner as a Life Story book. The course teaches learners how to gather and interpret information and develops the learner’s skills in expressing themselves and communicating in a written format. The course also develops IT skills which are becoming a more essential element of people’s lives.
In essence the activity is the production of the finished reminiscence story of the client’s life but it is the literacy issues that are addressed and the enjoyment of learning that is the embedded outcome. Each learners needs are individually accessed and addressed and on completion will achieve an accredited SCQF Level 3 Communication Writing module.
To date 5 staff members at Glenfdairn House in Ayr have successfully completed the course and feel they have benefited greatly. Quotes include:
“I thoroughly enjoyed the course and would recommend it”
“Learning about my resident’s life made me reflect on my own life and the memories I will keep”
“This was a good opportunity and I enjoyed every minute of the reminiscing”
“Enjoyed the course very much and feel it’s helped me work better with residents”
The course will continue to be rolled out with 5 other Care Homes within the year