Carers in Ceredigion are invited to take part in a pilot Resilience and Wellbeing training programme. This first trial will be evaluated to measure just how much you feel it has helped you to build your resilience and maintain your wellbeing, and to find out with you what resilience and wellbeing means to you as a Carer. This will then help to shape the programme for Carers in the future.

Dr Dee Gray is the programme designer, she began her career as a clinician, and has since gained experience and qualifications in law, education, research, and leadership.

The Mid Wales Healthcare Collaborative commissioned the programme.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How could I benefit?

The training programme was originally developed for staff who work in stressful and challenging environments, is has been adapted for use by community participants and has already proven to be effective in helping people to become resourceful, to engage with others, to make sense of stressful situations, to feel confident in their own abilities, and to bounce back from setbacks.

Community Participant:

I find out something new almost every day. I thought help and opportunities were limited but you find they are not.. what will take me forward? my personal strength, family and friends and my ever growing knowledge.

2.     Will I be helping other Carers in West Wales and How?

Absolutely! As well as the potential benefits for you listed above, by participating you will be shaping this training programme to make it better suited to Carers needs, and to help us understand the full potential benefits of how this training programme could continue to help more Carers in the future in West Wales and beyond.

3.     Do I have to take part?

We would like to stress that you do not have to accept this invitation and you should only agree to take part if you want to; participation is voluntary.

4.      What will happen if I take part?

Taking part in this training will mean coming to 4 short training sessions. These will be spaced out over a 2 month period. The programme will start in October 2016. You will be given the training day dates in advance and these will be held at a local venue in Aberaeron. The training days will run from 10.30 am – 3.30 pm. Refreshments will be provided.

Dr. Dee will also evaluate the programme; so you will be asked to complete a short questionnaire before the programme starts, and once again when the programme finishes. Dr Dee will also be asking you questions during the training and noting answers to these as part of the evaluation.

It would help if you have access to a computer and have an email account, if you have a friend or family member who has one you can use then please ask them to help. The reason for this is so that you, the other carers and Dr Dee will be able to keep in contact with each other between the training sessions and send you training materials via email.

We are only able to provide 20 places on the programme so your name will join others and the first twenty ‘out of the hat’ will come on to the training programme. If you are not one of the first 20 we will keep a reserve list in case a place becomes free, and for when we run the programme again in the future.

5.      Expenses

We will be able to provide some funds to provide carer cover during the training days.

6.     What if I am unhappy or if there is a problem?

If you are unhappy, or if there is a problem, please feel free to let Dr Dee know in the first instance and we will try all reasonable steps to help.

7.     Will my participation be kept confidential?

Yes. We will follow current ethical and legal practice and all information about you will be handled in confidence. This means that unless you give us permission to do so, your name and your details are anonymised. The only time we would breach confidentiality is where we have a statutory duty to disclose. For example, if during the course we feel that you might need other help outside of the programme.

We would also like to share/publish the programme evaluation to Welsh Government, Carers Groups/Associations, Health and Social Care providers, and people who conduct research into resilience and wellbeing as this will help them to learn from what we are doing. Your details will remain anonymous when we do this.

You are free to withdraw at any time from any element of the programme without the need for explanation. Any anonymised information may be used, if you are happy for this to be done. Otherwise you may request that information is destroyed and no further use will be made.

8.     Do I have to come to all of the training sessions?

Yes you do have to commit to all four. This is because each session builds on the previous one, and we will be working with you as a ‘Team’.

9.     Who can I contact if I have further questions?

Please contact Dr Dee Gray on 077177 62732 or email grays100@gmail.com if you have any further questions.

10.  What do I do next?

If you would like to participate in the programme please send Name, Address, Telephone number, Email address to: Freepost, Hywel Dda Health Board.

Please return your response by 16th of September 2016.