On Thursday 27^th May, the Life Changes Trust is hosting the “Community and Dementia: Creating Better Lives in Forth Valley” conference.

The conference is designed as an opportunity for local people to share what it feels like to live in Forth Valley, whether they live with dementia, care for a loved one with dementia, or work with people with dementia and/or unpaid carers. It is also an opportunity for local groups, organisations and decision-makers to respond.

They are also holding online storytelling sessions for these groups (or as one to one phone slots) to share their experiences, taking place before the conference:

for people living with dementia, on Monday 17^th May, 10:30am – 12pm (booking link)
for unpaid carers, on Tuesday 18^th May, 10am – 12pm (booking link)
for professionals (ie. staff and volunteers) on Monday 17^th May, 2pm – 4:30pm (booking link)
“Train the Trainer” session for professionals (ie. staff and volunteers), on Tuesday 18^th May, 2pm – 4:30pm (booking link)

These sessions will be run by the Village Storytelling Centre, with stories and experiences shared placed at the heart of the upcoming conference. Please note, each session is run specifically for the group of people named (people with dementia may be accompanied if they wish to be).

The storyteller uses stories and imaginary characters to make it easier for people to talk about dementia in a way that doesn’t feel too personal. It is an opportunity for their voice and thoughts to be heard, exactly as they want them to be. Whatever they want to say is added to that of others taking part and, together, they create a hypothetical character – a person living with dementia, an unpaid carer, or a staff member or volunteer. The “characters” represent what it is like to live in Forth Valley with the experiences given to the characters.

The storytellers analyse the conversations which have created these “characters”. The Life Changes Trust then draws out priorities which will be shared at the conference for discussion and responses. The priorities will be presented with some quotes (anonymised) taken from the sessions. (A previous example of this is available on Youtube (linked for you convenience), delivered by Shona Cowie from the Village Storytelling Centre at the Edinburgh & Lothians event in November 2020.

To book your place at any session, please click on the relevant booking link listed above.

Alternatively, visit the Life Changes Trust website or Eventbrite page.