Do you want to create a caring, thoughtful village?

Catharine Arakelian, with Oxfordshire Adult Learning, is looking for 6 communities who want to help overcome the stigma related to dementia and build a sense of community spirit.

Through Oxfordshire Adult Learning, Catharine has funding for a series of six meetings, spread over three months, which will help you or your community group to find out how your village can support people affected by dementia and be better prepared to do this.

With the help of ORCC, Age UK (Oxfordshire) and Guideposts Trust, Catharine says she wants to help create “Thoughtful Communities” by offering local people information on how to reduce the stigma around the condition in their village, as well as how to use learning to build stronger communities who can negotiate their own needs with health and social care professionals.

Please act now and register your interest in this free and exciting opportunity by contacting Catharine Arakelian on 01865 849768, 07751 809271 or catharine@arakelian.co.uk.

Background Information

What the project is about

This project is about a new approach to adult learning in rural communities.   The project has funding to support local people in six rural communities to set up informal learning groups.  In six fortnightly meetings groups will find out how to make their community more “dementia friendly”.    As we know, the number of older people In Oxfordshire is is growing significantly, especially in rural areas.  That means that there will be more people with dementia we will want to support and include as part of the community.

How being part of the project will benefit you and your community

The project offers local people training in how to run an informal learning group.  With support the group will devise practical ways in which the community can work together to help reduce stigma around dementia.

After the project

The project organisers hope the group and their community will feel better able to support local people with dementia and to help them to live full lives. They also hope people can use their community learning group to move on to address other issues which affect their community.   The project lasts from this Autumn to next March but groups will be helped to continue after March 31.

Who is running the project

The project is run by Oxfordshire Adult Learning in partnership with Guideposts Trust,  Oxfordshire Age UK and ORCC.  A grant from the Adult and Community Learning Fund will help pay for the specialist training.

If you want to know more,  or be kept in touch with the project, please contact Catharine Arakelian, Project Officer , 01865 849768,  07751 809271 or catharine@arakelian.co.uk.