UK only - Cancer Support Certificate Course Newcastle UK

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Cancer Support Certificate Course Newcastle

Hi ,

Please find attached the information about course. I look forward top hearing from you and your members.

Sue O'Hare

Course Coordinator

Cancer Support Course

Newcastle – 2008

Venue

The Royal Station Hotel

Neville Street

Tyne and Wear

NE1 5DH

Communication Skills February 14th & 15th 2008

March 13th & 14th 2008

Counselling Skills April 17th & 18th 2008

May 15th & 16th 2008

Loss & Bereavement June 12th & 13th 2008

July 10th & 11th 2008

Cancer Awareness September 18th & 19th 2008

October 16th & 17th 2008

Health & Wellbeing November 13th & 14th 2008

December 4th & 5th 2008

The Cancer Support Certificate

The Cancer Support Certificate was developed for Macmillan Cancer

Support in order to offer training for people

supporting others affected by cancer.

The programme currently is targeted at people affected by cancer offering support to others in self help and support groups, volunteers in information centres and volunteers and staff in carer schemes. A course recently started in London, has representation from health care professionals, people from support groups, home support workers and complementary therapists. We do like a good mix of volunteers and professionals as the programme focuses on the shared learning experience.

It is accredited by the Open College Network. As you may know accreditation is the official recognition given to a course of training by an external awarding body. The qualification is based on national standards of best practice and continually monitored and reviewed.

The programme is made up of five units, three core and two optional and on the completion of each unit students will be awarded credits on the completion of a portfolio and learning journal.

The units we are running at present are-;

Communication – The first unit to be delivered which establishes the culture of the course with its shared learning style and covers different methods of communication, the basic skills of listening and responding and information giving. We talk about how to give feedback and confidentiality issues.

Counselling – This module is a natural progression from the communication module as it builds on the skills and knowledge gained previously. It is not about turning individuals into trained counsellors but helping them to become better listeners, befrienders and emotional supporters.

Loss and bereavement – For anyone working in the cancer field it is important to understand how people affected with cancer are affected by loss.

The focus of this unit is to understand the meaning and experience of loss and bereavement and its impact on others. We look at different types of losses, loss of status, loss of life as previously known and participants are encouraged to explore their own experience in relation to loss, in order to gain an understanding of how to respond and support others.

Cancer Awareness – This is an information based module aimed to give students a basic knowledge base around medical issues. It includes understanding cancer as a disease, cancer treatments, palliative care and complementary therapies.

During this unit a visit is arranged to a local oncology centre for the students.

Health and Wellbeing – This is a practical focused module covering Health and Safety issues relating to supporting people with cancer. This module includes the basic first aid certificate which is delivered by the British Red Cross.

Students attending the programme are asked to attend four days teaching for each unit which are delivered at two days a month. Three days focus on course content and the fourth looks at what the students need to do to complete their portfolios. The level of this qualification is equivalent to an NVQ 2, but the work we generally receive is usually equivalent to a level 3.

The students are given one month to complete the relevant portfolio and in addition to the portfolio students are asked to complete a ‘Learning Journal’. The journal is a way of reflecting and developing the students learning – such as how they support people, what skills they use, and how their role as a supporter affects them.

Each student receives a lot of support and encouragement from their trainers, tutor and course coordinator, to keep their motivation and enthusiasm high throughout.

Before the course commences the student is asked to identify a mentor, some one experienced who is able to support and guide the student through the cancer support certificate programme. We do issue guidelines for the student on choosing a mentor and guidelines for those who have been asked to be mentors.

As students progress through the programme they will gain useful skills and discover strengths which will help them feel confident in their abilities.

For example in a recent evaluation conducted by an external consultant, students described the course as “an amazing journey”, and “a course for life”.

And in terms of relevance to practice comments from students were. “You could apply the learning immediately, not learning airy fairy stuff that you would never be able to apply, it was highly relevant to your behaviour as a volunteer straightaway” and “Completely changed by life – changed the way I think about and approach things”.

For the students for which this course had been a return to learning they have now gained the confidence to go on to further learning.

The course is free to all students. Students are only asked to fund their own travelling expenses.

For further information about the course, please contact:Sue O’Hare, Course coordinator on 0 or email susan.ohare@virgin