This is an ongoing series of tips from various Groups across the state.
The following tips have been submitted by Sandra Elms of Newcastle Support Group.
- It’s hard to decide what works and what doesn’t. For me, I feel one has to have time, energy, and a passion to do something to help others.
- A quote I heard once: “I have this disease and I am going to use it to do something good with it”. That sums up for me, but I wouldn’t expect others to feel the same.
- I think on a general note try and have a Group of like-minded people who all work together well. If everyone does a little bit then the whole lot gets done rather than leaving it all to one person.
Have a few formal meetings throughout the year:
- Decide what to do in the year.
- How is it going?
- How well it went.
- Think big. I have found people in the community are happy to donate, etc.
- The Carers group was a very important addition to the Support Group. Carers need caring.
- Be assertive.
- If there is a Young Onset group try to link the ‘oldies’ with the ‘young’ ones. We are all in this together.
- Network as much as possible.
- Try to apply for grants – you need money to do things to make the Group more interesting and dynamic. (This is, however, hard to do)
These are just a few ideas, but I think group dynamics and how successful they are depend entirely on the participants who come – and that is not something one has any influence over.
One needs a lot of energy to make them successful.
