Setting Up & Running A Support Group

Directorate of Social Services

Carers Support Services

Setting Up & Running A Support Group

Version 1 – 2011

setting up a support group issue 1/Nov 2011/carers support services

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Setting Up & Running

A Support Group

CONTENTS PAGE

SECTION ONE INTRODUCTION 3

SECTION TWO GETTING STARTED 5

SECTION THREE HOLDING AN INITIAL MEETING 7

SECTION FOUR PUBLICING YOUR SUPPORT GROUP 10

SECTION FIVE SETTING THE GROUND RULES 11

SECTION SIX FINANCING THE SUPPORT GROUP 13

SECTION SEVEN DEVELOPING YOUR SUPPORT GROUP 16

APPENDIX ONE CHECKLIST 18

APPENDIX TWO

DISCUSSION / TOPIC IDEAS 20

APPENDIX THREE

USEFUL CONTACTS & ORGANISATIONS 21

APPENDIX FOUR YOUR NOTES & IDEAS 23


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SECTION ONE

INTRODUCTION

This document has been produced by Caerphilly Social Services Directorate, Carers Support Service to provide practical guidance and advice to those thinking about setting up a Carers Support Group. Whilst the Carers Support Service will provide you with the help and support needed to enable you to successfully set up and run your own support group, we cannot run the groups for you.

Throughout the document you will see the pink ‘caring hands’ logo - this is to indicate where the Carers Support Services are able to provide additional support and advice if needed

We hope that with the aid of this document and the support provided, more people within the Caerphilly borough will be to encourage to set up local Carers support groups, run by Carers for Carers. What is a support group? A support group is a collective with common goals or similar concerns. The purpose of a support group is to offer members the opportunity to make contact with others in a similar situation. Being part of a group can help individuals to gain support and know that they are not alone. Support can come in the form of conversation and sharing experiences and resources or by simply listening to others. As a group you can identify what information you need and invite professional, speakers, organisations etc, to help you access this information. You can also campaign together on issues that you feel strongly about. You can also have fun by organising social events and activities. Don’t reinvent the wheel Take some time to research other local support groups. Determine whether or not a support group already exists around issues that concern you. A good place to start is by contacting the Carers Support Services, who will provide details of local support groups within the Borough and national organisations that you can contact. Ask others for help Getting a group started takes a bit of time. Find two or three other people who are interested in starting a support group with you. This will give you extra support and others to discuss and share ideas with. To make the


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process easier, find people who not only understand the need for the group, but also those who are passionate about the same issues. Most carers time is precious, think about their involvement and if they are able to commit, even for a short period of time. Also consider those who are ex-Carers, as they often have more time and are happy to share their experiences and knowledge.


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SECTION TWO

GETTING STARTED

What type of group is it? The first step in planning for your support group is to decide on its purpose. Will it be a peer or professionally led group or a discussion group whose focus is to provide information to members, or simply a group to provide friendship and emotional support? Keep in mind that the organisational structure should support the group’s purpose and help achieve its goals. Visit other support groups and talk to the leaders and members of those groups. In your discussions, remember to ask about their challenges and how they overcame them. You want to know what made their group successful.

We can put you in touch with successful groups in the Borough to help you get some ideas and talk through how they are run.

Where will the group meet? Think about a suitable location. Find a location where you will be able to hold your support group meetings. You may choose to hold meetings in your home at first, then move to a larger location as your support group grows. The library or your church are places you may consider using as you add members to your group. Think about access, parking transportation to and from the meeting place, is it suitable for those less able or with mobility issues? Remember to ask schools, libraries etc. These locations sometimes offer meeting space free of charge. Also consider how members will get there, such as bus/train links, parking and accessibility of the facility where the meeting is being held.

We can provide you with a list of suitable locations and venues to hold your meeting and also may be able to contribute to the cost of hiring a room.

How often will the group meet? Give some thought to how regular you think the group will meet. Most groups will usually meet on a monthly basis. It’s worth considering meeting on the same day every month, such as, the first Monday of the month, rather than specific dates, as this makes it easier for members to remember.


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Think about the time of the meetings and what will be most convenient for members. Carers will need to know if they need to make arrangements for their loved ones during meeting times. Remember – you want to maximise attendance but will not be able to accommodate the individual needs of all members. What works best for the majority of the group is a good starting point. It is a good idea to discuss the suitability of the frequency and time of future meeting at your first meeting.

To enable carers to attend meetings, we may be able to arrange a sitting service for the person they care for.

What format will the group & meetings take? There is no right or wrong way to run a group - how formal your group will be depends on the wishes of the people involved and the aims and function of the group. Many groups change their structure as they develop, so there's no need to get tied down before you've even got off the ground. Give some though to how you will format the meetings. You may decide that you want to run a ‘drop in’, for example: Carers know that the drop in runs from 9 – 11am and can come and go at any time. They may decide to pop by for half an hour or stay for the whole session. You might prefer a meeting that is structured with an agenda that starts and finishes at a specific time with people staying for the whole session.


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SECTION THREE

HOLDING AN INITIAL MEETING

Your first meeting may be a daunting thought. It does not have to be a large meeting to make is successful. Starting small and growing over time is a sensible way forward and will help to encourage participation of group members as friendships and confidence grows. It's a good idea to offer an extra attraction for attending the meeting. This could simply be free refreshments, or perhaps a video or speaker about something to do with the group's aims or activity. Think about the duration of the meeting. Meetings usually last between one and two hours. You may want to allow additional time for Carers to socialise after the more formal part of the meeting is over. Think about how you would like the room to be arranged. Sitting together in a circle will encourage participation and discussions but may not be suitable if you have a visiting speaker. The amount of preparation you need to do before the meeting will depend on the type of group it is, but it's always good to have some idea of what needs to be covered in the meeting. A typical agenda for an initial meeting may include:

• Welcome and introductions • Purpose & aims of the group • Name of the group • Plans and ideas (and who will carry them out) • Who will do what (responsibilities in general) • Finances • Date and time of the next meeting

Chairing the meeting - if you have called the meeting, people will be expecting you to act as chair. If you are not confident in this role, it may be worth asking someone else to chair the meeting, but be careful that your choice of chair is not going to cause controversy in the meeting. Take notes/minutes - the minutes of your meeting don't have to be very detailed, but they should include a clear note of any decisions made at the meeting, and in particular who has agreed to take on which jobs. It's not easy to chair a meeting and take minutes at the same time, so ask for a volunteer to take notes at the start of the meeting.


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We can provide you with useful information sheets on -

• Preparing agendas for meetings • Chairing meetings, • Taking Notes/Minutes

Gather names and addresses - prepare a sheet in advance which you can pass round the meeting or have on a table at the door of those who attended and how they can be contacted. Involve everyone in the discussion - while it's important to appear well-organised, you also want to let people know that their contribution is needed and valuable, so make sure you don't close off discussion too quickly. The people who have come along to the meeting are the future members of the group, and you need to make sure the atmosphere of this meeting is as welcoming and open as possible. Where possible incorporate humor into the meetings as a stress reliever! Get to know each other - when you first meet up you will probably want to spend time getting to know each other and talk about your experiences. You should allow yourself this time to get to know each other and find out initial information from each other. It is worthwhile saying that if anyone prefers not to speak at this stage, they don’t have to. For some Carers, attending the meeting may be the first time that they are taking steps to acknowledge their caring role or reaching out for support. Remember to be friendly and open to new members. Once you have done this it is a good idea to move on and formalise your group and decide what you want to get out of it. These are some things that you could do in your first or second meeting, depending on how long you want to spend getting to know each other. Structure of the group - begin having conversations with members about the organisational structure. Ask members what they hope to gain from the support group, this will help you determine the group’s goals and establish parameters. Aims of the group - it's a good idea to talk about the aims of the group at this first meeting, so that everyone is clear from the start about what the group is for. Make sure someone writes down what the meeting has agreed and check that everyone is happy with the wording. Name of your group - you will need to decide on a name. You could call yourselves something very simple and also be creative. When considering the name give some thought to how it will attract other members – does the name clearly state who it is aimed at, such as ‘Caring for Carers Support Group’. If you only want to operate with your own locality consider adding the name of your town or village.


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Who will do what - often those who start the group will take on tasks informally. It doesn’t matter how it works as long as it works for your group and every one is clear about who does what. You may want to elect a committee with named officers (Chair, Secretary, etc), or just share out the work that needs doing immediately. Either way, everyone needs to know who is doing what, and when they will report back to the whole group

We can provide you with useful information sheets on -

• The Secretary's role • Responsibilities of the Management Committee • Finding a legal structure to suit your group

Finances - a support group can be maintained with very little expense. Make the group’s budget part of the discussion and how money will be raised, even if it’s just for tea and coffee. It's a good idea to start thinking at the beginning about where to get it from and how to look after it. As soon as your group has some money, you will want to give one person responsibility for keeping track of it (the Treasurer). Date for the next meeting - it's worth allowing time to discuss how often you want the group to meet, whether daytime or evening meetings are best suited to the members of your group. It's not always possible to agree a meeting date that everyone can make, but it's important to make sure you aren't always excluding the same people.


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SECTION FOUR

PUBLICISING YOUR GROUP

The design of your publicity material is important. You need to think about who you are hoping to attract to join the group, and make sure your poster/leaflet/flyers will catch their eye and give them a reason to come along to your meeting. Make sure the date, time and place of the meeting are clearly shown and that it's very clear what the meeting is about. Remember to give some thought to the colour and the type and size of font used to ensure its easy to read. Find illustrations that support your message: People look at pictures and illustrations so much more than they read what you say. Find a way to deliver your message through an illustration where possible. Hang your poster/leaflet/flyers around town, at the supermarket, at the library, local hospital and anywhere else where they will be noticed by a large group of people. Speak about your support group at churches, at the school gates and anywhere you can find an audience that may include people who would benefit from your support group. Encourage members of your support group to bring others into the fold. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to let other people know about your support group.

We can publicise your support group in the Carers Newsletter and on the Carers Web Page.


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SECTION FIVE

SETTING THE GROUND RULES

Ground rules set out the behaviour that is expected of the group and are useful to ensure the group runs smoothly and will help to avoid problems or conflict. The ground rules are likely to be respected more if the group has been involved in drawing them up. You may want to display the ground rules during the meeting, or give each member a copy to sign, as a form of group contract. Ground rules can be added to or altered as the group progresses. Don’t forget to let new members know about the ground rules and ask if they have anything to add.

Some simple ground rules may include – • Listen to and respect each other • Respect confidentiality • Be patient towards group members • Have constructive discussion • Group ownership – remember it belongs to all of you • Share responsibilities – rotate tasks and responsibilities among group

members • Contribute to group discussions

Confidentiality - members of the group may share personal or emotional issues within the group. It is important that everyone agrees to respect the confidentiality of others so that members feel that the group is a safe and supportive environment. You may want to give some thought to putting a confidentially statement in place that all members must sign up to. This should include a statement that all personal information will be treated as confidential and only passed on when agreed by the individual or when an adult/child may be at risk. Protection of vulnerable adults/children - on occasion, a difficult situation might arise that you feel you would like some help to address or need to report. Should at any time you feel that a vulnerable adult or child might be at risk this must be referred on to Social Services immediately.


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We can provide you with -

• a template for a confidentiality statement • training for recognising and dealing with

protection of vulnerable adult issues Difficult behaviour - although getting together with other people who are going through the same experiences is really useful and beneficial to most, it doesn’t mean that they’ll automatically get on. There is a potential for problems to occur, as there is with any group of people getting together. It is essential to deal with situations as they arise to stop this from having a negative impact on the group. Some simple ways of responding to difficult behaviour may be –

• Make time to allow people to express their dissatisfactions, hopes and fears

• Set the meeting up so everyone has the chance to speak for a certain amount of time

• Ask the group to respond to what is happening and to talk about it to head confrontation off before it becomes a problem

• Interrupt politely someone who might be causing offence to others and discreetly turn the conversation to something positive that has happened

• Politely remind members of the ‘ground rules’ that the group have agreed on and adopted


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SECTION SIX

FINANCING THE SUPPORT GROUP

A support group can be maintained with very little expense, however this will depend on the purposes and aims of the group. Raising money can become an end in itself - if you don't have a specific reason for raising money, it might be a good idea to think about whether you need to do it at all. Sometimes having money can cause problems for a group as well as solve them. Before you start trying to raise money for a project, an event, or general running costs for your group, you need to break down the likely costs to form a budget, such as –

• Refreshments • Hire of venue • Publicity • Stationary

Raising money - once you have an overall fundraising target, you need to think about how to raise the money. There are several ways to do this:

• Collections, donations and raffles

• Applying for grants or awards

• Organising your own fundraising events

Will there be a membership fee? Are there local organisations or businesses that might support part of the budget? Will local businesses provide products at reduced costs such as stationary? Let members have a say in how the group is supported and then engage them in doing the work to raise the necessary funds.

Which route you decide to take depends largely on how much money you have to raise, and how many people you have available to do the work. You may choose to combine several approaches. Some grant-giving bodies are much more likely to help you if you can raise some money yourselves. Letters to local businesses can produce a rich crop of raffle prizes to make your events more successful. Keeping accurate accounts can help you work out how much you have spent on similar activities in the past. If you need the money to start


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something new, make sure you have done some research to find out how much each aspect of the project will cost. Using your budget, you can arrive at an overall fundraising target. This will help you decide best how to raise the money. You will also need a target figure and a specific budget for each fundraising activity. Make the group’s budget a part of the discussion and how money will be raised. As soon as your group has some money, you will want to give one person responsibility for keeping track of it - the Treasurer. The Treasurer - has day-to-day responsibility for looking after your group’s money. However the committee as a whole is responsible for deciding how funds will be raised and spent. The job of the Treasure is to keep accounts and report to the committee.

We can provide you with an information sheet on ‘The role of the Treasurer’.

Fund raising - it is possible to raise a lot of money with a well thought out fundraising appeal, and it can be useful to combine this with other fundraising activities. For example, if you organise some fundraising events such as a music night, a pub quiz, or a sponsored walk, you will send out a clear message to your supporters that you are aiming to raise a lot of money. You may then receive some individual donations from people who cannot attend your events. A good appeal will give clear information about why you need the money, what you will use it for, and how people can make donations. You could send your appeal to members and supporters by post or email, distribute flyers at events, or get it published in local newsletters, newspapers or on the local radio. Apply for grant funding - Gwent Association for Voluntary Organisation (GAVO) employ a Grant Coordinator in the Caerphilly County Borough area. The Grants Coordinator can set up an informal meeting with you to discuss possible grants that your group or project will be able to apply into and assist you with the application process. A Grants Booklet is published annually providing details of various funding that organisations and groups can apply for.

We can put you in touch with GAVO who will provide advice on eligible grants and assist you with completion of grant applications.


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Writing a constitution - If you are going to apply for grant funding, you will probably need a written constitution, to show funders that you are an organised group. Unless you are going to be a registered charity or a limited company, there are no legal rules about what your constitution should say. You may want to include your aims in a written constitution, and it's worth inviting a few people to volunteer to work on this and bring a draft back to the group. Once you have written and agreed the constitution, however, it becomes the 'governing document' of your group, and it should set out clearly how you intend to run your group. A good constitution can help to resolve disputes and enable new members to participate fully in the running of the group.

We can assist you with writing a Constitution, and provide you with an information sheet which takes you through the process step by step and includes example clauses and headings you may wish to include.

Opening a bank account - having a bank account is the best way to make sure the group's money is kept safely. Most high street banks offer special accounts for community groups. You will need to have at least two members of the group willing to act as signatories. Funders usually require (and it's a sensible precaution in any case) that you have a bank account where each cheque has to be signed by two people. It is important that a bank or building society account is opened in the name of your group and not that of individuals and that all donations and contributions are paid into this account.


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SECTION SEVEN

DEVELOPING YOUR SUPPORT GROUP

Some groups grow and develop organically, according to the number of people attending and what they want out of the group. New members - as your group develops and word gets around, more carers will join the group. As first impressions are so important, it’s worth giving some thought to how you respond to a new member. It can be very daunting to walk into a new group where you imagine that everyone else already knows each other, so take care to put new members at their ease. Coming to your group may be a Carers first step in acknowledging their loved ones disability or needs. They could easily be frightened off, so make sure your group is welcoming and supportive. You may want to think about -

• Allocating a group member to look after the new person at the beginning

• Always do a group introduction when new people come along Get to know each member of the group - find out how they are being helped by participating in the group. Ask them if there is anything that could make the group an even better experience and follow up on suggestions and comments. Engage members of the group - ask for volunteers to help plan and facilitate meetings on topics of personal importance. Group members need to be convinced that the group is meeting a need for them. Once they buy in, this will help ensure the longevity of group as well as give members an opportunity to use their talents and gifts for the good of the group. Each group has its own strengths and weaknesses, but there are several common issues most groups need to deal with as they carry out their activities. It's worth giving the structure of your group some thought every now and then, to make sure you still have a set up that meets the needs of your group. Keep it interesting – arrange different activities, crafts, topic, speakers etc. Providing free training or treats such as pampering sessions, is also a good way of keeping members interested. Don’t forget to ask members what they would like to take part in. (Topics that the group may want to discuss are included in the Appendix).


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We can attend a few of your meeting to discuss or raise certain issues or topics of particular interest or concern to group members

Think about you - running a group can be very rewarding, but remember that at times you may find the task overwhelming or emotionally draining. Its good to think about some coping strategies, such as -

• be realistic about what the group can accomplish • rotate tasks and responsibilities among group members • develop a network of peers and professionals for support • take time out (such as over holiday periods)

Carers Support Services are happy to arrange regular contact with group leaders or just to be on the end of a phone if you need us.

Monitoring & evaluate the group - there are two good reasons why you might want to monitor and evaluate the group. The first, and most important, reason is that it helps you judge how effective your efforts are and what you could do to make them more effective. The second reason, and the one which prompts most groups to look at monitoring seriously, is that people who give out funds will expect it.

In particular, monitoring and evaluating can help you -

• check that what you are doing is actually having the effect you want

• improve things by identifying things that aren't working

• alter what you are doing if the situation changes

• provide evidence for funders or potential funders that what you are doing is working

Almost every group will monitor and evaluate what they do, if only informally, such as counting how many people turn up at a meeting is monitoring, and chatting about how an event went for a few minutes at the end is evaluation.

Some groups will inevitably come to an end for many different reasons. This should not be seen as a personal failure and you should remember the commitment and contribution that you gave to the group. You will no doubt be left with the happy memories and enduring friendships that developed from the group.


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APPENDIX ONE

CHECKLIST

Starting a support group

Think About To Do • Is there an existing support group

that addresses your concerns? • Do you have the time and energy

to start a support group? • Do you have the support of family

members and friends? • Can you handle the extra

demands of organising a group? • Are there other organisations that

the new support group can align with?

• Are there other caregivers willing to share responsibilities?

• Are there professionals you can call on to help with start-up?

• Are there professionals you can call on to provide topical advice and information?

• How will you publicise the formation of the group?

• What community resources are available?

• What are possible sources of financial support?

• Where will the group meet? When? How often?

• How will the group be led — by peer leadership, professional facilitation, shared leadership?

• How will group responsibilities be shared?

• How will the group be structured — as a stand-alone group or as part of a larger organisation?

• Will it be an informal group or legally registered?

• Visit support groups with similar concerns

• Talk with experienced group leaders

• Find out what they have found to be most effective

• Obtain how-to packages from established groups

• Find out about available community resources

• Seek out opportunities to create strategic partnerships

• Find out about potential funding sources

• Form an organising committee • Arrange a planning meeting • Establish the group's focus • Define the aims and objectives of

the group • Decide who can join the group • Define the group's relationship

with professionals • Establish the purpose of the first

meeting • Arrange a meeting to launch the

group • Publicise the launch meeting • Target potential members • Collect resource information and

materials to display or exchange at the launch


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Running a support group

Think About To Do • Is the meeting content relevant to

the members' needs? • Is the meeting location convenient

and accessible to the majority of members?

• Is the meeting schedule adequate for members?

• Are members satisfied with the conduct of the group?

• Are members satisfied with their level of participation in the group?

• Have the members' needs changed?

• How will the group publicise its availability to potential new members?

• Select a group leader or rotating schedule of leaders and/or facilitators

• Establish clear ground rules • Finish meetings on time but let

attendees arrive as they can • Select a meeting place, schedule

and meeting format • Hold regular meetings • Get feedback from members on

the effectiveness of the group • Make group decisions about

changes, as necessary


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APPENDIX TWO

DISCUSSION / TOPIC IDEAS

• Responsibilities and rewards of being a carer

• How to handle day-to-day problems

• Information on community and support services

• Self-advocacy

• Maximizing income and benefits

• Advocating for the care recipient

• Effects of change and loss on marital and family relationships

• Learning about health boundaries

• Warning signs of caregiver stress

• Ways to relieve caregiver stress

• Taking care of yourself

• What to say and do when you can no longer be a full-time or part-time

caregiver

• Long distance care giving

• Coping with your feelings

• Dealing with grief and moving on

• Facing the day when placement in long-term care is a necessity


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APPENDIX THREE

USEFUL CONTACTS & ORGANISATIONS

Caerphilly Social Services Carers Support Services 01443 864604 [email protected] http://www.caerphilly.gov.uk

Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations (GAVO) 01443 863540 [email protected] http://www.gavowales.org.uk

Barnardo's Young Carers Groups 01633 612712 http://www.barnardos.org.uk/caerphillyyoungcarers

Carers UK 02920 811370 http://www.carersuk.org/wales

Crossroads Care http://www.crossroads.org.uk


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The Princess Royal Trust 0844 800 4361 mailto:[email protected] http://www.carers.org

Carers Direct - Choices 0808 802 0202 http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect


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APPENDIX FOUR

YOUR NOTES & IDEAS

Setting Up & Running A Support Group

Documents

Transcript of Setting Up & Running A Support Group