Why get involved?

The training is unique in that it has been tailor-made for staff working with older people in care settings. Workshops aim to enable participants to facilitate creative activity with the older people in their care. So far the training has involved drama, visual arts and dance.

Age & Opportunity developed the programme and delivers courses using highly trained facilitators, including Elly McCrea and Gerda Teljeur.

• Elly McCrea, originally from the Netherlands, has been involved in training care-workers in the use of creative drama with their clients for over 20 years;
• Gerda Teljeur is an award winning visual artist, with 35 years practical experience as an art facilitator working in very different environments, including third-level institutes, schools, community and special needs groups.

OCS Consulting evaluated the programme in 2004 and in its report stated: "In the case of many of the care centres involved, there has been a reasonably visible and positive impact at the resident level... The project appears to have been most successful in developing and enhancing the participating staff members' own awareness of the residents' needs and their empathy for the feelings, concerns and interests of residents in creative and artistic activities... The project.... has had a positive impact on the lives of residents.... The most powerful endorsement tended to come from some of the non-participating staff members, who accepted that in the past they may have been sceptical of the project and its worth."