This training material is a practical guide, that has been developed to support learning and training of the actors such as – community leaders, church leaders, educators and others who come into contact with the rural target group – particularly teenagers and marginalized workers. The modules have been designed to facilitate the learning, understanding, and developing of skills regarding the topics covered.
This Curriculum is divided into four Modules:
- Module 1: Getting to know the Individual
- Module 2: Self-awareness and understanding personal needs
- Module 3: Five Ways to wellbeing
- Module 4: Co-producing rural mental health services
Getting to know the individual | |
Aims | · To build a report a trusted relationship between the community and community members · To understand what is important for the individual · To develop building skills: empathy, active listening and communication |
Learning outcomes | · Understanding the needs and expectations of the individual · Developing active listening |
Activities | 1. Labelling Exercise 2. Active listening exercise 3. Circle of Support 4. Person centered plan 5. One- page profile |
Positive
All labels
that that
describe
your
positive
talents or
qualities
Neutral
All labels
that that
are not
positive or
negative
Negative
All labels
that that
describe
negative
attitudes or
thoughts
- Avoid eye contact
- Change the subject
- Get up and walk around
- Fidget
- Be dismissive/laugh
- Sit with arms folded looking around the room.
- Maintain good eye contact and friendly open facial expressions
- Check understanding of what is being said,
- Lean forward
- Make positive responses to what is being said.
- Use open body language
- Mirror the body language of the person talking
-
1. Ask participants to get into groups of 3 where possible, each group decides who will be the listener, talker and observer
2. Inform listener of their role and explain about the action cards
3. Inform talker about their role and remind them about confidentiality and ground rules
4. Inform observer of their role and what they are specifically looking out for.
5. Facilitate whole group discussion about how it felt to do the different roles.
Aims: The circle of support exercise aims to help individuals imagine himself/herself in the centre of the circles (see Annex 1). The exercise enables the adult educator to understand who the key actors are in the support of the individual. It is important to explain to the person filling in the circle there are no right or wrong answer. It can also be used to understand how someone with mental health issues can be very socially isolated and may end have more professionals than friends and family. This may lead the adult educator to understand that part of their role will be to include the individual in activities within the community which they of interested in and with likeminded community members.
Materials: Pen and Sheet (provided as annex)
Method: Using the template in Annex 1 the facilitator gives a case study of a person who does not have many (if any family and friends, some acquaintances and lots of professionals. Participants are asked to then complete the template for themselves. identifying all the people in their life, the closest circle to them representing the people who love them for example parents, partners, maybe brothers and sisters (these should be only people who the person can completely rely upon). The second circle represents people they see on a regular basis who they really appreciate being in their life and that who would be a significant loss to them if they weren’t there for example close friends. The third circle represents friends who people who they get on with these might be people who they share a hobby with or work as peers with. The fourth circle represents people who are in the persons life because they are paid to be. Once this is done participants are asked to reflect on the difference and similarities between the 2 circles of support.
Instructions: Use the tools provided into Annex 1.
1. Facilitator explains the circles of support diagram using a constructed case study that they have developed based on their practice where possible.
2. Ask to the participant to think about their life and write down in the first circle the most important things in his/her life. This could be people like family or friends.
3. For the second circle, the participant will add things that are slightly less important to him/her but still play a supportive role in his/her life. Carry this on for the remainder of the circles ensuring the fourth circle is only for services and professionals who are paid to be in their life.
4. Ask the participant “how do each of the people on your diagram provide him/her with support? What do different types of support look like?
5. Also ask participants to reflect on what their circles of support look in comparison to the case study and how this knowledge would influence their work with the individual from the case study
6. Using the case study circles of support diagram, draw or write the support out outside the fourth circle that he/she may benefit from, but do not have yet. Support does not just mean formal support. It might be friendship, art, learning. This is their future circle. Is there a way you can support them to access the things in the future circle.
Annex:

- The facilitator asks the person to briefly describe his/her personal history. It should include highlights in the person’s life that have helped shape his/her life. If needed, the facilitator uses questions to prompt the group for answers:
- When and where were you born?
- Do you have any brothers or sisters?
- Tell me about special places you visited or things you’ve done.
Step 2 – Dreams
- Lifelong Learning
- Relationships
- Leisure Opportunities
- Employment
- Independent Living
Not all dreams are realistic or can be realised, but dreams give a direction and a possible route for further exploration for action planning – why is this dream important to the person? What aspects can we act on?
Step 3 – Fears/Nightmare
What are the person’s fears especially those that may be barriers to realising dreams? What future do we need to avoid? Fears can be specific, like ‘getting burned by the kitchen stove’, or more general like ‘being misunderstood’.
Step 4 – About me, who is…
- What are your favourite activities?
- Favourite food/books/hobbies?
- What are your skills and abilities?
- What are your strengths/gifts?
Step 5 -Needs
- Identify key ideas and themes from the four previous steps.
- What is the direction the person now needs to take?
- Consider the person’s hopes, strengths and interests and list activities, opportunities and the support they need now and in the future.
Reflection: Closing the exercise the facilitator can ask the following questions: “How are you feeling now at the end of the exercise?”
In the following table the facilitator can find some tips to successfully lead the exercise.
Do’s
- Write exactly what people say;
- Create an informal atmosphere
- Leave with an action plan
- Be a sensitive guide
- Value everyone’s contribution
- Be positive
- Make this an ongoing process
Don’ts
- Interrupt participation
- Make leading commands
- Criticize people’s comments judgement of what people say
- Hurry the process
- Forget to follow on each comment
- View the process as a one time event
.
Annex:
PERSON CENTRED PLAN
