Congratulations to our dedicated team
We’ve always known our volunteers are a very special, dedicated bunch of people. A number of them demonstrated their commitment and dedication by completing the Cancer Support course run by Macmillan Cancer Support.
The Cancer Support course was developed by Macmillan to offer training to anyone who supports people affected by cancer. It is accredited by the National Open College Network, one of the largest awarding bodies in the UK.
The complete course comprises five units including:
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Effective communication skills
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Introduction to counselling skills
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Working with loss and bereavement
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Cancer awareness
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Health and wellbeing
Each unit involved four days of tutored classes as well as practical experience and a portfolio – quite an undertaking for our volunteers.
Helen Holden had been working in the Drop-in centre at the LJMC for eighteen months when the course was recommended to her. “I was pleased to have the opportunity to develop my skills and knowledge. It’s given me a lot more confidence to deal with different situations too.”
For Lin Campbell, the timing of the course was perfect as she had only recently started working at the LJMC. Like Helen, she found it has built on her existing skills and given her more confidence. “We also became aware of our limitations. There’s a huge desire to try and do too much and it was really valuable to know that it’s not a failure to ask for help from someone else.”
All the participants found the Cancer Awareness unit of particular interest. Lin said, “As well as developing skills like supportive listening, we also learned about other aspects of cancer treatment such as speech therapy – things we don’t see so much of in the Drop-in centre. We also covered elementary first aid which is something that will be useful outside of the LJMC.”
The Drop-in centre gained a new volunteer with Brian Murphy ‘defecting’ from the Information team where he had been assisting with the production of leaflets. “The course sounded really interesting,” he said. “However, I needed to gain some practical experience so I started working in the Drop-in centre. I found I really enjoyed it so I plan to stay put.”
The participants found they learned from one another and appreciated the supportive nature of the course. Some of the participants had themselves been treated for cancer and their insights were particularly valuable.
We congratulate all the participants on their success and pay tribute to the commitment they gave to this training over the past year.
Last updated: 26 November, 2009
