Over a 4 week block Shona Sneddon, Dementia Advisor, Alzheimer Scotland worked with 16 pupils from p5-7 from Penninghame Primary School to raise awareness of Dementia.
The aims of the sessions were:
• To increase the children’s knowledge and understanding of what dementia is.
• To increase the children understands of who Alzheimer Scotland is as an organisation and the services we offer.
• To provide the children with an opportunity to experience how it feels to have a disability.
• Become a Dementia Friend and learn the 5 key messages:
1. Dementia is not a natural part of ageing
2. Dementia is caused by brain diseases
3. Dementia is not just about losing your memory
4. It is possible to live well with dementia
5. There is more to a person than the dementia.
The children took part in a variety of activities, information sharing and watching short video clips. At the end of the sessions, when they became Dementia Friends, their pledge was to hold a non-uniform day in school to raise funds for our local Alzheimer Scotland services and share what they had learnt with the school at an assembly.
The children held their non-uniform day and raised an amazing £235. This money will be spent locally and the children and school will be kept up to date on what exactly their money has been spent on.
This activity took place in the schools wider experience programme. Each Friday in school Penninghame have a Wider Experiences session where children get to take part in a chosen activity and learn a new skill. These activities are delivered by teachers and a variety of people and organisations within the community.
Providing children with wider experiences and encouraging them to try new activities is an integral part of Curriculum for Excellence and helps to provide children with a broad range of skills which will help them in everyday life now and in the future. Penninghame Primary school sees community organisations and volunteers as a central part of the programme and are always keen to invite new people into the school.
Please get in touch if you are interested in helping and sharing your skills with pupils.
