Training and support
Training and learning together
When we are involving people in dementia research, we are building knowledge together and that means staying open, curious, and willing to learn together. People, relationships, and research are complex and always evolving. Training should help everyone feel prepared, valued, and supported. That might include understanding dementia, building confidence in creative or co-produced methods, or learning how to support each other emotionally.
Training can come in many forms: formal courses, creative activities, peer learning, or simply taking time for shared reflection. What matters most is making space to grow knowledge and confidence together.
Start by checking what your organisation offers. You might already have access to training on:
- Trauma-informed approaches
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Mental health or safeguarding
- Accessible communication or facilitation
Here are some suggested areas you may want to delve deeper into:
Understanding Dementia
Building an understanding of dementia and how it affects people differently is important. Every person’s experience is unique and you may want to think about volunteering to learn how people are affected differently how dementia affects communication, memory, identity, and daily life.
Trauma-Informed Approaches
Creating emotionally safe, empowering involvement spaces. Trauma-informed practice helps everyone feel emotionally safe and respected. Many organisations now offer trauma awareness and trauma-informed facilitation training.
Mental health awareness & safety
Supporting wellbeing in involvement spaces. Learning how to recognise distress, support one another, and seek help if needed is essential. Mental Health First Aid (MHFA resources and courses) or basic counselling awareness can be helpful.
Cultural Humility & Inclusion
Ongoing learning about our own assumptions, power, and privilege.
Cultural humility training helps researchers and contributors work across difference with respect and openness.
Creative Approaches
Using arts and imagination to express experience and shape research.
Creative methods help people share what matters most in accessible and emotionally rich ways:
- Photovoice, using photography to express lived experience
- Courses like Dementia and the arts and projects such as Arts 4 Dementia highlight the role of creativity in wellbeing and expression
Co-Production Skills
Learning to work in equal partnership. Understanding co-production means learning how to share power, value lived experience, and make decisions together.
See: Co-production Training, EMPOWER Dementia Network+
Co-Design & Experience-Based Design
Creating solutions together based on lived experience. Co-design offers practical methods to improve services and research through shared insight.