Dorset Blind Association (DBA) help people adapt to sight loss and gives them the tools and confidence they need to lead independent lives. They offer everything from practical support (like equipment and job assistance) to essential emotional support.
Since 2020, CAN has been a core partner in the Trusted Voices Project (a collaboration with Dorset Community Action and Public Health Dorset). Our specific mission with Trusted Voices was to dive deep into the health and well-being needs of their members over several months.
We started with something unique: In late 2023, the Trusted Voices team sat down for in-person chats with DBA members to simply ask them what support they wanted. This approach, putting members in the driver’s seat, is a unique part of the Trusted Voices model.
Based on those conversations, we helped plan tailored sessions for early 2024, which focused on topics like stress, anxiety, and the hassle of accessing healthcare. We even developed specialised relaxation sessions for blind participants, ensuring their sensory and mental well-being needs were met. At the same time, sessions focused on self-advocacy and navigating tricky healthcare appointments, building up members’ confidence and self-worth.
Heather and Grainne from DBA noticed engagement and relaxation soar as their service users were smiling and opening up. They gained confidence in dealing with healthcare concerns, backed by knowledge of their rights. One service user shared, “Thank you very much for letting me be involved in the wellbeing sessions. I think it’s done me good, made me realise quite how low my self-esteem is, and I have to do something about it.”
DBA staff saw the workshops as a crucial tool for identifying gaps in their own services, leading to new initiatives like the ‘Stretch and Relax’ group. As one staff member observed, “Staff noticed at the second workshop, a member engaged in conversation, visibly smiling and relaxed. They came to a club this week and talked with other members. Action in this case speaks louder than words.”
Trusted Voices plans to relaunch with a renewed focus on self-advocacy and empowerment. Contact hannah.rees@can100.org to find out more!