Empowering communities: The value of volunteer education facilitators
“As I got more involved, I was so surprised by what volunteering gave back to me,” Rispin says. “It gave me a purpose, something meaningful to do with my time. I’ve found something helpful for me and for others.”
Pictured above, Clara Rispin and Suzanne Allan, volunteer education facilitators on the North Shore and Bowen Island.
Have you ever attended a dementia education workshop with the Alzheimer Society of B.C.?
Participants tell us that education workshops increase their knowledge of dementia and that they feel confident applying what they learned to their daily life. It is estimated that more than 85,000 people are living with dementia in B.C. – but by 2030, that number is expected to rise to nearly 134,000. The need for dementia education has never been greater.
Dementia education workshops are delivered to small groups and provide opportunities for live discussion. A variety of topics are offered to help people living with dementia and caregivers navigate the journey and provide information for the general public about the disease. To meet the needs of communities across the province who are eager to learn more about dementia, we rely on volunteers to deliver standardized in-person education workshops.
“As a retired teacher, the role comes naturally to me,” says Suzanne Allan, an education facilitator on Bowen Island. “It’s an opportunity to use my skills and connect with people – I get a lot back from volunteering.”
Allan started volunteering with us as a support group facilitator while she was caring for her mother, who lived with dementia. She facilitated groups for years and recently completed training that’s equipped her to present three workshops to her community.
“Bowen Island is a small, rural community and the need for dementia education is great,” Allan says. “It feels good to volunteer my time and give back.”
Allan benefitted greatly from the Alzheimer Society of B.C. support and education she received when her mother was alive and feels it is important to help other people who are still on the dementia journey to learn more about the disease.
Clara Rispin is an education facilitator on the North Shore who started volunteering after her mother passed in 2023. Her mother lived with dementia and was diagnosed in a later stage of the disease. Rispin’s caregiving journey was challenging and she lacked the support Allan was able to find on Bowen Island. She is doing all she can now to support caregivers so they don’t have to experience what she went through. Rispin also started volunteering with the Society as a support group facilitator before accepting an invitation to facilitate education workshops.
“As I got more involved, I was so surprised by what volunteering gave back to me,” Rispin says. “It gave me a purpose, something meaningful to do with my time. I’ve found something helpful for me and for others.”
Education facilitators are comfortable with public speaking and presenting sensitive topics to a large group of diverse participants. They have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, personal maturity and the ability to establish healthy boundaries. The Alzheimer Society of B.C. provides a comprehensive training program. A minimum one-year commitment, or one to four education sessions per month is required.
“I would encourage people to volunteer. Just go for it,” Allan says. “It feels good to give back and there is a great need.”
If you are interested in becoming an education facilitator in your community, please complete our online application. If you have any questions, please contact the Provincial Coordinator (Volunteer Engagement) at agill@alzheimerbc.org.