Developing and implementing Meeting Centres in Northern Ireland: A Co-production Approach to Community-based Support
Project Summary
This project aims to set up the first ever Meeting Centre for people living with dementia in Northern Ireland. More than 25,000 people in Northern Ireland currently live with dementia, and this number is expected to grow quickly. Despite this, there are very limited community-based support options, and there are currently no Meeting Centres in Northern Ireland.
A Meeting Centre is a community-based social club providing ongoing warm, friendly, peer and expert support for people living with mild-to-moderate dementia and their families. They offer meaningful activities that help people stay confident, connected and active. Research from the UK and Europe shows that Meeting Centres improve quality of life, reduce loneliness and help people live well in their communities.
The project will run for 12 months and will involve piloting a Meeting Centre at Green Island Golf Club near Belfast. This centre will run for six months and will act as a demonstration site to show how Meeting Centres could work across Northern Ireland. The golf club setting offers both indoor and outdoor activities and has been offered free of charge to support the project.
A key part of the work is co‑production, meaning that people living with dementia, family carers and professionals will work together. A Planning Group will be set up, made up of one‑third people with dementia, one‑third carers and one‑third other community and professional partners. This group will help design, run and evaluate the Meeting Centre.
The project will also study what works well, what challenges exist, and what changes may be needed to make Meeting Centres suitable and sustainable for Northern Ireland’s cultural and community context. The learning will be shared widely to support the future development of Meeting Centres across Northern Ireland, helping to fill a major gap in dementia support and improve everyday life for people affected by dementia.
Expected Impact
Overall there will be evidence of impact from the sustainability of the MC and its establishment as a national demonstrator site and the development of other MCs in NI. It is expected that more Meeting Centres will be set up as a result of the project and therefore people living with dementia and care partners will benefit from support that was not previously available.
Key outcomes are improved health and well-being and satisfaction for people living with dementia and family carers. Success of the planning group and the implementation process
Priority Areas
- Raising public awareness and addressing stigma and social exclusion
- Supporting families, friends, and unpaid carers
- Building a compassionate, skilled and supported workforce
Partners and Collaborators
Green Island Golf Club
Community Members of the Planning Group which has yet to be established. This will include people living with dementia and care partners, representatives from health and social care organisations and other community based organisations.
Project Team
Dr Shirley Evans – Association for Dementia Studies, University of Worcester
Anne Scott – Meeting Centres, Northern Ireland
Lee-Ann Clarke – Meeting Centre Co-ordinator
Graham Galloway – CEO of Meeting Centres Scotland
Colm McBriarty – National Sustainability Lead for Meeting Centres Scotland