Cancer Workshops – Understanding and Support
Did you know that one in every two people will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime? Yet despite its frequency, cancer is still something of a taboo subject which leads to a lot of hidden trauma for those living with cancer and also their relatives and friends.
How many children are currently being affected by the cancer experience of a relative? How many are living with or have experienced cancer themselves?
2020 Dreams Understanding Cancer Workshops
Our 2020 Dreams Understanding Cancer workshops provide a positive, sensitive service for schools, charities, children’s homes, PRUs or anywhere else where cancer is affecting young people’s ability to lead productive healthy lives.
Our experienced facilitators are carefully vetted and trained to deliver accurate information in a way that is both sensitive and highly engaging. Carefully designed role-play exercises and young person-led discussion forums help children and teenagers to discuss the topic of cancer in a safe and constructive environment.
We also provide support in understanding cancer via our range of training and consultation packages. These can be customised for any group or format (e.g. INSET days, PTA training, charity staff away days, etc.) Training packages are particularly useful for large schools or organisations as the delivery skills and information provided can be used to provide multiple in-house understanding cancer workshops or sessions.
The Danger of Misunderstanding Cancer
In this modern technology-focused world, children may turn to the internet (Dr Google!) or a smartphone app to research cancer. Without the support of a healthcare professional or responsible adult, they can access misleading information. Some problems this can lead to include:
- Incorrect self-diagnosis
- Exaggerating the risks of getting cancer
- Misunderstanding how cancer is contracted (e.g. incorrectly thinking you can ‘catch’ cancer from someone)
One of the most important outcomes of talking openly about cancer is providing young people with advice on where to go to access reliable support. This might include:
- Contacting a GP for a referral to therapy
- Finding out about practical support for young carers
- Accessing advocacy services to better support relatives with cancer
- Receiving spiritual guidance
Even busting some of the myths mentioned earlier can be a weight off of the mind of a young person who is struggling with fearful thoughts.
Providing Emotional Support
Whatever their circumstances, children will never reach their full potential if they are held back by grief and fear. With communication channels blocked, young people will often withdraw or ‘act out’, holding themselves back and even disrupting the progress of others.
By helping young people to support one another through their cancer experiences, you can play your part in freeing them from these emotional barriers to development.
Where young people feel able to talk openly and express their emotions without being judged, they can better connect with and manage their feelings and behaviours.
Providing information and support for children and teens experiencing cancer in their lives can be a daunting challenge for teachers, group leaders and other responsible adults. This is where 2020 Dreams Understanding Cancer workshops come in.
Supporting Young Carers and Advocates
Caring for or advocating on behalf of relatives with cancer places huge pressure on students and young people from all backgrounds.
Understanding Cancer workshops can help these children and teenagers to access the support they need. While 2020 Dreams workshop facilitators are not there to provide therapy, they are able to gently guide young people to the most appropriate sources of help – both psychological and practical. Often the simple act of talking about their concerns will help young carers to develop their own coping strategies and skills.
Book with Confidence with 2020 Dreams
As industry leaders in the provision of high-quality educational workshops, 2020 Dreams are the first choice PSHE workshop provider for many UK schools, young people’s charities, PRUs, Young Offender Institutions and other youth establishments.
We have also provided courses for national bodies such as the BBC and Prince’s Trust. Our experienced and well-trained facilitators are skilled at engaging with young people of all ages and course content will be carefully tailored depending on the age range of those present. We are happy to create customised workshops where necessary; just contact us in advance.
To book a workshop with 2020 Dreams or to find out more about our courses including the range of PSHE issues we cover we invite you to call us for free on 0800 471 4983 or email hello@2020Dreams.org.uk.
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Disclaimer
We are not psychologists, counsellors or medical professionals of any kind. Any medical information provided on this page is provided for general information and not medical advice. As such it should never be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment.
If users need medical or psychological support or advice, they should consult their GP or another appropriate medical professional.
Contact details regarding sources of support were correct at the time of publication but may change over time. It is the user’s responsibility to check such details prior to making contact.
This disclaimer also provides that no warranties are given in relation to the medical information supplied on the website and that no liability will accrue to 2020 Dreams in the event of any loss incurred as a result of reliance upon the information.
We will not be providing medical advice in our workshops, which are designed for awareness-raising purposes only.