Alive’s Meaningful Engagement Coaching Programme provides on the job, practical training for any member of your care home team. 

Designed to empower, equip and encourage, it helps staff to grow in confidence, engage with empathy and ensure they are providing person-centred and individualised activity.

The Alive Meaningful Engagement Coaching Programme is a fun and lasting way for staff in any role to learn how to engage older people creatively, every day.  The programme will significantly increase staff skills, motivation and confidence whilst improving staff retention and CQC ratings. 

 Embedding learning 

Spread over the course of 10 weeks, programmes can cover any key area of meaningful activity from reminiscence and life story work, theming sessions, one-to-one work and day to day occupation, to how to integrate the arts or community with care setting life. 

This allows participants to put into practice what they learn in between their training sessions. It is tailored to your home, so no course is ever the same and ensures it meets the needs of your staff and residents.  

Training and practical experience together – the whole home approach 

Staff learn on the job – working with the residents they see every day, making it both practical and achievable. They take part in a full-day training course, growing in confidence and skill through observing, co-leading, then lead a series of activity sessions with our trainer whilst on the job.

Mentoring and personalised action plans embed learning and an evaluation report for use with the CQC provides helpful next steps and recommendations for the manager. 

We train any member of staff – we have coached maintenance staff, chefs, admin, domestics and care staff – ensuring activity and engagement is embedded across the whole home.  

Proven to work 

We have delivered coaching in over 60 homes and have seen CQC ratings improved, isolation reduced, medication decreased and an increase in staff knowledge.  

  • 84% of staff reported an increase in knowledge after the training sessions  
  • 82% of staff reported an increase in their skill level after the training sessions 
  • 79% of staff reported increased confidence after their training sessions  

We are only halfway through our Coaching Programme, but when I walk around the homes I can already see a change in the way staff are interacting with residents. It’s making a real difference to the staff and the lives of our residents.

Key benefits and outcomes of Alive coaching  

  • Enhanced wellbeing and happiness of residents measured by improved mood, engagement and interaction (evidence of this included free of charge)  
  • Increase in staff knowledge, motivation, confidence and skill in delivering person centred activities (evidence of this included free of charge)   
  • Amazing value for money with long term benefits which include greater staff job satisfaction leading to higher staff retention
  • An increase in person-centered activity leading to higher CQC ratings 
  • Alive is a NAPA recognised CPD provider, so this training will benefit staff CPD

Rooted in evidence 

In 2017, Bradford, Leeds and Leeds Beckett Universities’ and Health Education England’s  in-depth research study on ‘What Works in Dementia Training and Education?’ identified the following as best practice training;   

  • Includes face to face delivery using group-based activity and discussion  
  • Is tailored to the staff attending so it is relevant to their role and service setting  
  • Is delivered by an experienced facilitator  
  • Combines theory/knowledge with opportunities to apply learning through practice/practice-based activities  
  • Is of at least 3 hours duration with longer programmes more likely to be effective  

Alive’s coaching programme fulfils all the criteria identified in the ‘What Works?’ study as delivering the best outcomes for people with dementia and providing the best value for money.  

To request more details on course content and costs or to book your training or coaching, please call the Alive office on 0117 377 4756 or email info@aliveactivities.org