CAF - Project Idea Help
Thinking of ideas for a project can be tricky and the desire to help can be great. From past applications, some groups have struggled to pitch a level of project that fits with the fund so I'm sharing the following thoughts and ideas to hopefully help you aim your project so it suits the fund.
When I have been explaining it to people, I have been using the terms 'innovative' and 'gimmicky'. These are often things we don't get funded to do, but there is an argument here that traditional forms of communication in health messages need variety and a bit of a shake-up. So, get your imaginations firing and share those fun and unusual ideas!
I'm more than happy to talk through your ideas if you want before you submit your bid, just get in touch
Bryan
The Idea
The Cheshire and Merseyside Cancer Alliance (CMCA) has given this money as part of an idea to experiment with a new approach on getting health messages to the public which isn't the traditional posters and lectures. This is about speaking to real people as they speak and knowing the people you work with which is part of our magic as the voluntary and community sector.
Don't forget the importance of wider wellbeing messages and their effect on cancer, whilst it might not stop someone from developing it, it can have a great effect on how someone responds to treatment. So, lifestyle messages are part of this too.
The CMCA also talk about how there are many myths attached to cancer and that these have powerful effects on people. This is something you may wish to explore if you think it suits your people. An example of a myth and thought process:
Thought - 'My grandfather and father both has lung cancer, so I'm going to get too, I may as well keep smoking like they did'.
Myth - Lung cancer is genetic and is a guarantee between generations
In many ways, this is about normalising a conversation that many people are fearful of or find uncomfortable. This is part of what we are referring to as 'low-level'.
Low-Level
Here are some ideas of what we mean by this term:
- Low-level is about awareness and the sharing of messages or hosting healthy, realistic conversations.
- Have a visiting professional be available at one of two of your sessions to share information and answer questions
- Working with your people to create in-house messages that they relate to as it's in their words
- Use your skills and knowledge of the people to create activities, sessions or translate information into a message they will engage with.
- Talk about what happens at a screening appointment to manage expectations and reduce fear/anxiety
Remember, we can provide all the information and resources you need. You don't have to be a cancer expert now or ever.
Things To Think About
Some lessons we have learned or issues we have encountered so far:
- There is a line between a clinical intervention and awareness - arranging testing or screening is clinical, encouraging people to do so, isn't.
- Think about your liability when coming up with your activities and the sourcing of your information, do not open yourself up to challenges or trouble by giving false information or creating clinical situations.
- Do not force these messages on people, if someone is very hesitant you may have to try in a different way or go more slowly.
- Make sure you and your team are comfortable talking about these subjects or going through the information, it is worth upsetting/triggering yourselves over.
- Target the information to your people, don't just throw around general messages unless your people are a broad range. A big part of this fund is acknowledging that broad messages don't always work.
Remember, you can ask for support on this from Bryan - bryan@warringtonva.org.uk