Care Share Connect Pembrokeshire

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The Most Significant Change method (MSC) was used to collate stories from participants, artists and facilitators who were part of the one to one storytelling sessions and workshops.

The stories were read in the MSC evaluation panel.

The panel was made up of head of Social Services PCC, project partners and creative team.

Please see main conversational themes from the panel day:

• The project has provided the reason for people to come together. You would have more people spending most of their days in their own homes, if it wasn't for something like this. Also, a chance for all these individuals to use Welsh in a social environment, which maybe they've not had the opportunity to do for some time.
• There's a wider community of individuals and couples within that area that may be housebound if it wasn't for this project and if you look at the statistics, you're likely going to die earlier if you don't have that connection. If you don't have that shape to your week!
• The fragility of community connection and just how important it is. The importance of doing what we can do to sustain it, for a better, healthy life.
• Connection is everything, it’s early prevention!

• People don't have enough opportunities to put value on their life experiences.
• When Bill (a participant) saying that he went to school with some of the participants who are in this group: The reconnection to school is so important, and this is their new purpose. They had a moment to value the past as they were sitting in the same classroom for the storytelling workshop that they went to school at. This was a magic moment.
• It's reminding me of how village life was growing up, and that seems to have faded away, so this is re-building that.
• A topic that comes up, is people’s experiences growing up during the war. This project provides a space for relationships to be formed over shared interests and experiences.

• Just being excited about something which is going to help everything: your physicality, your emotions, your inner well-being, and everything. So that's just really lovely that you can feel that excitement about something that's going to happen in your week.
• Friday afternoon is a place of peace and enjoyment. Putting the world to rights with friends, and we don't really discuss health issues on a Friday.
• It's like looking into the light rather than being in the darkness which is alleviating pressure of the GPs.
• It's positive that this project was what has kept them going. That's pretty powerful!
• There's a lot of talk about appointments and whether blood pressure is going up and down. But if you're in a different world of stories, you’re not thinking of that.
• This project created a space to be in the moment, relaxed and happy.

• The fact that some of the participants are thinking about the sessions in between is huge. He's found something to focus his thoughts on in between which has given him a sense of appreciation and positivity. A sense of hope!
• You're not just funding an intervention. You're creating the conditions for relationships to emerge.
• This is not just a connection that takes place on the Friday afternoon or in the hour that you go and visit Tony. They're thinking about this in between as well, and that's a real light bulb moment.
• He's got his carers who listen to him, but they are there to do a specific job. Whereas this is purely for sharing and telling, which he's been able to do, and that's clearly really benefited him.
• You're having some quality, lovely time away from the rules of caring and everyday life.
• It's something we want to do more of and get bigger and embedded into Health Board Systems.

• This age group wouldn’t go to the theatre to see a play in Welsh, and they aren’t going to go to the pub. It has to be something put on in the afternoon, like this.
• Online creative activities for those who are online would be a creative toolkit for participants to engage with in between and after visits.
• All participants get invited to Story Care and Share – online group.
• If photos have been taken during the session, this could be nice to gift them or their family/carers.
• The importance of PSU checking in with the participants after the panel discussion to follow up next steps.
• PSU investigating longer term service for Pembrokeshire.