The subjects covered within the training courses are:
- An understanding of Agoraphobia – text book knowledge, and understanding from the sufferer’s point of view.
- Social Skills – ability to work with people, how to encourage gently but firmly, and to have patience.
- Planning – ability to formulate a personal plan for the sufferer, and to explain it clearly.
- Self Help – how to encourage the sufferer to maintain a diary of progress.
- Issue Management – common issues that will surface with many sufferers and how to work through them.
- Crisis Management – how to cope with serious adverse reactions, eg. panic attacks. How to identify early warning signs, eg. rising stress levels.
- Legal Requirements -knowledge of the legal boundaries of the job.
Training and Awareness course (agenda)
1/ Introduction -what is Walking to Freedom’s Aims and objectives,
2/ What is Agoraphobia How does it affect individuals.
3/ What is done to help the sufferer
4/ The role of the support groups
5/ Anxiety / Shyness / Assertiveness – what are they, how they affect individuals.
6/ How do we identify, and measure anxiety /Use of tools / rating scales .
7/ Dealing with anxiety / Role play /
8/ Planning for the future / Identifying continuing needs for support .
What the Walkers will do
This programme will consist of a trained person walking with an agoraphobia sufferer under the general supervision of the sufferer’s GP.The walker will establish a series of goals with the sufferer and then will work with them to achieve those goals. for example, for an hour a day, over a period of three months, they will first walk to the front door, next open the door, on another occasion look out, then again step out. By incremental steps and repeated practice the sufferer will gain confidence to move further away from their house, and eventually be able to attend a workshop.
The Workshop Proposal
This programme will establish one or more workshops where sufferers can be involved in a craft or hobby.The
purpose will be to improve their self-esteem and enhance their independence, aiming to bolster confidence to a level where the individual can move on to the next stage.
The Safe House Proposal
Once the individual is ready for a further challenge, we will have a third stage available for them.At a safe house
they will be able to extend their confidence further in intensive sessions, accompanied by medical practitioners or recovered agoraphobics