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Support Groups

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This thread is now closed. Please contact Anna DUK, Ieva DUK or everydayupsanddowns if you would like it re-opened.
Bronco Billy

Bronco Billy

Moderator
Relationship to Diabetes
Parent of person with diabetes
I am very interested in members’ views of joining local support groups and would be grateful if you could comment on the following questions:

Would you consider joining one?
If not, why not?
What would the group need to offer for you to consider changing your mind?

Thanks in advance for your input
 
Bronco Billy said:
I am very interested in members’ views of joining local support groups and would be grateful if you could comment on the following questions:

Would you consider joining one?
If not, why not?
What would the group need to offer for you to consider changing your mind?

Thanks in advance for your input
Click to expand...

Bronco Billy, I am an officer I need my local group, so I'm well involved aReady. To be honest, DUKs latest policy on DBS checks can put people off stepping up to the plate - especially if they have been volunteering for a very long time. It seems a shame to put hurdles in place for people who might consider getting involved.

It's not all about having something to hide, but where an individual has already successfully been DBS checked, they can find it objectionable to do it all over again, when they were good enough for years and years past.

One further comment would be your question appears to almost expect people aren't going to either be, or intend becoming involved.
 
No.
I am not a "joiner", find group situations very difficult. This forum is great for me, as I can keep quiet when I want without being pressured to join in.
Nothing I can think of! Just not my sort of thing.
 
I tried a pilot of initiative called Type 2 together, and found I gained nothing from it. I found as with other groups some just dominate. I attended 2 sessions and the third coincided with one of the last good weather days of the year my time was better spent in the garden.
 
I just remembered it was a small group and another attendee was doing so on behalf of her special needs son , also did not find it fulfilled her expections either.
 
We're members of an informal group of families all with T1 children of varying ages, who were all put in touch with each other by the hospital team. Currently it's organised via a website and they put events on every few months, usually things like camping weekends, Christmas party or pantomime, meet-ups at climbing centres or theme parks or somewhere the children can play, and so on. We don't attend every event, just the ones which look interesting; the camping weekends tend to be the most fun because you can really get to know people then and the children should be able to wander round the campsite safely on their own. It's good for the parents because we can swap stories, have a bit of a rant about diabetes-related issues with people who really understand because they've had exactly the same problems, and maybe help each other with things. It's good for the children because they can finger prick together, inject/bolus together and not be the “different” one any more, and presumably also swap their own stories with others who understand! There's usually also some sort of “entertainment” (probably not the correct choice of word) when someone's pump or CGM starts beeping and you can't work out whose child has the problem or what needs to be done about it!

There's none of this sitting round in a circle and taking turns to introduce yourself and talk about your individual problems like you see on the telly, it’s all very informal and we've made some good friends. In the beginning I think we got more out of it than our daughter did, but she has made some friends too now and usually comes home having learnt something new!
 
When I was first diagnosed I did join a local group which met monthly, usually with a guest speaker. I just got bored to be honest, partly because it was mostly T2, but mainly because I just regard T1 as way of life. I don’t produce insulin so I inject it. It’s not rocket science. Do it right and you’ve nothing to learn that you can’t learn on the forum.
 
I like people and wanted to meet local people who had type 1, but there was no group. I ended up opening my mouth and starting one but found it laborious and although provided with lots of DUK hoops to jump through, not very much support. I found recruiting other committee members very difficult and it didn't fulfill my aims anyway so I gave up.
 
I don't think I'd much like to join a "support" group but I would like a place to meet with fellow Type 1's for informal chats and a coffee etc, I feel like it would be nice to have someone close that knew what it was like instead of just having muggles around that don't understand anything, unfortunately there isn't anything like that here for my age group and the support group that was aimed more at Type 2's was stopped I think because of lack of interest, the only 2 Type 1's I know round here are older and haven't taken care of themselves so aren't in the best of health so it would also be nice to meet fellow Type 1's with success stories etc after all I've been through personally with my eyes in my short diagnosis xx
 
I’ve been a member of a local group briefly (I helped to set one up in the centre of my city), but I quickly realised that regularly attendance required a bit more time than I had freely available.

That was where online support really worked for me... I could dip in and out as and when I had a moment. And then get together IRL every so often at a meet-up with folks I already knew
 
To be honest, I think the support needs for people living with diabetes are extremely diverse. Many newly diagnosed people will turn to the internet, because it is literally at their fingertips, whereas those longer diagnosed prefer the face-to-face approach it seems.

I became involved with my local DUK group, purely out of curiosity. I had already got my diabetes into a decent place, but happened upon a notice for the local group's monthly meeting, so thought I'd rock up and take look.

I'm generally not "a joiner", but the talk was interesting and it looked a very mixed bunch of characters. Within a year I had been co-opted onto the committee, then shortly thereafter took office when one of the then officers need to retire (after 14 years in post).

I must say, in my time with the local Group, the DUK requirements have spiralled significantly. I mean, the annual report is over a dozen pages; more if anyone wants to add lots of context, whereas a UK Limited Company, turning over several million pounds, does an Annual Return to Companies House which is significantly less onerous.

In my time in office, I have made significant changes to allow me to complete the Annual Report more easily and quickly, but not everybody works with spreadsheets or effectively wants another part-time job - unpaid of course.

I have also been rather alarmed to learn that there appear to be inconsistent requirements applied across the country. For instance, I know of a newly formed T1 group who are not being required to fulfill any DBS requirements. Why? Allegedly, they have been told that as long as they do not have child members they do not need it. To be honest, I was so aghast by that response (and, although third party, the person telling me is very robust) that I didn't bother enquiring about safeguarding.

Frankly, if DUK are finding group numbers; whether the number of groups or the number of attendees to group events, I am really not surprised.

Our group is at a crossroads at the moment. I can't be sure which route it will take. We have a big anniversary this year. I just hope it is one of many more to come, but right now, I wouldn't bet the farm on it.
 
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Just never appealed, not group type of person.

Past experience of gatherings not great anyway, little cliques develop so some people feel left out, happens all time even in work days out christmas parties, never try to fit in so selective on what functions to attend.

Plus, diabetes can be boring subject so couldn't sit thru some talks, bit like being on busman's holiday.
 
Thanks for your replies everyone. I will pass them on.

@AndBreathe Please be assured that if the group you referred to is a DUK group, DBS checks will definitely be required
 
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