DMCC Membership
Membership of Devon Memory Cafe Consortium has been set up for the benefit of its members and is open to all independent Memory Cafes in the county of Devon.
Elegibility
To become a member we ask that members recognise themselves in the definition below and meet the following requirements or are willing to work with us, towards them, in rare cases where it is not initially possible to meet all areas.
Definition
“A Memory Café offers a social session and a stimulating atmosphere, in a safe environment for those living with dementia and provides an opportunity for peer group support and information for their carers”.
Expectations of members...
- Regularly offer a social session and provide a stimulating atmosphere in an environment of safety for those living with dementia and other memory problems.
- Offer carers of those living with dementia peer group support and information.
- Actively support carers to enable those living with dementia to remain in a home environment for the longest time possible.
- Work towards reducing loneliness and isolation for those living with dementia and their carers.
- Work collaboratively with mental health and social care professionals in the best interests of those living with dementia and their carers.
- Have trained volunteers to meet the needs of a Memory Café in the following:
(a) First aid.
(b) Food Safety.
(c) Health & Safety.
(d) Dementia Awareness Training.
- Have a safeguarding process in place so that volunteers know what to do if someone says that they are not safe or appears to be in danger or at risk of abuse.
- Have a health & safety policy/statement and one person who takes responsibility for health & safety at the memory café (this might include things like checking that the room is safe and free from trip hazards for example, before the start of a session).
- Have a Trustees or a Management Committee, have suitable financial arrangements in place and preferably hold a yearly AGM and elections.
- Have appropriate insurance in place, Including public liability.
- Commit to an annual membership of the DMCC.
- Provide some information about how many people you support and the types of activities you run during the year that will contribute to an evaluation of the effectiveness of Devon Memory Cafés as an approach to supporting people who have dementia and their carers and families.
- Would like to work towards the DMCC Quality Assurance Scheme.
Benefits of membership.
Raise awareness of the difference your Memory Cafe makes.
Access a Quality Assurance programme that will help you to put the policies and practices in place that you need
Utilise county-wide evidence to demonstrate the need for your service.
Gain support with forming stronger working links with health and social care services. (The Consortium will be able to represent member Memory Cafes in an informed and robust manner in matters of funding and support from various statutory organisations).
Share, and learn from, good practice.
Attend training relevant to the running of your Memory Cafe, at a reduced rate.
Attend locality DMCC peer group meetings which will help spread good practice, provide peer support and disseminate learning.
Will receive regular newsletters and messages about events and activities in the county.
How to become a member...
Application forms for members and Associate members
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
(An organisation or business)
The board of Trustees can choose to invite organisations, businesses or individual to become an associate member but will have no voting rights.
NON MEMBERS
If you choose not to join you can be listed on the DMCC webmap so that people looking for a Memory Café in the county can find you.