We are providing Support Groups and Workshops for People living with Long COVID
The COVID-19 worldwide pandemic is the defining event of the 2020s. Although for most people who have contracted COVID-19 a full recovery has been possible, around 1 in 5 continue to have symptoms of the illness well beyond the expected recovery time.
Long COVID can cause symptoms such as excessive fatigue, “brain-fog”, breathlessness, anxiety, and muscle aches, which can considerably impact the quality of life of those living with it and their ability to manage everyday tasks.
In Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire there are estimated to be over 18,000 people with Long COVID. With so many people experiencing issues around health and wellbeing with the condition, The Peer Partnership and Sirona are providing peer support services to support people to improve knowledge, confidence and ability to manage their condition.
For more information on Long COVID please see the NHS website www.yourcovidrecovery.nhs.uk
Workshops
We are providing peer facilitated Long COVID workshops. These two-and-a-half hour sessions, including 30 minutes of breaks, will explore Long COVID and how it affects you.
In these workshops you will be discussing your experiences of Long COVID symptoms, exploring the impact it’s having on our daily lives, and discovering what kind of support and coping strategies are available. We will be joined by healthcare professionals who will provide you with up to date information about living with Long COVID. You will have the opportunity to talk about your situation and the medical information amongst other individuals with the condition. Our aim is to support your knowledge, confidence and ability to help you manage your condition.
We will be providing our workshops both in-person and online across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
To sign up for our our workshops you will need to be referred to us by your GP. To find your local GP please click HERE. For more information, please complete the below form.
Support Groups
We are providing Long COVID support groups. Each Support Group will run for 6 sessions over a 12 week period. These two hour sessions, including 30 minutes of breaks, provide a space to discuss Long COVID, checking in with you on how you are doing, and giving detailed up-to-date information on various aspects on how to manage living with living with the condition, including coping strategies such as pacing, occupational therapy and how to discuss your situation with health care professionals.
The aim of these support sessions is to reduce the isolation that living with Long COVID can create, and support your knowledge, confidence and ability to help you manage the condition in an empathetic and person-centred way.
We will be providing our support groups both in-person and online across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
To sign up for our our support groups you will need to be referred to us by your GP. To find your local GP please click HERE. For more information, please complete the below form.
Volunteer Opportunity
Would you like to be a Peer Support Volunteer with our Long COVID service?
In this role you would be:
- Co-Facilitating workshops alongside The Peer Partnership staff and health care professionals, providing people diagnosed with Long COVID with information about the condition and helping them to manage it independently.
- Facilitating group peer support sessions. With training and support, you will provide a welcoming and supportive space for people to share their experiences of living with long COVID, condition management and encourage wellbeing.
What we are looking for?
You do not need to know everything about long COVID it’s your personal experience and enthusiasm to help others in the same situation we value.
If you are…
- Living with Long COVID in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire
- Available for 2 hours a week (various times available including daytime, evenings, and weekends)
- Believe that people can be the experts of their own condition
…we are looking for you to support this program and help people like you feel less isolated and more confident in living with Long COVID.
We will provide:
- Full peer support training
- Professional supervision
- Ongoing development
If you would like more information on this role, please complete the below form and we will contact you to discuss further.
