What we do

See Beyond Stroke developed from a modest campaign by Somewhere, the makers of the documentary, The Closer We Get. This low-budget, independently made film had screened in 15 countries, gained a BBC broadcast and won some of the documentary world’s biggest prizes. Yet Somewhere (a non-profit) also wanted to see the film’s messages around care giving, ageing and stroke make an impact in health and social care.

With input from Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland and the Stroke Association NW, small-scale events with stroke support groups and healthcare professionals were developed into a specific outreach programme. The goal was to target the adult domiciliary care sector with a training pilot. This vital workforce often has limited access to training, and yet it was recognised that they arguably have the most impact on the day-to-day wellbeing of stroke survivors and those with other life-limiting conditions. The content and resources – short, highly engaging film clips and personal worksheets – were all provided for free and were designed to be covered within an hour session. 

The message was to ‘Change your next day at work’. The resources focus on empathy-building, empowering carers and enhancing their self-esteem, while encouraging them to form a plan for small changes they might make to improve their relationships with clients. The pilot trained over 700 carers, with both new recruits and experienced care staff alike learning from See Beyond Stroke. The aspiration is to continue to license See Beyond Stroke in health and social care, to both the public and private sectors.