“I have met lifelong friends, who double as a support group for when times can get trickier.”
Jessica Goodall gives us a first-hand account of our latest online B&A event, about setting SMART goals.
Thank you, Jessica, for your valuable participation and insights!
“Believe and Achieve is a programme for young people aged 11-25 who have been affected by meningitis. They frequently arrange online and in-person events to create a community for people to feel less alone in their experience of meningitis.
“During this event, we had a goal-setting workshop delivered by Family Action. We discovered strategies to achieve our goals, whether it was financial security, writing a book, or running a marathon.
“In this workshop, we looked at ‘SMART’ goals and how you can make your goals work for you. SMART is an acronym for specific, measurable, achievable, result-focused and time-bound. These are the requirements to meet your goals on time and efficiently.
Sprinkled with inspirational quotes
"The presentation was sprinkled with inspirational quotes such as, ‘Set goals that make you want to jump out of bed in the morning.’ This made the act of goal-setting sound fun and interesting.
“We discussed how goals can sometimes be harder to achieve due to after-effects or disabilities. However, we acknowledged that goals are still achievable, you may just have to follow a different, perhaps longer route, which is ok. It was reassuring to hear people sharing similar stories about their goals and their strategies to get there.
“For example, as an individual who struggles with concentration and processing because of meningitis, I realised learning to drive was going to require more time and money, and eventually a new instructor, who understood my after-effects better.
“After the goal setting session, Mikala, the event organiser, gave everybody an opportunity to speak and share their story, and if they didn’t feel able to, they could pass to the next person. The call featured a talk about other support available such as coaching, counselling, and the Rebuilding Futures Fund. There is more information available for these on Meningitis Now’s website.
Like a family to me
“Believe and Achieve has been like a family to me for the past seven years. It has helped me develop skills I wouldn’t have if it weren’t for the charity. I have attended PGL’s, workshops on writing and music, an escape room, and even learnt some circus tricks like walking on a tightrope at the five-year anniversary for B&A. I have met lifelong friends, who double as a support group for when times can get trickier.
“Overall, the conversations were very interesting and insightful, and the event went really well. The call featured closed captions, which were helpful to many people, as one of the common side effects of meningitis is hearing loss. I found that all the activities were really accessible and helpful.”
Our sincere thanks go to Family Action Life Skills Team for their delivery at this event and to our generous funders whose contributions make these powerful events possible.
If you are a young person aged between 11-25, or know someone who would love to get involved. Please contact believeandachieve@meningitis now.org or register your interest here.
