FAQs

Don’t worry, we make things as hassle-free as possible – we only use venues that are fully accessible with appropriate facilities. We provide user-friendly handouts and booklets so you have a chance to absorb information at your own pace. You are free to move about if you are uncomfortable at all. And our experienced course leaders ensure there is a calm, friendly atmosphere in which everyone is respected. We can also cater for special needs if you tell us what yours are.

You really don’t need to know anything at all. And if you do already have some knowledge you should still learn something new by the end of the course – either from our trainers, or the other participants. It’s amazing what people gain from one other.

There is very little writing involved during any of our courses. However, we do ask you to fill out a registration form, and complete a simple form before the course, another immediately after, and another six months later. These are simple questions about your health and fitness. This information helps us all to see whether your life has improved after the course – and we can then show our funders how their money was well spent. It is a really good way for you to think about your own improvement and serves as a reminder to keep going with the skills and techniques you learned on the course.

There are no tests – we keep it all very straightforward. Other than filling out our forms, you won’t need to do very much writing. Some courses require you to write an Action Plan – if you would like some help with this, let us know.

Unfortunately we are dependent on funding to be able to run courses: no funding means no course. But if you register your interest with us, this helps give us the ammunition to show funders the demand is there. If you would like to get involved in campaigning for funding, please get in touch and we can tell you what the situation is.

Yes, we do sometimes run courses in other languages, but the availability of this service does vary from region to region depending on staffing. It might be possible for you to bring your own translator. To discuss your language needs, please get in touch.

Most courses are attended by people from many different age bands. The majority are for people over the age of 18, although we do run two courses for people under 18 in some areas. We can offer some flexibility. If you are particularly concerned about this issue, please contact us and we will do our best to help you.

Certainly – wherever possible we do our very best to help. For example, we may be able to arrange sign language interpretation or to provide information in Braille or on audio. The best thing to do is to contact us and tell us what your requirements are.

Sometimes course participants form their own group and meet up regularly after the course, often with our support. Or they might join an existing Arthritis Care branch or group. You will also find a number of people on the discussion forums who have been on our courses. They enjoy chatting online and gain a great deal from supporting one another. And all of Arthritis Care’s services are open to you – take a look around the website to see what might be of interest, there is plenty to choose from. You might like to become a member, or subscribe to our magazine, Arthritis News.

We are always looking for people to volunteer their time and skills. Take a look at what is involved and please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.

It is surprising what you can learn from others. Even people who cope very well with their condition find they benefit from the group interaction. Sharing your own experiences can be very liberating – and it might help someone else too.

Attending our courses will have no impact on your benefits. Completing a course does not mean you must return to work (if you are not in work), and no central government agencies will be notified of your attendance.

The best thing to do is to contact the office in your area and see if they can help. We do also recommend taking a look at the publications we have available for young people, and contacting our helpline for young people and their families, The Source, if you have any specific questions about managing your condition.

Yes, you can. You can attend with the person you care for, or on your own if you prefer. Please just let us know your situation when you register and we can take this into account.

We can certainly run specially commissioned courses, for all manner of groups. Please just get in touch with our office and we will gladly discuss the arrangements with you.