What could I gain from this course?

The PLOT course is designed to take you through the key steps in setting up and running a peer support group. This course will be of value to anyone who would like to start a brand new group, or to evaluate and build the capacity of an existing group. 

This course is designed to be practical and provide you with useful activities and tools that you can use in the group setting. Many of the resources and information provided are tools and templates you can apply immediately in your group. Being a self-paced course, you will get out of it what you put in, and the extent of the effect it will have on helping you lead your group will depend largely on your commitment of time and how you choose to apply what you are learning in your group setting.

Can more than one person from a group do the course together?

We encourage groups to use this course as an opportunity to provide training to group members that are interested in having a more proactive role in the group in terms of planning, facilitation and decision-making. This course is available to as many people in each group who would like to do it. The advantage of more than one person doing it at a time is that you can discuss and work together on the activities with the group.

How much does it cost to do the course?

There are no fees or charges to do the course. The course is completely free.

Do I need to be a Chronic Illness Alliance member to do the course?

No, you do not need to become a member of the Chronic Illness Alliance to do the PLOT course, however membership is inexpensive and we encourage to you to join so that you can keep up to date, have access to our Peer Support Network, and connect with other people involved with chronic illness and peer support. Supporting the Chronic Illness Alliance by becoming a member helps us to provide more resources like the PLOT course to benefit the lives of people living with chronic illness. Membership forms and information can be found on our website.

Will I need any textbooks or reference books?

No textbooks or reference books are required. A number of resources are available for download throughout the course.

How will my progress be assessed?

As this is a self-guided course, the activities will be self-assessed to a certain extent. No grades will be awarded, just a record of completed activities. There may be some activities (such as multiple choice questions) that will indicate correct/incorrect answers, and in other activities you will be asked to complete the provided templates, or write short answers on particular topics in your workbooks. You will be able to see a summary of the activities you have completed and which ones are yet to be completed.

Will I receive a certificate for completing the course?

Yes, if you work through each of the core units you will receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of the course. All you need to do is complete the activities in each of the core units.

How much time will it take to complete the course?

The course is structured around core units and optional electives. It is designed to be self-guided so you can work through each unit at your own pace. You can work through one or more units per week if you wish or you can spread it out over a longer period of time, it's up to you. You can log in and out as many times as you wish, and can pick up where you left off. 

What happens if I need to take a break in the middle of the course?

The course is designed so that you can work through the units and activities at your own pace. You can log in and out as many times as you wish and pick up where you left off, even if you haven't logged in for a while.

What work is involved?

The work of the course is in following up on the information and resources provided within each unit and completing the activities. Many of the activities and tools are "hands-on” and are designed to directly assist you in setting up your peer support group or to build the capacity of an existing group. How much time you spend on this is up to you, but it really is a case of "you get out what you put in”. In other words, the more effort and thought you put into completing the course, the more value you and your group will get out of it.

How can I make a printed copy of what I'm reading?

This course is primarily interned to be used online. If you wish to print any course pages, go to the page you want to print, then in your browser menu, select File>Print. All materials in the Unit Resource Kits are in PDF format ready for printing.

How can I get help if I need it?

If you have any technical problems or any enquiries about the course material please tell us by email at cwalker@chronicillness.org,au