Students can win $2000 and make a difference to dementia

Students can win $2000 and make a difference to dementia

Undergraduate students across Australia can win prizes of up to $2000 and help make a difference to people living with dementia in the 2017 National Dementia Storytelling Competition.

Students from any discipline are invited to submit a story about how they, as individual practitioners or within their profession, can contribute to the care of people with dementia.

The national competition is run by Dementia Training Australia, which is funded by the Federal Government to provide dementia training and education across Australia.

This year, students will be asked to explore the concept of ‘salutogenesis’ in a medium of their choice; for example essay, short story, animation, short film, video, infographic.

Salutogenesis means ‘sources of health’ from the Latin word ‘salus’ (health) and the Greek word ‘genesis’ (source).

DTA Executive Director Richard Fleming said: "Salutogenesis is a new approach in dementia care, focusing on factors that support health and wellbeing, and shifting away from a more traditional, ‘pathogenic’ focus on risk and problems."

Students will be asked to address this topic: "A salutogenic approach to caring for people living with dementia: how my discipline can support a life that is manageable, understandable and meaningful."

Second and third year undergraduate students are invited to apply. The first 100 entries will receive a free submission to the Australian Journal of Dementia Care, worth $99 a year. The first prize is $2000, second prize is $1000 and third prize is $500. Each prize is awarded in both second and third year streams.

Entries will close on 25 February 2018 and the winners will be announced in March.

Last year, nursing student Teagan Bewick from Edith Cowan University and dental science student Danica Zhan from The University of Queensland won the top two prizes. Entries were received from 19 universities across Australia and more than 17 different fields of study were represented including occupational therapy, psychology, medicine, marketing, nutrition and design.

This is the first year the national dementia awareness initiative, previously an essay competition, will take a multi-media approach. For more information and how to apply please visit https://www.dta.com.au/storytellingcomp/ or email dta@uow.edu.au