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13 Jun 2022

Your learning

New app shows what it’s like to receive care

Have you ever thought about what it feels like to have someone enter your ‘personal space’ to give you care and support? Now those giving care and support can experience what it feels like to be receiving care using the new BeMe smartphone app.

We’ve worked with Glasgow School of Art’s School of Simulation and Visualisation (Simvis) to create BeMe. The app uses 360° video and surround sound so you can experience what it feels like to be a person receiving care and you can choose from several types of services and settings to give you a broad understanding of different care situations.

SSSC Digital Leaning Team Manager, George Burton said:

‘Given the many pressures they face, those delivering care can often become focused on the tasks of helping someone and not think about what it might feel like to have a worker so physically close by.

‘We all have our own personal space and often feel uncomfortable when people enter it, moving to create distance but how does it feel if we can’t move or have to let people enter our space to provide care and support?

‘By harnessing the power of digital technology this app could change training for social care and support. It means that people giving care can be fully aware of the issues around entering other people’s space before they begin their care work.

‘Importantly, by using smartphone based technology also makes this training tool very affordable.’

What can I use it for?

You can use BeMe to prepare yourself or your staff for employment or recruitment, induction and as part of your continuous professional learning.

Learn, record and gain recognition

After watching the videos from each category, you have an opportunity to reflect on and record your thoughts using our MyLearning app. We’ve also created open badges for each category so you can gain recognition for you learning.

What you need to use the app

All you need to do is pop your phone into a ‘passive’ viewer, which can be bought for a few pounds in many supermarkets, connect a pair of earphones to your smartphone and you are ready to go.

The app is available for both Apple and Android smartphones and is free to download and use. For more information about the app and links to download it to your phone, please visit the BeMe page in the SSSC learning zone

Contact information

Sandra Wilson
Communications Officer
Scottish Social Services Council
communications@sssc.uk.com