Taking stock of my experiences over time

A timeline creates a graphic picture of your life (or a period in your life) that can help you to identify the ups and downs that have occurred. The timeline may also show any patterns or recurring themes that you may have been unaware of. It can help to define high points and low points and allow you to reflect on what you’ve learned from them.

In this session carers look at their life experiences, focusing particularly on their caring experiences. You can reflect on the skills and qualities they have developed through their caring role.

You may also find it interesting to try this activity for yourself. It can be difficult to look back over our life or our experiences. If you would prefer not to reflect on certain experiences, you can select which areas of your life you want to focus on.

To give you an idea of how a series of events in your life can be captured in a timeline take a look at the examples below.

Lesley

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Figure 2.2 Lesley’s timeline
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This is a timeline of thirteen boxes connected to each other, mostly along a horizontal line, which depict the high points and low points in Lesley’s life. The timeline moves from left to right, with the four low points represented by boxes below the main line, and two high points above the line. The timeline starts on the left with a box stating that Lesley trained to be a nurse in London. The timeline then moves to the right with the box representing when she travelled and lived in Turkey for a year. Box three records her move to Scotland where her parents had relocated from Kent. She then worked as a nurse in Dumfries from 1994–2004, married and had children (box four). Box five lies below the line as it was a low point when Lesley’s daughter was ill, which meant a lot of time was spent travelling to hospitals and juggling work. Another low point (box six) reflects her son being diagnosed with disabilities, meaning it was impossible to work and be a full-time carer. On a more positive note, box seven is back on the horizontal line for 2004–2007 when Lesley worked part-time in retail. Then she did some volunteering while her son was at school. At the same time, additional low points (boxes nine and ten) indicate that regular support was needed from both a carers centre and other carers, and her back and joint problems worsened. Separation from her partner was associated with financial challenges (box eleven), but marked the start of a positive phase represented by boxes twelve and thirteen. Here she started an Open University course and followed that with a business studies course (in the final box) at the end of her timeline.

Figure 2.2 Lesley’s timeline

Lesley’s timeline begins when she starts her career as a nurse. The first few bubbles (moving from left to right) illustrate positive experiences occurring over time as she gains experience and progresses in her career.

Then Lesley’s life becomes more complicated. She is married and has children, but is also reacting to some new and difficult challenges. These are shown below the centre line.

The last part of Lesly’s timeline shows how difficult experiences are happening almost at the same time as positive events. Lesley is still a carer, with her own health problems and financial challenges, but she also has some ‘ups’. She has been able to make her own choices and enjoy new challenges, including completing an Open University course and starting a business studies course.

Timelines don’t always progress in ups and downs. Sometimes ups and downs can be happening at the same time, as this timeline shows.

Scott

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Figure 2.3 Scott’s timeline
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Ten text boxes connected by lines illustrate Scott’s experiences over time. The timeline starts in the bottom left-hand corner of the diagram, with the first two boxes representing low points in Scott’s life when he left school in 2010 and had personal and family problems. Time moves from left to right across the diagram. Box three represents a four-year period between 2010 and 2014 when Scott attended college, completed an NPA childcare course and in 2013 began an HNC in Social Care. At this time he was also volunteering with children’s organisations (box four, on the left of the diagram) and experienced a high point by completing his charity fundraising despite physical challenges that were ongoing since school (box 5, top left on the diagram). Another high point is represented in box six by the support he received from the college counsellor in 2012. Other positive support was received from a young adult care worker and other young adult carers in 2013 (box seven). Scott has had ongoing college placements, including one with adults with learning disabilities in 2014. Boxes nine and ten (on the right of the diagram) represent further positive events in Scott’s life, with his cleaning job at a carer’s centre since 2013 and finally being an advocate for carers at national events, which he has also done since 2013. Overall, the boxes in Scott’s timeline form a slight upward trend from bottom left to top right as his experiences become generally more positive over time.

Figure 2.3 Scott’s timeline

Scott left school and started college, and we can see from his timeline that college is an ‘up’ compared to school, so college is positioned slightly higher. While at school and then starting out at college he had some difficult personal and family times. This box is lower, indicating a ‘down’.

Throughout these personal challenges Scott continued to make progress with his studies. He moved from having few qualifications to achieving a National Progression Award (NPA) in Childcare to working on a Higher National Certificate (HNC) in Social Care.

The volunteering and fundraising boxes are ‘ups’ that he often chooses to do.

The support Scott gained from a college counsellor, the young adult carers’ support worker and other carers have been high points in his life. These points in his timeline have led to further positive experiences, as the boxes show by moving up and to the right.

Learning outcomes

Activity 2.1