Developing a carers' network (NToW25)
Background
No Limits is a training partnership, based in Yeovil, Somerset and offers a range of learning opportunities to carers. No Limits has created a carers' network, running events to bring carers together and providing opportunities for carers to enjoy activities outside of the role of carer.
A further aspect of No Limits' work examines the issues of carers' recovery, learning and employment. This focuses on the carer's own needs, helping them to identify and achieve their own goals. The supportive environment at the No Limits centre has enabled carers to escape from their role for a while and devote some time to themselves. No Limits holds a range of workshops and skills sharing events to further this aim.
No Limits has undertaken a consultation project aimed at giving carers a voice.
Aims/Objectives
Through the consultation project, No Limits aimed to develop the role of carers' representative and make training for the role available. This not only helps those fulfilling the role to be effective but also gives the role credibility with others.
In addition, No Limits aimed to improve the learning and employment opportunities for carers so that carers who wish to enter or return to learning and employment can overcome the barriers that may be stopping them.
What happened?
No Limits held a number of events and café style workshops where they developed the notion of 'true participation' which challenges the lack of training available for the role of carers' representative.
Outcomes
Following the events and workshops, No Limits in partnership with carers in Somerset produced an employer's pack which along with the accredited training will provide a structure for the role of carers' representative.
The pack includes:
- An advert, job description and person specification
- A knowledge set (i.e. sets of key learning outcomes for employers' in-house learning or as benchmarks when buying in training)
- National occupational standards
- An induction training plan
- A personal development plan, action plans and evaluation materials
In addition, No Limits has identified the factors that need to be in place for carers to learn new skills (such as suitable courses at flexible times and available transport) and gain employment (such as flexible working hours and the ability to work close to home).
To support the findings, No Limits produced a CD Rom which was made available on their website and contained information on recovery, learning and employment.
Impact on workforce development and how you can use the learning
No Limits found that it is hard to reach 'unknown' carers as many people don't identify themselves as carers when they are looking after loved ones.
Some carers were initially sceptical about involvement with a carers' organisation and felt that training would be focused on the cared for. It is therefore important to emphasise that this is not the case.
During the project, No Limits found language and terminology to be very important. They referred to 'participatory events', as opposed to 'consultation events', as the latter has begun to have negative associations. Participation is seen to be about steering the course of decisions right from the start, whilst consultation can infer that decisions have already been made.
Whilst the initial approach of engaging directly with carers was positive, No Limits ran into resistance with existing agencies and networks. This highlights the difficulty of small independent groups working on the edge of the mainstream and the importance of ensuring existing agencies feel included.
No Limits found employers outside of care and social services hard to reach. Whilst they had some success with 'breakfast mornings', this is an area that would need further development.
Additional material
NToW25 - No Limits training phase 2 evaluation
NToW25 - Building a carers community in Somerset
NToW25 - No Limits edited interview transcripts
NToW25 - Guidebook for managers looking to employ overseas social care staff
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