by Admin | 11.03.2020
Working from home is often the only way many of our carers can work, as it not only provides an income, but allows for the highest level of flexibility; you can work the hours that suit you, whether it’s early morning or late at night. There are free business plan templates and help and advice on how to write your business plan.
Click here to download a business plan template – supplied by Start Up Loans London
Essential guide to writing a business plan
Please speak to your Employment Advisor for further support – Tina, Nem or Omer or contact the office on 020 8868 5224 Ext 218 or email workingforcarers@harrowcarers.org
by Admin | 25.11.2019
Staff from Carers Trust and its London-based Network Partners gathered in central London to celebrate the success of a project that’s helping unpaid carers move back into employment.
They were joined by carers from across London who have benefited from the project.
Since October 2016 146 unpaid carers or former carers have found employment thanks to Working for Carers, an innovative partnership between Carers Trust and its London-based Network Partners.
A further 84 have moved into education or training while 74 are actively searching for work. Many more of the 739 carers or former carers who have registered with the project have taken a step forward by developing their CV and building confidence through attending project workshops.
Having demonstrated its success in engaging carers and helping them move back into work, Working for Carers will now move into a second phase of growth. The project aims to register and support increasing numbers of carers across London. And it will also implement learning from the first phase of the project, with a stronger focus on both employer engagement and tighter recruitment criteria for carers.
Speaking at the Working for Carers showcase event, Malcolm Moore, one of the carers who has been helped back into employment, said:
“My Working for Carers Employment Personal Adviser, Nem, has supported me since 2018. He helps people like myself in difficult and challenging personal circumstances begin the return to employment with one-to-one support, advice and training.”
If you would like to talk to Nem or the Working for Carers Team, please contact us on 0208 868 5224 ext 218 or email workingforcarers@harrowcarers.org
Please click here to read more
Photo: © Carers Trust
by Admin | 19.11.2019
On a wet and wild Saturday in the Welsh Mountains, Martin completed one of the UK’s toughest marathons, Snowdonia Marathon. We want to say a massive thank you to Martin for what he has achieved and well done for going beyond his goal of £1,000!
Snowdonia Marathon is far from flat and has a total height gain of 838m with an accent in the final 3 miles, but then is all down hill for the final 0,2miles!!!
If you would like to donate to Harrow Carers please click here
by Admin | 11.11.2019
Thursday 21st November 2019
Helping you find your way. Whether you are a new carer or have been caring for someone for a while, we believe that it’s important that you understand your rights and are able to access the support that is available to you as soon as you need it. Each year, Carers Rights Day helps us:
– ensure carers are aware of their rights
– let carers know where to get help and support
– raise awareness of the needs of carers.
Every day 6,000 people in the United Kingdom become carers, something few have been able to plan for. From the start, they may find themselves needing to talk to health and social care providers; to negotiate with their employers on how to juggle work with caring; to deal with the intricacies of the benefits system or to consider how to fund future care costs. All of this while they are coming to terms with their new caring responsibilities. It’s no wonder that caring can feel overwhelming, bewildering and stressful.
This Carers Rights Day we’re joining together with organisations from across the UK to help carers in their local communities find their way. Whether they are struggling with navigating a maze of health and social services, looking for places to access information, or finding they need extra support to cope with the pressures of caring, we’ll help empower them to find any assistance that will benefit them.
For more information please click here for Carers UK website
by Admin | 21.10.2019
One in five employees aged 45 and over expect to have to leave their job to care for an adult relative, according to research conducted by the pension provider, Aviva.
This equates to approximately 2.6 million employees who will have to make some sort of financial sacrifice in terms of loss of salary, pension and savings so they can take on caring responsibilities. The Aviva research also found that 20% of mid-life women were likely to leave their job to provide care, compared with 17% of men in the same age bracket. Mid-life carers face significant pressures with many caring for both an older relative as well as young children.
Worryingly, despite the large numbers of mid-life workers expecting to have to leave their job to care for a relative, just 6% of employers considered caring pressures as a significant issue faced by their employees.
The findings were provided by an Aviva survey of 2,000 UK employees.
An ageing population, and pressure on health and social care budgets, means that more and more people in the UK are becoming unpaid carers. The value of care provided by unpaid carers in the UK has been calculated as £132 billion per annum, equivalent to the value of a second NHS. Yet despite the UK’s rising number of unpaid carers, successive governments have failed to prioritise investing in long-term and sustainable funding for social care.
Responding to the Aviva research findings, Head of Policy at Carers Trust, Laura Bennett, said:
“Carers Trust offers its employees up to five days paid carers’ leave a year, as well as flexible working options. Combined with other support, this helps employees balance work and caring for as long as they want to. These sorts of policies need to become as normal as the ones offered to employees who have parenting responsibilities.
“It can seem hard to start the conversation, but talking to those we love about money, wills, Powers of Attorney and future care options before a crisis, can really help.
“Carers Trust has repeatedly called on successive governments to invest in the long-term and sustainable social care funding that the country needs. This would help many carers stay in work, and protect their future finances.”
by Admin | 17.09.2019
The Health Innovation Network and Carers Trust have worked with carers to develop Time to think about you to help you think about how you’re feeling and whether you want to get in touch with your local carer service or GP for some support.
If you’re not sure if you’re a carer or whether you need support, see if any of the Time to think about you questions apply to you, or to someone you know. If they do, think about visiting your local carer service or making an appointment to talk with your GP.
Time to think about you prompts
– Do you feel you do not have enough time for yourself?
– Has caring stopped you from doing what you enjoy?
– Has caring made it difficult for you to work or do whatever else you have to do?
– Is your own health affected as a result?
– Do you feel unable to cope?
– Do you feel you are under too much pressure?
– Do you have no one to talk to about your concerns?
– Do you feel low?
– Are you sleeping poorly?
– Are you not eating properly?
– Are you tearful, angry and/or anxious?
– Do you have concerns about your own memory?
If your answer is yes to any of these, you can visit your GP or your local carer service for support.
Download the prompt card
You might want to download the Time to think about you prompt card and see if any of the questions apply to you.
The card includes a slip that you can hand in to your GP and/or your local carer service.
