Caring Together
Caring Together is commissioned by Peterborough Council to provide advice, guidance and services to carers. It has recently changed name to 'Caring Together'
Workshops and carer breaks
Current restrictions due to coronavirus mean we are unable to offer the normal face-to-face workshops or trips for young carers, but we are busy planning trips and activities for young carers and young adult carers for Easter holidays and May half term in order to provide them with a much-needed break (with ideas ranging from bowling, to theme parks, to trampolining to visiting the Harry Potter studios).
We also have a full programme of virtual workshops which continue to run on Zoom for young carers to sign up to.
Workshops have included boxing and mindfulness, staying healthy with Clubbercise and yoga, mental health and wellbeing sessions, as well as arts and crafts, and comic art skills workshops as ways to help young carers to swich off from the stresses of home.
Workshops we have planned for February include:
· Staying active through Dance
· Boxing and mindfulness
· Introduction to Makaton
· British Sign Language basics through song
· Make your own stressball.
We have even got a couple of virtual escape rooms lined up (one for young carers and one for young adult carers aged 18+) View a full list of the upcoming virtual activities and workshops planned for the coming months
To find out more about any of our workshops, and to make sure you get the latest information about workshops, trips and other opportunities for young carers, contact us on 0345 241 0954, email hello@caringtogether.org or sign up to our mailing list
Young carers and young adult carers survey – COVID-19 One year on – Have your say and have a chance to win a £50 gift card!
As part of the theme for Young Carers Action Day ‘Protecting young carers’ futures’, young carers from Norfolk Young Carers Forum and young adult carers from Norfolk and Cambridgeshire have been busy putting together a survey for young carers and for young adult carers.
This will find out how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect them, as well as what support or action is needed to help ensure young carers and young adult carers have the best possible futures.
They are keen to get the views of as many young carers and young adult carers as possible, and so there are 2 £50 giftcards up for grabs – and if a young person is part of a young carers organisation/group, their group will also be entered into a prize draw to win £100 for that group!
Here are the links for the survey and it should take 5-10 minutes to complete Closing date Sunday 28 February
Young carer Survey
Young adult carers survey
The closing date for the survey is Sunday 28 February.
Bursaries for young carers/young adult carers
Over the past year, Caring Together have been able to provide over £20,000 in grants and bursaries to young carers and young adult carers across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk.
This has helped young carers to access home learning, have a break from their caring role, or to buy essentials in an emergency when things have gone wrong at home (e.g. the freezer has broken).
They are delighted that thanks to funding from BBC Children in Need and their own fundraising, they are in a position to support even more young carers and young adult carers over February and March to reduce the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has on their health, wellbeing, and education or employment.
Download information on how to apply
Download the application form
Young Carers Action Day – Tuesday 16 March 2021
Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) is an annual event all about young carers, and now also young adult carers. It was formerly known as Young Carers Awareness Day. Young Carers Action Day is an opportunity to make real change for young carers and young adult carers.
This year’s theme is ‘Protecting young carers’ futures’ – it will recognise the incredible skills that they have developed through being a carer – such as resilience, time management and empathy. But it’s also about making sure that young carers have the same life choices as other children and young people.
For all of the latest news on Young Carers Action Day 2021 including the COVID-19 One year on survey and the Young Carers Action Day event being planned by some of our young carers and young adult carers view their webpage.
Coronavirus (COVID-19)
At Caring Together we provide information and advice, run services in our local communities and campaign for carers’ rights, so that carers have choices.
How we are doing this at the moment has had to change but our purpose and commitment to carers and the people they look after remains the same.
In light of government requests around social distancing, we have taken the difficult decision that we need to cancel all our carers hubs, groups and clubs for the time being.
We will continue to offer support to carers, focusing mainly on those who will be most impacted by these changes with an increased use of phone support, and online information and advice.
We are continuing to take referrals at this time.
We have written to our care customers to reassure them that we have a contingency plan in place in relation to the spread of coronavirus. While we cannot predict what will happen over the next few weeks and months we recognise that they may be concerned about what will happen to their care should our staff be unable to work, and how we are going to support our staff to stay well. As with all staff illness or unavailability, we will endeavour to continue to deliver our care calls as planned but may, on occasion, offer a different care worker or care team member of staff to deliver the call.
We are assessing any office or care staff returning from annual leave before they return to their duties to establish if they should return to work. We and our staff are following the Public Health England guidance, which is on the government website and the NHS website at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ including about self-isolation. If self-isolation is necessary for any of our staff we will be paying them for this period of time.
We are closely monitoring and following all the updates from the government and relevant authorities that regulate and give guidance to care providers.
You can still contact us on 0345 241 0954 or hello@caringtogether.org
Please keep up to date on keeping yourself well by following the latest NHS advice at www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/