Being a family carer means a busy life, often with very little, if any time for yourself to even consider whether you might like to take part in some leisure learning, volunteering, employment or changes to employment- let alone actually taking those first steps.
Why would you even want to when you are already so busy? Well, research shows that taking a break and allowing yourself some time to ‘be you’ or ‘start to discover you’ can actually bring great benefits to your wellbeing, your overall resilience and this in turn benefits your caring role.
But where would you even start? Our workshop a team can help with this because over the summer they have been working hard putting together a brand new workshop for family carers over the age of 18 called ‘What’s next for me?.
Looking at the skills and strengths you have acquired in your caring role, your interests, aspirations and also any barriers and how they might be overcome the informal and friendly set of 4 sessions with our programmes team will help you start to explore ‘What’s next for me?’
These sessions are open to anyone with a caring role, family carers whose role has recently changed or is changing, those whose ‘cared for’ is in residential or nursing care and also those who are no longer caring- everyone is welcome! If you have a friend or family member who is also a family carer, why not encourage them to register with us and come along together- the more the merrier! The sessions are all about creating that time and space for family carers to think about themselves with support from our team to consider ‘What’s next for me?’ and gain support in those next steps.
Whilst there is no pressure or expectation to do so, for anyone wanting to consider returning to employment, perhaps changing their job or maybe considering volunteering, there will be support on offer to help with things like CV writing and interview skills along with information about key relevant carers in employment legislation for those in or considering employment.
The sessions will commence in Lowestoft on 6th November 2024 but will also be delivered in Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds into the new year. You can book your place directly by from our Events Calendar or you can get in touch with the team by emailing supportprogrammes@suffolkfamilycarers.org or calling Louise Crisp on 01473 835458
We are grateful to Apollo health and social care for funding these sessions through the Suffolk Community Foundation, enabling us to offer them for free and in addition we are able to assist with transport and respite costs for anyone needing it in order to attend, so do get in touch!
