Volunteer Services...    

In response to the carers requests a volunteer sitting service scheme was established in 1997 to provide carers with a couple of hours well deserved break. By providing the carer with time to rest they are able to better care of the person at home and continue caring for greater lengths of time. In 2002 our carers identified the need for low-level support services, for example help with home maintenance, gardening the dog walking.
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Therapies
A volunteer offers therapies, reiki, reflexology, head and shoulder massage to carers i.e. on Friday afternoons between 1.00pm - 4.00pm. One volunteer/carer has taken on the task of updating the carers’ library. Yoga classes are also run by a volunteer on Wednesday mornings.

We currently have 26 volunteers who are drawn from different backgrounds. This includes retirees, people who are seeking skills to help them gain or re-enter employment, ex-carers workers who are seeking a change from their current duties and young school leaves who are seeking experience that will help them decide on a suitable career path. The volunteers receive training in subjects such as basic first aid, moving and handling, disability awareness basic advocacy, confidentiality and equal opportunities. Because of the nature of our wok with vulnerable adults and children all our volunteers are required to undergo an enhanced disclosure criminal records bureau check.

The demand for the volunteer services fax exceeds our resources and we continue to seek funding to strengthen the services we currently offer.

  

Carers Assessment

The organisation is funded by Hartlepool social services department and the primary care trust to help to increase the number of people who are receiving a careers assessment.
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Carer support worker - Mental Health

Hartlepool carers has a dedicated worker providing support to the carers of people who have mental health needs. The aim is to enable carers to efficiently participate in planning, developing and changing services that impact on their lives and to support the participation of carer representatives at meetings of the national service framework for mental health local implementation team.

Training sessions are run on a frequent basis to give the carers of people with mental health needs the chance to gain information that would benefit the in their caring role.