£700,000 funding for volunteers who support unpaid family carers
Seven inspiring social action projects have been awarded £700,000 in total to support unpaid family carers.
The funding, announced on Carers’ Rights Day will help the volunteering programmes provide crucial support for unpaid family carers.
The £700,000 investment recognises the impact volunteers, including carers supporting each other, can make on carers feeling supported in their caring role. This can allow them to take a break, share their experiences of caring or get practical and emotional support.
The organisations receiving funding for social action programmes to support unpaid family carers are:
- Age UK Buckinghamshire - £90,000
- British Red Cross - £80,000
- Carers Trust Cambridgeshire - £100,000
- Devon Carers - £140,000
- Parkinson’s UK - £50,000
- Shared Lives Plus - £130,000
- Thirsk Community Care - £110,000
Find out more about the Centre for Social Action which funds these projects.
British Red Cross in Shropshire will use the funding to match volunteers with young adult carers aged 18 to 25. This will give them a break from their caring role. The young adult carers can also to attend a volunteer led course to develop life skills and build their confidence.
Parkinson’s UK will expand and tailor self management groups for carers of people with Parkinson’s. Volunteer facilitators with experience of Parkinson’s run the groups, offering practical support tools and enabling carers to support each other.
Minister for Civil Society Rob Wilson said:
I am delighted to announce the winners of the Carers Social Action Support Fund. These projects showcase the potential of social action to support carers in their caring role.
From enabling isolated older carers to take time out from caring, to equipping young adult carers with key life skills, social action can make a real difference to people carrying out this incredibly important role.
The fund will be administered by the Social Investment Business on behalf of the Cabinet Office. The Carers Social Action Support Fund was open for applications from 22 September to 22 October.