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Welcome to the first bulletin of 2020. Today is Young Carer Awareness Day, a day where agencies raise awareness of the invaluable support Young Carers provide to family and friends on a day to day basis.
A Young Carer is anyone aged between 5-18. We often think of the support they provide as being practical, such as dressing or supporting with cooking a meal, but many young carers provide high levels of emotional support to the person they care for alongside taking on additional household responsibilities.
There are an number of events and groups coming up in the city in February and March which are outlined in the bulletin, as well as an opportunity for people who have received a disabilities facilities grant (or eligible for a disabled facilities grant) to look at the their home heating options.
Thanks for reading.
Young Carer Awareness Day is a day where we recognise and raise awareness of the support the estimated 700,000 young people caring play in the UK. In Coventry alone there is an estimated 5000 young carers and young people up to age of 25 caring for a mum, dad, grandparent, brother, sister or close friend.
Young Carers sacrifice a lot to provide care, they may miss out on friendships, days out and even school. Young Carers often experience a greater impact on their mental health and many report to have felt bullied because of their caring commitments. Many say they wouldn’t change their lives and care out of love for their family member but often feel that there needs to be more understanding of the pressures of caring and opportunities to have a normal childhood with similar opportunities.
We all play a vital role in the support we provide to Young Carers and recognising those who may be caring at a young age. Having a bit of awareness of what support is out there and having those first conversations can help Young Carers feel recognised and supported by those around them.
If you want to learn more about Young Carers we have some free online training that anyone can access called Young Carer Aware. The training is free for anyone to use in Coventry.
We’re really lucky in Coventry to be supported by the Young Carers Project, funded by Children In Need and the Big Lottery, they work with any Young Carer providing activities, 1:1 support and support within schools. They are based at the The Penny Collard Centre, a resource entirely dedicated to Young Carers, a safe place to hang-out, carry out activities and have lots of fun. Since November 2019, the Young Carers Project also undertake Young Carers Assessments, which any young carer is entitled to. If you want to find out more about what the project does then you can visit their website at Young Carers Coventry.
Wednesday 5 February 5-7pm
The Carers Trust Heart of England will be hosting a new monthly carer clinic, providing information, advice and signposting at the Yard in Coventry between 5-7pm. The next session will be held on Wednesday 5 February 5-7pm at the Yard Coventry. Anyone is welcome to attend.
If you would like more information, please call Sue Murray on 024 7663 2972 (option 1) or email susan.murray@carerstrusthofe.org.uk
Wednesday 5 February at 10am
Come and join the Carers Trust Heart of England for an easy 2.5 mile walk from Abbey Fields, Kenilworth to University of Warwick (stopping for sandwiches or lunch at the Arts Centre).
The group will be meeting at 10am at Pool Meadow Bus Station, outside the main café, near to Stand Q. The group uses public transport for some the different outings, please be there, ready to set off punctually at 10am.
This group is open to carers and former carers.
To return home, they catch the 11 or 12X from the University.
For further information, please contact Carers Trust - Heart of England on 024 7663 2972 Option 1
Carers Trust Heart of England alongside the Recovery and Wellbeing Academy and Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust are involved in delivering a 'Coping with Caring' session on Thursday 26 March 9:30am to 12noon which is open to any carers that would like to come along.
The session is FREE and being held at Coventry Central Library. It aims to raise awareness and understanding of the psychological impact of caring and improve resilience and reduce caregiver stress.
To enrol, register online or call 0300 303 2626.
Creative Bridges and Coventry Library service are running a new Coding Club for youngsters with autism aged 9-13yrs.
The aim of the club is to use coding as a platform to offer autistic people the chance to socialise at the weekend, whilst learning valuable skills.
Contact: 024 7623 7521 or bookings@culturecoventry.com
SENDIASS (The Special Educational Needs Information and Advice Service) will be hosting a drop-in session at the Woodside Family Hub, Upper Ride, Willenhall Wood, Coventry CV3 3GL on Thursday 6 February 2020. There is no need to book. The event is for any parent or carer or young person wanting to find out more about SEN.
HOLD (Home Ownership for people with Long-term Disabilities) is a well-established Government approved home ownership model for people with disabilities who rely on benefits for their sole source of income. The model is supported by a business based in Coventry, MySafeHome, and since 1999 they’ve helped more than 1,400 individuals, siblings, friends and couples to buy a home of their own.
In 2019 MySafeHome worked with a local lady called Karen to help her son Bryn purchase a property that not only suits his needs but also provides him with the long-term security of tenure that only home ownership delivers. It’s already made such a difference to their lives that Karen wants to share her and Bryn’s story with other families or potential home owners who may want to explore buying a home through HOLD for themselves. With this in mind she’s holding a series of events in Coventry Library’s main meeting room from 12noon to 2pm on the following Fridays: February 14, April 3, June 12 and October 9 2020. To reserve a place please call Karen on 07914 277550 or email karen@mysafehome.info. For more information about HOLD visit www.mysafehome.info
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You can also sign up or view previous bulletins from our Carers' website.
If you have any comments or wish to contribute something to the next bulletin, please let us know by contacting us at carers@coventry.gov.uk.
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