Carers Resource Home PageEmail Carers ResourceContact usCarers Resource Logo
Leisure, Learning and Employment

Site Map

Home Page

Young Carers

For Carers
Adults
Young Carers
Learning, Leisure & Employment

Wider than Carers
Oak Tree Project
Nextstep and Skills Coaching
Volunteer Roles

For Professionals

News and Links

About us
Trustees

Support us

Contact us

Changing Lives Project

Changing Lives is our leisure, learning and employment project aimed at supporting carers to achieve their own aspirations for learning and work outside their caring role.

There are thousands of carers in the area, many with much potential, but after many years of caring, they may lack confidence and feel their skills are out of date. Changing Lives helps carers to combine personal development, leisure interests, training and employment with their caring role.

If you find it difficult to put yourself first and going back to work or pursuing your own interests seems an impossible step, Changing Lives can support you at your own pace through the entire process, helping you to build your confidence and make new opportunities available and accessible.

Changing Lives runs a variety of courses that are fun and motivating, running at times and places that suit carers. From computer skills and interview techniques to confidence building and individual interests, the project has helped hundreds of carers across North Yorkshire gain new skills, regain their sense of self and even stay in, or get back to, work.

CASE STUDY
One carer who has been helped by the project in Harrogate has been a carer for fifteen years.

She says "I was a PA before I became a carer but I had lost confidence. Changing Lives has given me a big boost. I've got part time employment now and I'm even on a college course.I'm less stressed because I'm doing things for me as well. I've even lost weight and joined a gym! I enjoy caring for my daughter more now I also have time out."

You can also take advantage of our Nextstep and Skills Coaching Service


Who is Changing Lives for?

  • Carers who are juggling paid work with their caring responsibilities
  • Carers who have had to give up work or reduce their hours due to their caring role
  • Carers who feel they cannot work (i.e. because of lack of provision for the person they care for, loss of confidence, low or out-dated skills or physical barriers such as transport).

If you are not in our geographical area, please contact us and we will direct you to your local service.

Working with employers

The Changing Lives team work to raise awareness with employers about carers issues, both with a view to retaining employees who are combining caring and working roles and to attract a potential pool of employees who are carers. There are several pieces of employment law/legislation relating to carers and their rights. We help employers to establish appropriate policies and procedures to take these into account.

We also work with local training providers to encourage courses which accommodate carers' needs and help to remove identified barriers.

CASE STUDY

The Skipton Building Society has worked with the Carers' Resource and together we have achieved some notable successes.

"I have found the team at Carers' Resource to be extremely focussed and professional and it is clear that they provide invaluable support to a significant group of people who may at times be undervalued and not properly recognised. From an employer's point of view, being in a relationship with Carers' Resource has opened up a new source of potential recruits and also given a reference point for support to those existing employees within the Society who have caring responsibilities."
Chris Worts, Head of Human Resources and Training.

Learning to care is part of the job Alyson’s elderly father-in-law is given a poor prognosis around the same time Alyson starts working at the Carers’ Resource. She learns about her rights as a carer on the job, but this doesn’t necessarily make it any easier… Click to view


If you would like more information on how to support carers in the workplace, please contact us on 01423 500555.