Telephone Talk and Support

What is this?

This is a new service designed for Carers and thought up by a former Carer within East Sussex.  It is a service for all Carers who are living in East Sussex especially if they live in an isolated area or just feel isolated by their caring role.

Why is it needed?

Some Carers can not talk to friends or family about their caring role with ease and so end up bottling up all their feelings which before long can start affecting their own well being and therefore health and can make them incapable to care if things become very bad.  By talking to someone about situations and feelings it acts as a release valve and as the saying goes a problem shared is a problem halved!

How will it work?

A trained volunteer, usually a former Carer will phone a Carer caring for someone with a similar condition/disability to what they have experience of caring for.   This will be on a weekly or fortnightly basis for around half an hour and will provide the Carer with an independent and supportive person with a good listening ear and to give them opportunity to discuss their caring role in confidence.

How can I be part of the project?

If you wish to either receive this service because you are a Carer in need of some friendly support or refer someone you think would benefit from such a service ( please ask their permission before calling us) then please Contact Us. Or maybe you wish to be the person making the calls and helping local Carers, to be a Telephone Support Volunteer or any other type of volunteer for us then again please Contact Us.

Who funds this project and how long will it last?

This project has been funded by Comic Relief who has given us £45,000 over 3 years to set this project up.  They have funded us to help Carers over 50 starting initially in Hastings and Rother but by 2011 it will expand to cover Wealden and Lewes and in its final year it will expand further to cover the whole of East Sussex.  We  have  also in October 2011 received £31,000 from LloydsTSB Foundation England and Wales to roll this service out to help all Carers under 50 within Hastings and Rother and to set up monthly Peer Support groups for Carers within Hastings and Rother and they have also contributed a proportion towards our Young Carer befriending service.   We hope this project is a success and if it is we hope to expand on this idea and to expand all our services to cover East Sussex but at present this is still a dream!

What are the aims of this project?

The project aims to help Carers ( and former Carers)  in East Sussex by:

• Providing support for Carers who face isolation, stress and anxiety;
• Using telephone support from Peer Support Volunteers (Ex Carers) to reduce loneliness and improve the wellbeing and health of this invisible section of our community;
• Enabling Carers to talk to a Peer Support Volunteer each week about their feelings, problems and off-load their worries to someone who has direct experience of being a Carer;
• Providing volunteering and life long learning opportunities for older people (who were Carers), improving their self-worth and confidence as experts in the issues around caring, and as valued members of their community. Without them giving their time Carers would continue to live isolated lives.
• Setting up support groups for Carers providing an opportunity for them to meet and share experiences with other Carers and the Peer Support Volunteers.

What outcomes do we expect to fulfil?

We will measure the following outcomes for family carers:

• Feel more supported in their role
• Improved access to information
• Enabled to make informed decisions
• Have increased awareness of support and outreach events
• Feel less socially isolated
• We will monitor these outcomes by questionnaire throughout the service at intervals

We will measure the following outcomes for volunteers (ex Carers and others):

• Reduction in social isolation
• Value of their experience and knowledge
• New skills gained
• Social contact

Skills and Desirable Attributes for Telephone Support Volunteers

Our volunteers need to be excellent communicators with good listening skills and will either be a former Carer themselves or have empathy for the caring role. They will need to treat the Carer and cared for person with respect and be confident in a crisis situation.

Duties

To telephone the Carer at an agreed time and to write up brief notes after the call
To maintain confidentiality (unless this breaches our Adult Protection Policy)
To inform the office of any changes to the arrangements, changes in circumstances, health or risks
To attend training and supervision sessions throughout the year

Hours

Approximately one hour per week. This consists of a minimum of one phone call, of around half an hour’s duration plus writing up brief notes after the call. Please note the telephone call can be made from your own home.

Expenses

Expenses incurred while carrying out the volunteer role will be reimbursed. For example, phone calls, petrol, bus tickets etc.

Training

We want our volunteers to learn and grow through their volunteering experience. All our volunteers receive a welcome pack and comprehensive induction as well as training relevant to their volunteering role throughout the year, such as Counselling and Listening Skills and Adult Abuse.