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Case study 4: Community development
Tynedale Carers
This contract, over fifteen months from December 2005, is to carry out the development of a generic project to provide support for informal carers in Tynedale. The work is supported and funded by Northumberland Care Trust via its Carers Officer. Jane is carrying it out on our behalf, working closely with a local group of carers, former carers and health and social care professionals. Tracey, our external administrator, has also been extensively involved.
A carer is someone who provides practical and/or emotional support or help to a relative, partner or friend who is ill, disabled or frail. There are an estimated 6,500 carers in Tynedale.‘Generic’ means that the group will offer support to any carer of any age, whatever the age, illness or disability of the person they are caring for.
Through Jane the group is in communication with the other two generic carer projects in Northumberland, Carer Link and Carers Together, and between them the three projects will cover the whole county. All three projects are working to implement the county’s Carers’ Strategy, and to complement public sector policy and practice with regard to carers.
In May and June 2006 the group held a series of consultation events across the district. The group is now planning its services, and, with Carer Link and Carers Together, making a decision about the form which its governance and management will take. It will be a community project led by local carers and former carers. Jane is also facilitating the business planning process for collaborative, county wide development of the three projects.
The Tynedale group wants to make sure that its services meet the needs of all the communities in the district, whose population is the most geographically spread in England and Wales. Examples of services we could provide include a telephone support service run by trained volunteers, an information service and small, local support groups.
The group is always keen to make contact with carers, former carers, other community members and professionals who have an interest in its work. Involvement could be anything from a phone call to active participation in the steering group. We would like to include any interested people in the group’s mailing list so that we can keep you informed of developments.
For more information or to join the mailing list please contact us.