Manchester Event - HIV and Young Carers

posted: 27/01/2011

Young carers and families affected by HIV are under the spotlight at an event in Manchester, in early February.

The Children's Society are running a training and consultation event Affecting Change for Families: Improving services for young carers and their families affected by HIV
on Friday 4th February 2011 at the famous Midland hotel in central Manchester.

No-one is sure how many children in the UK are caring for someone in their home with HIV. It is estimated that there are between 15,000 to 20,000 young carers of people with HIV.

This free event aims to ensure those involved in providing services to families affected by HIV including service managers, policy leads, and senior practitioners in health and the Voluntary and Statutory Sector are equipped with the latest guidance and are able to identify and respond to when a children and/or young people is taking on a caring role and to address wider family issues.

The event

• Find out about the Children's Society’s young carers and families HIV work, funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation
• Learn about the issues faced by young carers and their families affected by HIV
• Obtain new Good Practice guidance in multi-agency working with families affected by HIV
• Inform national practice with your own expertise.

Booking form

More information and bookings

HIV Caring

posted: 17/05/2010

LGF are launching support for lgbt people who are caring for others, including partners and friends with HIV. As part of the service you will be able to go online and find information to help you as an LGBT carer, keep up to date with relevant news and events, and interact with other carers who understand how you feel.

Online support

You will also be able to find useful links to services in your area that are LGBT friendly and there to support you. This online service will be completely safe and confidential for everyone. Take a look at LGF's new Carers webpages, when this is launched at the end of this month.  

Meeting others
For some carers, physically meeting others face-to-face is a good way of getting the information and support that you need. So there will be a support group launched in Manchester on Wednesday 16th June from 5.30pm – 7.30pm, for carers to come along to – either as a one-off drop in to pick up information, or for more regular support. This group will understand your needs as an LGBT carer and can be your first step into other LGBT friendly services to support you. The support group will meet at The Lesbian and Gay Foundation, 105-107 Princess Street, Manchester

More information
contact Glenn Street on 0161 234 4254. He’s part of Manchester Council’s Carers team.

Support group launch 5.30-7.30PM Wednesday 16th June
@ The Lesbian and Gay Foundation, 105-107 Princess Street, Manchester
After this launch event the regular carers support group meetings will take place on the last Monday of each month.

A new lgbt carers website will be launched at the end of May and this will include the online forum

The website and forum will offer information, links to local services, news and events listings, and a place for LGBT carers to interact with others who understand how they feel. This online service will be completely safe and confidential.
 

Partners, friends and family helping?

posted: 04/05/2010

Many people with HIV get valuable help and encouragement from partners, friends, family, neighbours and others - just some of the 6 million carers in the UK. In Manchester alone, 55,000 carers provide unpaid support for a relative, friend or neighbour - so isn't it time that carers receive the support they need?
 

Coming Soon

There’s training, a support group, and a carers week event happening soon, other help and support for people who help their partner, friend, neighbour, workmate, or family member.
 

Free training for carers
The Lesbian and Gay Foundation are offering the Department of Health backed Caring with Confidence programme, which is in seven parts. You choose which of the three hour sessions you want to attend. For more information email Annie Emery, Caring with Confidence Project Manager, or ring her on 0161 235 8024

LGBT Carers support group and online in June
A new support group and interactive online forum are on their way to offer support and information to unpaid carers who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans in North West England. Launching in June 2010 - for more information about these services, call Manchester Carers Centre on 0161 835 4090.

Carers Week at Manchester Town Hall
Monday 14th June, 10.00am- 3.00pm, The Great Hall, Manchester Town Hall
The day will include over 80 carers service provider information stalls, carers assessments, live entertainment, pampering treatments, informative workshops, special guests and a free cream tea. All carers who register on the day will be entered into a free prize draw. For further information please contact Glenn Street on 0161 234 4254.
 

Manchester Carers information booklet      download the whole booklet here

This information has been written to provide essential information for carers and those who work with carers in Manchester. It is a tool with which every carer should be equipped in order to find out about their rights, vital services, benefits and much more. The information has been co-ordinated by Manchester City Council's Directorate for Adults and has been supported by the Carers Strategy Group. You can read the same information online here

Each Council provides services and support for Carers - check the Social Services / Adult Services part of your own local council's wesbite.

image

Person Supporter?

posted: 06/04/2010

Do you provide support to someone, or does someone help support you? Partners, friends, neighbours, family and others, may be helping support people with HIV – and the people doing the supporting may themselves have HIV. Support means anything from collecting a prescription, to full time care of someone who is unable to look after themselves.
 

The LGBT Consortium of voluntary organisations is asking for the views and needs of LGBT people who are involved in supporting and caring for other people.
 

If you are an LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans) person with caring needs or responsibilities, they want to hear from you, no matter how little you may think you help.
 

Online LGBT Caring Survey, where you can talk about your experiences.
 

HIV people supporters

We know that there is a lot of informal caring and supporting going on around HIV - mainly friends and partners looking out for each other and giving a hand when it's needed. Many have HIV and are looking after other positive friends and mates. 

Your answers will help councils buy and provide better services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans carers / people supporters. We are keen to make sure the needs of people looking after / supporting HIV positive lgbt people are counted - HIV is usually invisible in services for people who help support their partners and friends.

 
There are two questionnaires – one for the people doing the supporting and caring and one for the people getting the support and care.
Online LGBT Caring Survey, where you can talk about your experiences.
 

More about the survey www.lgbtconsortium.org.uk/carers
 

Caring with Confidence

posted: 28/09/2009

If you are gay or are caring for someone who is gay, Caring with Confidence could help you and be for you.

Do you care?
Carers are often seen as those who have to give up their jobs to care for a relative or friend full time – doing everything from washing and dressing someone to making sure they take medication or can get out of the house. But there are lots of other ways we care for people.
 

Perhaps you go shopping for your neighbours once a week, or clean your Mum’s house? Perhaps you support your HIV positive partner – sorting out medication, or finding out the latest information? Perhaps you take your grandmother for a day out once a month? All these roles can define you as a carer. And that’s where Caring with Confidence, a free Department of Health backed knowledge and skills based learning experience for carers in England, comes in.
 

Research shows that carers within the LGBT community don't take up much support and encouragement for their caring roles.
People who are LGBT carers or carers of LGBT people are now offered the opportunity to make a positive difference to their life and that of the person they care for with the Caring with Confidence programme.
 

Caring with Confidence is aimed at improving support for carers aged over 18, and carers can develop their skills and knowledge by taking part in free local group sessions. In the north west, LGBT sessions are being provided by The Lesbian and Gay Foundation in Manchester, The Armistead Centre in Liverpool and SHIVER in Blackpool.
 

seven sessions menu

There are seven sessions to choose from, and to get started, carers can sign up to the first introductory session Finding Your Way, which is an opportunity to look at what matters to you and decide which other sessions you might want to do. You can then choose to do any or all of the following sessions:

• Caring and Coping,
• Caring and Me,
• Caring Day to Day,
• Caring and Resources,
• Caring and Life and
• Caring and Communicating.

Caring can sometimes be a lonely and isolating experience and the Caring with Confidence programme offers a fantastic opportunity to get support and share experience, meet new people who are in similar situations, learn new skills and best of all, it’s all free!
 

Money to pay for care while you attend

There is also finance available to provide alternative care if the person you care for needs help full time. The programme will offer support and help to carers, with particular emphasis on the millions of people who provide care on a daily basis but don’t know where to begin when it comes to accessing the services and benefits available to them, which can be particularly challenging for LGBT people.
Research also revealed that more than 60% of those people asked believed their caring role affected their health. As a result the need to support people looking after loved ones in a flexible manner has never been greater.

Free local sessions and distance learning options.
For more information or to book a session contact Annie Emery
annie@lgf.org.uk 0161 235 8024

The Lesbian & Gay Foundation
4th Floor Princess House
105-107 Princess St,
Manchester
M1 6DD
0161 235 8035