Carers Walk & Talk Project
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- Lead organisation
Carers Support Centre (Bristol & South Glos)
- Project contact
Karen Hurley
Adult Carer Services Manager
karenh@carerssupportcentre.org.uk
07564 783412
We have been running walk and talk groups for carers since August 2022, which take place over 6 consecutive weeks in local green spaces, particularly in areas of multiple deprivation.
From the outset the service focuses on continuity, encouraging carers to continue walking independently. Carers who want to carry on walking are ‘matched’ together (either from the group they have attended or a neighbouring one) and provided with short term support from the Carer Support Officer to become independent.
Walks are run by an experienced Carer Support Officer (CSO) and supported by volunteers. The CSO also links carers to support available locally to help them in their caring role and themes each walk to cover an area of wellbeing and/or carer support eg resilience, mindfulness, registering with your GP as a carer, developing confidence.
We have developed some walks for specific groups of carers, i.e. a walk for Chinese carers with interpreter support, and walks for people caring for someone with dementia, where the cared for person attends too.
We have also set up a series of ‘one off’ walks, enabling carers to find out what the walks involve, meet other carers, and see if they want to commit to a full programme at a later stage. These are particularly aimed at carers who lack confidence, have not participated in exercise for a long time or who don’t want to make too big a commitment.
- Project duration
July 2023 – June 2025
- Key beneficiaries
All adult carers aged 18+
Carers Walk & Talk Project
Why we started this initiative
We ran a very small successful walk and talk pilot with young carers in 2021 and whilst, after lockdown, lots of walk and talk groups were developing, none were specifically for carers or focused on continuity.
A consultation exercise with over 200 local adult carers in 2021 identified that 100% were experiencing a negative impact on their health and wellbeing due to their caring role and 78% said they wanted to meet up with other carers and walk. This provided the foundation for us to develop a suitable model with carers and seek funding to pilot the service.
Our goals
The overall goals of the initiative are to:
• improve the mental and physical wellbeing of carers and increase the amount of weekly exercise they take.
• develop strategies to manage often challenging emotions of caring.
• to reduce carers feelings of loneliness and isolation.
• provide respite from the caring role.
• connect carers to other carers who understand their situation and to develop peer support.
• to improve carers confidence and self esteem.
How we’re implementing it
The initiative is managed by a part time project manager, together with a part time Carer Support Officer. We advertise widely through local organisations we are connected to already and ongoing community development work. Referrals are received internally through our carer support team staff and carers can self refer too. All carers complete a pre walk health questionnaire and all walks are risk assessed.
Impact measurement data is complete by carers before their walks start and at the end. We provide up to 3 months support for carers who wish to continue walking independently after the service ends.
Outcomes and impact over the last 18 months, for 96 carers attending walks, include:
• 73% increasing their physical activity levels.
• 70% reporting an improvement in 2 or more of the wellbeing outcomes we assessed them against.
• 34% were male carers, demonstrating a higher than normal engagement rate for this group of carers.
• 88% were 50 plus, demonstrating strong engagement for carers who are older.
• 40% in the last 6 months have been from an ethnic group other than White British; a four fold increase compared to the previous year.
• 67% reporting an increase in social connection and reduced isolation.
• 26% were previously unknown to us and were identified through our outreach programme.
• 65% continuing to walk with other carers weekly or fortnightly after the group sessions ended.
Understanding the unique needs of each walking group and its participants is crucial. By identifying barriers that may prevent carers from joining a ‘walk and talk’ group, we can make everyone welcome, e.g. offering additional support for carers unable to complete the entire walk or easing the transition for carers anxious about joining a group, maybe, through taster sessions or “soft transfers”.
Incorporating mindful breathing exercises into our walks helps carers appreciate the present moment. These pauses not only offer a chance for carers to catch their breath but also encourage them to connect with nature on a deeper level, enhancing the overall impact of the service.