Our Dorset Carers Collaboration – National campaign event coordination
On this page
- Lead Organisation
Dorset Carers Partnership Group (DCPG)
- Project contact
Chair of the DCPG and BCP Carers Commissioning Officer: Eliza Atyeo – eliza.atyeo@bcpcouncil.gov.uk
- About ‘Our Dorset Collaboration’
The Our Dorset Carers Collaboration represents our partnership working across the ICS, and the joined up approach that underpins these projects. These projects were worked on jointly within the Dorset Carers Partnership Group (DCPG). The DCPG brings together key partners in health, social care and VCSE sectors working with carers across the Dorset-wide footprint. We come together to network, raise awareness of carer support, discuss areas of challenge, and work in collaboration for the benefit of carers on a range of projects in line with the Pan Dorset Carers Strategy priorities.
Carers Week and Carers Rights Day are annual campaigns that bring together individuals and organisations who provide support to host activities and events that raise awareness of the important role carers play in communities.
The DCPG recognises that one of the biggest challenges carers face is getting the right balance between too much and too little information, so that carers can find what they need without being overwhelmed. Furthermore, digitization of information and support has sped up due to the pandemic disconnecting those who have little or no internet access from vital support lines.
The DCPG aimed to bring information together in one place for carers in Dorset, connecting them to services that can support then and raising awareness of the events taking place throughout Carers Week and on Carers Rights Day.
To enable this, the DCPG agreed to co-ordinate events and promote them together through a Carers Week and Carers Rights Day event webpage, and by developing a local calendar of events.
- Partners
Dorset Council, Carer Support Dorset, BCP Council, CRISP, Dorset Healthcare FT, Dorset County Hospital FT University Hospitals, Dorset NHS FT, Minstead Trust, Help and Care, Carer Support Wiltshire, Dorset Carers Hub, Prama, The Leonardo Trust, Rethink Dorset Carers, Parent Carer Foundation, Healthwatch, MYTIME, Help and Kindness, Forward Carers, NRS Healthcare, North Dorset GPs/PCN, Mid Dorset GPs/PCN, NHS Dorset, Help and Care
- Project duration
Carers Week 23: April – June
Carers Rights Day 23: September – November
- Key beneficiaries
Unpaid Carers across Dorset and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (Pan Dorset), Individuals supported by an unpaid carer – people with needs, Families of someone with needs, Providers of services, Practitioners across health and social care and VCS organisations, Businesses and organisations/employers – to support their workforce, Schools/universities/education
Our Dorset Carers Collaboration – National campaign event coordination
Why we started this initiative
Carers often report that they struggle to find information and services that can support them because they are overwhelmed by the amount of information available online. Carers report they have little time to research/find out what is available because they are juggling various responsibilities in their life. Pulling all the information together in one places makes it more accessible and convenient for carers, making it easier for them to continue in their caring role with the information they need, whilst also making it easier for them to find out information about looking after their own wellbeing.
Our goals
- To bring information together in one place for unpaid carers To raise awareness of unpaid carers
- To raise awareness of services that can support unpaid carers To promote a carer friendly community
- To engage with business, organisations and other stakeholder that may encounter carers
- To value and recognise carers for their contributions
How we’re implementing it
The DCPG co-ordinates events through a series of task and finish groups. Hosts shared the details of their events with the group which is then added to the Our Dorset Carers week/Carers rights day events webpage.
A printable programme of events is also developed to support carers who can’t or prefer not to access information online. Shared comms and messaging are developed as a partnership to promote the national campaign and help other organisations promote it too. It is shared as a media pack including printable events programme and sent through member’s organisational networks and promoted to unpaid carers.
What we learnt:
• There is value is using what is already available
• Other services may have resources that can benefit carers in Dorset
• It is important to promote all carers services
• The Our Dorset Website ensures all information is available in one place
How to improve:
• Earlier Planning is needed to ensure progress can be made on time
• Encourage more volunteers to participate in related projects
• More group discussions are needed to see how awareness can be raised as a collective
• Consistency in data collection and reporting to show more accurate impact
• Consistency in events co-ordination – work to avoid clashing events
• Integration to reduce cost for organisations