Education, Training and Events

Carers NSW provide education sessions and workshops for both carers and service providers covering a broad range of issues relating to the caring role. Our education and training programs cover important issues and needs identified by carers.

Current education sessions, workshops and events

Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing: Looking After Ourselves

Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing: Looking After Ourselves workshop is a free one day workshop open to service providers and Aboriginal carers who work with or want to work with carers within the Aboriginal community. Based on a train the trainer model the workshop aims to enhance the capacity of service providers and Aboriginal carers in promoting carer health and wellbeing within the Aboriginal community.

The workshop provides participants with the opportunity to:

• Identify how the caring role impacts on carers health and wellbeing
• Explore the importance for carers in looking after themselves and to teach relevant strategies to help them in their caring role
• Become familiar with the new Carers NSW resource for Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing, including the Looking after Ourselves DVD and the Aboriginal Carers Relaxation CD. This resource received the “Indigenous Social and Emotional Wellbeing” award at the Mental Health Matters Awards 2011
• Gain an introductory understanding into group facilitation

Please click here for more information, including workshop locations and dates for June 2012. Please click here for a registration form, or here to register online.

Carer Support Groups: a workshop for facilitators

Carer Support Groups: a workshop for facilitators is a free one-day workshop for facilitators/coordinators of carer support groups. The workshop covers a broad range of topics and issues that are relevant to the coordinator/facilitator role, including:

• An introduction to group processes and group work.

• Identifying and responding to issues specific to carers and the group.
  
  
• How to develop and maintain ethical facilitation.
  
  
• An introduction to Carers NSW resources for carer support groups, including carer Support groups: An information and support resource for facilitators.

Please click here for more information, including workshop locations and dates for 2012. Please click here for a registration form, or here to register online.

In House Training

Understanding and Supporting Carers’ is a FREE education session being offered to service providers from government and non-government services with the aim to raise the recognition of the role and value of carers, and to build the capacity of both government and non government service providers to support and work with carers.

The 3.5 hour education session focuses on identifying who our carers are, the profile of carers in Australia and NSW, the diversity of the caring experience, the impacts of caring, and what carers want and need to support them in their caring role. The session will also include information on Carers NSW programs and services, as well as external referral pathways for supporting carers.

For information regarding dates please click here.

Click here to download registration form.

If you have any enquiries regarding this program please contact the Education and Training Team on (02) 92804744 or email us on education@carersnsw.asn.au.

Connecting Carers to IT outreach program

From November 2011 to June 2012, Carers NSW will be running workshops for carers to cover the skills needed to access the internet and to use email. The workshop is free. There are no pre-requisites and you don’t need to have a computer to apply. Carers NSW has an IT van and we will bring this service to you.

Click here to download the flyer.

To register for the program, contact Carers NSW at itoutreach@carersnsw.asn.au, or call 9280 4744 to speak to Warwick or Jamie.

Ongoing education sessions and workshops

Carers NSW can provide guest speaking for carers, carer support groups, service providers, peak organisations and government agencies. Please see details of the education sessions below. Our education sessions are designed to run for one hour, including time for questions.

To request a guest speaker, please telephone the Education and Training Team on (02) 9280 4744 or email education@carersnsw.asn.au. If you require information that is not mentioned below please telephone or email the Education and Training team.

Education for Carers

Our Education for Carers sessions are designed to provide information, knowledge and skills for carers that will enhance the caring role, help strengthen resilience and improve overall health and wellbeing. It is important for carers to maintain a balance between caring responsibilities, other important areas of their lives and their own needs, to be better equipped to cope with the demands of caring. Getting this balance right will also improve the health and wellbeing of the person for whom they are caring.

The following Education for Carers sessions are offered free of charge to carers and carer support groups across New South Wales.

Sessions offered:

• Carers NSW, Supporting Carers
  This session introduces carers to Carers NSW. As the state-wide peak organisation for carers, learn about how Carers NSW supports carers across the state through our services, programs and resources.

• Taking Care of Yourself
  For many carers, taking care of themselves is often their last priority. Taking Care of Yourself encourages carers to consider their own needs. It explores some of the barriers to self care as well as some strategies for helping carers to look after themselves.

• Health and Wellbeing
  In the caring environment stress always seems to be lurking. Whilst caring for and supporting a family member or friend is often rewarding, at times stress may cause carers to feel physically and emotionally overwhelmed, making it difficult to cope. Health and Wellbeing investigates stress and how to identify possible indicators, the affect it can have on a carer and strategies to maintain physical and emotional wellbeing.

• Taking a Break
  All carers need to take time out every now and again to provide relief from the demands of caring, to enhance resilience and strengthen their ability to care for longer. Taking a Break explores the benefits of and various ways to take a break. It also looks at barriers that may prevent carers from taking a break and how to overcome these.

• Feelings
  It is quite common and normal for carers to experience conflicting emotions. Whilst caring can be both rewarding and satisfying, there are many carers who also find it stressful and demanding. Feelings explores some of the feelings and emotions that carers often say they experience and how to deal with difficult feelings.

• Supporting Carers of Ageing Parents
  This session is for carers who currently care for, or who may soon take on the caring role of an ageing family member. Supporting Carers of Ageing Parents provides an introduction to caring of an older person and incorporates issues such as considerations for taking on the caring role, carers ability to care for another and expectations that carers may face. The session also explores support services that can assist carers in caring for ageing family members.

Education for Service Providers

Our Education for Service Providers sessions are designed for both government and non-government organisations who may work directly or indirectly with carers. Carers may be clients, friends, family or colleagues. It is important to help organisations identify carers and provide their workers with a better understanding of the unique nature of carers’ needs and issues.

The Education for Service Providers sessions all include an introduction to carers in the community. This introduction aims to increase participants’ knowledge and awareness of carers by defining the terms ‘carer’ and ‘hidden carers’. It investigates carer-related statistics, the diversity of the caring experience, the impacts of caring and carers’ needs.

Sessions offered:

• Carers’ Health and Wellbeing
  The Carers’ Health and Wellbeing presentation aims to increase participants’ knowledge about carers’ health issues such as stress. Carers’ Health and Wellbeing encourages service providers to promote self-care strategies for carers and to help carers better manage their caring role. The presentation explores the added stressors associated with managing work and the importance of encouraging carers to better plan for the future.

• Carers’ Resources and Services
  It is crucial to connect carers with resources and services that are available to them in the community. Carers’ Resources and Services outlines some of the resources and services that are available, as well as how Carers NSW, as the state-wide peak organisation, supports carers across the state.

• Strategies to Support Carers
  The Strategies to Support Carers presentation is designed to familiarise participants with strategies to better support carers. The presentation explores strategies aimed to enhance the capacity of carers and the people for whom they care for to live and participate in the community.

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page updated 14 December, 2011