Newham Council is to pilot a brand new service to uncover thousands of unpaid carers in the borough.
Many Newham residents who look after a family member, friend or neighbour are not accessing the support available to them. This new service from Mobilise will use social media and digital marketing to find and identify ‘unpaid carers’, connecting them immediately with others in a similar position.
Mobilise will work in partnership with Newham council, and will focus on the identification and online support of unpaid carers in Newham, alongside the existing carer support provided by Carers First, who offers personalised information and support to carers, online, by phone and face-to-face in the local community.
Mobilise, which describes itself as ‘by carers, for carers’ offers a range of online support, from regular contact through emails, a guide to caring, e-courses to ‘virtual cuppas’ and even individual support calls - seven days a week.
Lee, 55, a family carer who supports his sister who is a stroke survivor and her son who has psychosis said “Mobilise is unique, real people with real experience are there to help make a real difference in how I support my loved ones who have health challenges. Everyone who cares for a loved one would do well to connect with Mobilise."
Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Newham Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care said: “We want to make our carers’ lives easier by listening and responding to what they want, so they can continue to provide their crucial care and enjoy positive lives. Mobilise is a great way for people to connect and grow their own networks, helping people to both give and receive support from others who can relate to their similar and shared experiences.”
Suzanne Bourne, Co-founder and Head of Carer Support at Mobilise, stated: “There are many thousands of carers out there who may need advice. Creating a Mobilise carer peer support network in Newham will see an improvement in their wellbeing. Carers are less likely to reach breakdown, and require emergency assistance.”
Alison Taylor, Chief Executive of Carers First, said: “At Carers First, we understand that caring can be hard, but believe getting the right help shouldn’t be. Obtaining relevant support can be a challenge, but with it, carers can thrive, which is why a range of accessible information and advice is so vital. Our charity works directly with and for, unpaid carers to deliver a range of support programmes on health, wellbeing, practical help and financial issues – available online, by phone and face-to-face in the local community, enabling us to reach more carers and make a positive, material difference to their lives.”
“Our ambition is to identify five thousand carers in Newham and provide relevant, timely support to people with caring responsibilities” concluded James Townsend, CEO of Mobilise.
The Mobilise service is free for residents of Newham and can be accessed via: www.mobiliseonline.co.uk/newham
Carers First is free for residents of Newham and can be accessed via: https: www.carersfirst.org.uk