Short Break Stories

Time 2 Be & Wee Treat

A story by connecting carers

We provided grants directly to carers including young carers who live in the Highland region that enable them to have a break and recharge their batteries.

What Time 2 Be & Wee Treat did

1. We have begun using EXCEL spread sheets to help with the administration of the grant and also to help ease the evaluation and monitoring process.
2. We introduced the "Wee Treat" as an alternative method for carers to access a break from caring. This is a smaller grant of £30 for those carers who cannot make use of the larger grant at that time.
3. We have started including volunteer carers on the decision making panel.
4. We have introduced a "young carer friendly" application form for young carers.
5. We have been promoting the grant through our website, carers information packs, the carers support line, various carers events and through leaflets given out to carers by the local carer workers.

Mrs A cares for her daughter who has profound learning disabilities and autism. As her daughter got older it proved more and more difficult for Mrs A to leave her and had to give up her job to carer for her daughter full time. This put increasing financial pressures and stress on Mrs A.

A friend suggested that she start her own business making soap from home but Mrs A didn't have the money to go on the course. She applied to Time 2 Be and was awarded £250 that meant she could attend the soap making course. This gave her respite while attending the course but then also provided her with a source of income afterwards.

She said that she experienced a great sense of achievement having completed the course and also being able to make money to support herself and her daughter whilst still caring for her.

Mr H had been caring for his mother with advanced dementia for many years. Previously she had suffered with Bi polar poor mental health and so had always needed extra support. Despite having brothers and sisters Mr H was left alone to care for his mother and was stuck in the house all day. He said that being inside all the time was very difficult for his own mental health and he was getting less and less fit due to inactivity.

He used to enjoy walking and photography but his camera had broken years ago and he couldn't afford to buy another one. He applied for Time 2 Be for £250 to purchase a new camera and tripod. He reported that being able to get out, even for short periods of time to take photographs had been a "Godsend." He was feeling more like going for walks as he could take pictures and breath in the fresh air. He had even had people ask to buy some of his pictures and was thinking of making a calendar.
Mr B is a young carer. He is 15 and carers for his mother who suffers from depression and alcohol and drug misuse. He needs to help with her medication, help with all housework chores including cooking and shopping, look after his younger siblings as well as attend school.

Sometimes he has had to leave school if there is a problem at home. The family live on benefits and he was not going to be able to go on the school ski trip. He applied for Time 2 Be and was awarded £250 thus enabling him to take part with the rest of his friends. He said it made him feel like " a proper person" who could join in with everyone doing normal things.

What connecting carers has learned

The fund has attracted more carers to the organisation and all of these have gone on to have a carers support plan. The fund was oversubscribed and so we ran out of money. In partnership with social work and other professionals we have succeeded in attracting more mental health and kinship carers than previously.
Top tips connecting carers's top tips for an organisation that wants to run a similar project
Tip 1:
1. Plan how you are going to network the fund, how will people find out about it? Which groups need to know about it? It helps to have a very clear idea of the groups who will be able to benefit from the fund so you get the right kind of applications in the first place.
Tip 2:
2. Make sure admin is in place. The more streamlined the admin can be the easier everything will be. It is worth taking a little bit more time when applications come in making sure all relevant details are recorded so when it comes time for the mid and end of year reports it is easy to find all the information rather than trolling through hundreds of application forms.
Tip 3:
3. Make the application process as simple as possible. More people will apply if the system is easy to access. It will be easier to administrate and be less of a paper-trailing nightmare.