How we help
We run a variety of groups and workshops designed to help you to look after your physical and mental health.
Our yoga, pilates, walking and dance groups are a great way to keep active while our relaxation and mindfulness sessions are there to help with stress management. Other groups include art, poetry, healthy eating and cookery.
These sessions are delivered online and out in the community.
This is a four-week programme developed with and for carers. Each week we focus on a different theme, all of which are designed to help carers find ways to improve their lives. As well as providing information and advice, we also encourage carers to share and learn from each other’s experiences. The sessions are:
- The caring role: an introduction to the support available from Carers First, carers rights, carers assessments and other help available locally
- Looking after you: taking care of your mental and physical health, building resilience, and finding time for yourself
- Finances and legal issues: an introduction to welfare benefits and grants for carers, as well as Wills and Power of Attorney
- Practical support: this final session will focus on either First Aid or manual handling
Caring Confidently is delivered either online or out in the community.
For more information please visit our Caring Confidently information page.
Carers who work are invited to join our Working Wednesdays group, an online peer support group run in the evenings.
Each month we cover a different theme based on the difficulties working carers face, such as jugging caring with their working life, finding respite, and accessing help from their employers.
We run regular workshops providing information on welfare benefits and grants for carers and people with disabilities. We also run information sessions on legal affairs which can affect carers, such as how to manage someone else’s affairs, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Wills.
These sessions are delivered online and out in the community.
An emergency plan can provide you with peace of mind in challenging circumstances. Keeping a written record of what daily care your relative or friend requires, can make it easier for somebody else to step in if you’re unable to be there yourself.
We have created a handy emergency plan pack – specifically for carers in the Haringey area – to help them to write their own emergency plan. The pack makes planning easy by guiding carers through the things they may need to think about to ensure the person they care for continues to receive support in their absence. It includes top tips for planning, a pen, stickers, and a handy folder to keep the emergency plan secure – and even the means to make a cuppa tea with a biscuit.
The pack is completely free and exclusively for carers in the Haringey area. Find out more on our Plan for the Best campaign page.
We provide information and support to help you access education and training, increasing your opportunity of finding work.
Some of these sessions are geared specifically towards supporting young adult carers.
These sessions are delivered online and out in the community.
We recognise that it can be challenging for carers once their caring role ends, whatever the reason. We run a MOST (Moving On Staying Together) group which gives former carers the chance to stay in touch and support each other.
Some former carers also find it helpful and rewarding to use their experience and volunteer for Carers First.
The MOST group is delivered online.
We run workshops, day trips, walks, sports and carer-led meetups to help you connect with other carers. This is an opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other in an informal environment.
These groups are delivered online and in the community.
Carers First are offering a new virtual wellbeing programme, including a 4 week wellbeing course, a balance in life workshop, a 4 week NLP and EFT course, and breathwork training. Find out more here.
Our Carers First Facebook Community group is a peer to peer group providing the opportunity to meet other carers and access peer support as opposed to a platform for direct support from Carers First.
Carers First are administrating and moderating the group (along with some wonderful volunteers) and will join in if appropriate but this cannot be guaranteed in a timely manner as they will only be popping on and off during working hours.
If you need direct support from Carers First, please contact our Helpline by email at hello@carersfirst.org.uk or by phone on 0300 303 1555.