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Hampshire Carers Network

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What is Hampshire Carers Network?
A network of carers and/or carers groups from all over Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton who want to meet together to share news, views, ideas and good practice

What does it do?
It enables carers and carers groups from all over Hampshire to meet, communicate and link to other carers and groups to learn from each other and to tap into the knowledge and information widely available but not always easily accessible in all areas

Why do we need a Network?

  It offers opportunities to:

• find out what everyone else is doing
• improve services available in each locality
• share or tap into other services in other areas and/or set up services that have proved successful elsewhere.

  It means not being parochial about services but providing local solutions based on global experience and knowledge and sharing the knowledge gained so that other areas can develop similar but locally biased services.

   Working together in local communities is the most effective and cost effective way of working because it uses all the local resources to complement services. However local working is enhanced by knowledge about what has been tried or works elsewhere.

   It can also offer choice so that if a carer would like to go to a service outside their local area they can do so without prejudice, but the carer is not forced to go out of their area because services have been set up across too wide an area for comfortable travelling or in artificial areas created by different statutory boundaries.

   It can encourage the development and operation of Circles of Support for carers

What does it involve?

   It involves carers and carers groups in working together to

• map what is available in each area
• give carers support either directly or indirectly
• share knowledge across the network so that a picture of what is available can be set up alongside what carers are seeking.

   Any gaps identified can be met either by tapping into what is available in a nearby locality or using the shared knowledge to promote/establish a similar service locally.

How does it work?

   Regular half yearly meetings between carers from all areas of Hampshire representing all care groups and linking to local Carers Forums and other carers support.

   To be held in different areas of the county (one usually linked to Carers Together AGM)

   Regular consultation on carers issues

   Regular feedback on how carers are achieving their aims

   Regular feedback on how the organisation is achieving its aims

Who will support and organise it?

   Carers Together will

• organise the events
• give administrative support
• appoint a facilitator

   Content - may include speakers, consultation, training, information sharing

What are the benefits?

   Carers have the opportunity to meet carers from other localities and find out what is happening in other areas.

   Carers can learn from the experience of others and reduce the incidences of re-inventing the wheel.

   Carers are able to access the service they need individually by using services across a wider area

   Carers do not feel so isolated or restricted as they are not bound by artificial boundaries or service parameters

   Working in partnership with carers, statutory and voluntary organisations to ensure carers are empowered, informed, encouraged and enabled to:

• Share good practice
• Share ideas
• Share information
• Identify needs
• Identify gaps in service
• Discuss issues common to all carers
• Propose joint policies
• Propose joint actions
• Develop strategies for mutual support and self-help
• Encourage independence
• Maximise the benefits of interdependence

Why a network rather than a coalition, alliance or partnership?

A Network is an informal, loose group where the emphasis is on sharing information not action

A Coalition is a more formal joint working arrangement of diverse organisations coming together on a single issue

An Alliance is a long term partnership that involve a great deal of trust and shared understanding

A partnership is a formal working arrangement that involves taking shared responsibility for actions and outcomes

Carers Together 2006

Carers Together webpages designed and maintained by Ann Perrett - Circularsound
Last updated August 2006