Carers Week takes place this year from 5th to 11th June 2023. Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK. It also helps people who don’t think of themselves as having caring responsibilities to identify as unpaid carers and access much-needed support. Chamber member and regional charity, Caring Together, are offering Norfolk businesses free support to identify and help the carers in their staff teams. Norfolk businesses can sign up for a free 1-hour webinar on Friday 9th June at 12.30pm to help them support employees who are also unpaid carers. Unpaid carers are people who look after a partner, family member or friend with a disability or long-term illness. With three in five of us becoming unpaid carers in our lifetime, this is an issue that also affects staff who are trying to juggle working with a caring role. Employees could be:
- Looking after an elderly parent in the mornings, evenings or at weekends
- Caring for a partner who has had a stroke, heart attack or been diagnosed with cancer
- Looking after a disabled child, or one with additional needs such as ADHD or Autism
Every day 600 people give up their jobs because the pressures of caring and working become too much. This can be very difficult for them as they lose out on income, career development, the social aspects of work and a sense of purpose. It can also be very difficult for their employer who loses a skilled, experienced and valued team member. Charity, Caring Together is inviting businesses to attend the webinar and find out how they can support unpaid carers in the workplace – benefiting both the employer and the carer. Sign up at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/carer-friendly-tick-award-employers-introduction-webinar-tickets-611350845837 The charity is also providing a free short film to show to staff during Carers Week. This film helps raise awareness of what it is to be an unpaid carer, and the help that is available locally to support carers. You can request the film at https://www.caringtogether.org/help-us-help-others/companies-and-organisations/support-for-companies/