Community Services Division 2024 Round-Up

Community Services Division Round-Up for 2024
Gloucestershire Carers Hub: A Year of Growth and Support
2024: A Year of Impact
The Gloucestershire Carers Hub has experienced a remarkable year in 2024, dedicated to supporting unpaid Carers across the county. A significant milestone was reached with over 2,000 new Carers registering with the Hub, demonstrating a growing need for support services.
Key Highlights:
Community Engagement and Awareness
- Active April: The Hub supported a month-long campaign to raise awareness of being active when you are supporting someone. This included a social media campaign highlighting the things which are important to include when considering being more active.
- Carers Week: Gloucestershire Carers Hub took part in Carers Week. We attended the Big Health Day as part of the week and Carers were invited to join us for an afternoon tea at the Highgrove.
- Carers Rights Day: The Hub joined the national campaign to promote carers' rights and empower individuals to advocate for themselves. We held an information event and welcomed various Carers and professionals on the day.
Support and Well-being
- Skills and Information Sessions: A diverse range of skills and information sessions were offered both in-person and online, covering topics such as:
- Financial planning and benefits advice
- Stress management and mental health support
- Communication skills
- Social Activities and Respite: The Hub organised a variety of social activities and respite opportunities for carers, including:
- Day trips and outings
- Group activities and workshops
- Peer support groups
- Community Partnerships: The Hub have worked closely with local organisations, to provide additional support and resources for Carers.
Through these initiatives and more, the Gloucestershire Carers Hub has continued to provide essential support, information, and advice to unpaid Carers, ensuring they feel valued, understood, and empowered.
Independent Living Services - Expanding Reach and Impact
ILS have made the commitment to be the voice of our customers and seeing just how welcome that has been, for commissioners old and new.
- Growth: ILS has experienced substantial growth, now supporting over 10,000 service users across 23 contract areas.
- New Contract Wins: We have secured a new contract with Wirral and have been successful in gaining the retender for Solihull.
Customer Centred Approach
- Enhanced Accessibility: ILS has prioritised customer accessibility through regular drop-in sessions, both in-person and virtually.
- Empowering Service Users: Informative sessions on direct payments have been held in a variety of areas, empowering service users to make informed decisions about their care. These sessions are also open to social workers to join and on the last call there were over 100 social workers attending in Birmingham.
- Tailored Support: ILS has worked closely with service users to provide tailored support, addressing individual needs and preferences.
Community Engagement and Social Impact
- Community Outreach: The organisation has actively engaged with the community through various initiatives, including:
- Macmillan Coffee Morning: Raising awareness and supporting a worthy cause.
- Job Fairs: Promoting the role of personal assistants and fostering career opportunities.
- Partnerships: Collaborating with organisations like Fish Insurance to provide valuable resources and support.
- Attending Carers Rights Day Event: ILS joined Gloucestershire Carers Hub at their latest information event to provide valuable information to Carers who attended.
- Volunteering: One of the ILS team leaders volunteered at Pawprints for Freedom, a charity dedicated to rescuing and rehoming dogs.