Working for Carers project shortlisted for prestigious employment awards

Carers Trust’s Working for Carers project was thrilled to be shortlisted and highly commended in the ‘Community Partnership of the Year’ category at this year’s annual ERSA Awards.

The ERSA (Employment Related Services Association) Awards celebrate the innovation and determination of organisations across the UK working to support some of the most disadvantaged people in society on a pathway into worthwhile employment.

Working for Carers is a project delivered across all 33 London boroughs and is funded by the European Social Fund and the National Lottery Community Fund. The project is delivered by Carers Trust in partnership with four of its Network Partners: Camden Carers Service; Carers Lewisham; Harrow Carers; and Redbridge Carers Support Service.

The project helps unpaid carers and former carers move into work or closer to employment. The support it provides to unpaid carers includes:

• Help with job searches, CVs and applications
• Developing IT skills
• Access to training and volunteering opportunities
• Building confidence

The project has had a huge impact, transforming the lives and life-opportunities of hundreds of unpaid carers in London looking to balance their caring role with rediscovering a personal sense of fulfilment and purpose. Over 1,200 unpaid carers and former carers have registered with the project, and many of them have moved into employment.

Carers Trust’s Programme Lead for the Working for Carers project, Tanya Sealey, travelled to Birmingham to attend the awards ceremony. Reflecting on the number of unpaid carers whose lives have been changed thanks to support from Working for Carers, Tanya said:

“We were delighted that Working for Carers was shortlisted and highly commended for the Community Partnership of Year award at the ERSA 2022 conference. This is fantastic recognition of how Carers Trust and four of its Network Partners have worked collaboratively to deliver employability support for unpaid carers across all London boroughs. None of this could have happened without funding received from the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.

“We would also like to thank ERSA for giving Carers Trust the opportunity at the conference to talk about the importance of carer-specific employability support that looks holistically at barriers to employment. The vast majority of carers and former carers registered with the project have not been in employment for many years, and most have low confidence levels and concerns about out of date skills and gaps in their work history.

“What Working for Carers has shown is the importance of supporting people before they enter employment. There also needs to be recognition that this can take time. It was great to see this important learning being widely discussed throughout the awards ceremony and conference.”

Find out more about Carers Trust’s Working for Carers project.