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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.
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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.
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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.
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It can encourage the development and operation of Personal Circles of Support for carers
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It can support to groups to set up, run, develop
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It can help and support the establishment of different groups for different purposes –
either geographic, care group or specific groups for specific areas of work or need
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It can offer support to ensure groups are complementary and work together to achieve
the best result for carers
What does it involve?
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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.
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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?
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Regular meetings between carers from all areas of Hampshire representing all care groups and linking to local Carers Networks, Forums and other carers support.
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Meetings to be held in different areas of the county at least half yearly.
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Regular consultation on carers issues
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Regular feedback on how the aims of carers and those of the Carers Network are being met.
Who supports and organises it?
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Carers Together will
- support a steering group to plan events
- organise the events
- give administrative support
- distribute the information and notices
- appoint an agreed facilitator for each meeting
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Content - may include speakers, consultation, training, information sharing, depending on the wishes of carers and current consultation issues
What are the benefits?
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Carers have the opportunity to meet carers from other localities and find out what is happening in other areas.
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Carers can learn from the experience of others and reduce the incidences of duplicating services re-inventing the wheel.
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Carers are able to access the service they need individually by using services across a wider area
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Carers do not feel so isolated or restricted as they are not bound by artificial boundaries or service parameters
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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 and 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 involves a great deal of trust and shared understanding
A partnership is a formal working arrangement that involves taking shared responsibility for actions and outcomes
Eligibility Criteria
Each individual member must be a carer and signed up to the Hampshire Carers
Network
Each group must be carer-led and have at least 80% carers or former carers on its
management group
Carers support staff can attend to assist individuals or by invitation but cannot attend
in their own right or vote on issues
Service users may accompany carers or attend by invitation but cannot attend in their
own right or vote on issues
Carers Together 2009
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