Supporting carers in work and education

Do you look after someone in Newcastle, North Tyneside, or Northumberland? 

Are you struggling to balance your caring responsibilities with work or education? 

You are not alone.  

• Every day, 600 people leave work to care for someone (Carers UK) 
• Juggling work and caring responsibilities is a massive worry for carers, with 75% of carers struggling (Carers UK) 
• Almost half of carers said caring had a negative impact on their job and working ability (Carers Week)  

We understand that trying to find a balance between looking after someone and work, training, school, or university can be a real challenge. 

You might be feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and exhausted due to your caring responsibilities, and you may feel like your employer, manager or teacher doesn’t understand.  

Some days you might fail to meet a deadline, arrive late to meetings, skip lessons, or simply can’t go into work or school because of your caring responsibilities.  

Newcastle Carers, North Tyneside Carers’ Centre and Carers Northumberland are working together to deliver the Working for Carers project.  

We provide friendly and specialised one-to-one support to unpaid carers aged 16 and above.  

If you are currently in work, or looking for employment, education, volunteering or training opportunities, our advisors are here to listen and help you.  

How is the Working for Carers Project funded?   

The North East Combined Authority (North East CA) was formed on 7 May 2024. It is led by Elected Mayor Kim McGuinness and the Cabinet and covers the seven local authority areas of County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland.

This project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

We’re here to help and support you 

The Working for Carers project is designed to provide specialist support to enable you to balance your caring responsibilities with your job, training or school.  

We are also here to help you find a job, advance in your current role, access education, volunteering, and training opportunities. 

The project and our services work across the North of Tyne area (Newcastle, North Tyneside, and Northumberland) to provide you with fully accessible and flexible support. 

Our advisors can provide informative and tailored support to help you:  

• Maintain your current role and overcome any workplace barriers. 
• Search for your first, or a new, job role.  
• Access training opportunities, educational courses, or volunteering roles.  
• Find work experience opportunities, apprenticeships, and paid roles.  
• Improve your employability skills – such as digital literacy.  
• Develop your interview skills and practice mock interviews. 
• Identify your transferrable skills set to pursue employment goals and opportunities.  
• Prepare and craft CVs and cover letters.  
• Write university applications and personal statements.  
• Build your confidence levels.  
• Access benefits and legal advice. 
• Understand your rights as a carer in the workplace.  

We also have a Progression Fund for carers accessing the Working for Carers project. This fund aims to support you to get into work, or maintain and thrive in training, education, and employment.

You may be able to receive a grant to buy items to support you and reduce any barriers in your employment or educational journey. This could include:

• College course fees, books, or equipment
• An adult education class or training course
• A laptop/tablet/mobile phone
• Work clothes/interview clothes
• Transport to work when you start new employment or training
• Items specific to your role, eg. DBS check, chef knives, professional camera

We also work with employers 

Employers across the North of Tyne area can also access support to create carer-friendly workplaces. We can work alongside you to identify opportunities to improve employment, training, and volunteering roles for unpaid carers.  

We can offer one-to-one support directly into your workplace – helping you to understand carers’ needs, recognise the range of skills they develop through looking after someone, and support carers returning to work.  

Through the Working for Carers project, we can also advise you in regard to the Carer’s Leave Act 2023, Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023, and what this means for carers and employers. 

If you want to arrange for one of our advisors to come to your place of work, get in touch with us. 

Contact us today 

Whether you’re currently in work, or looking for employment, education, volunteering, and training opportunities, we’re here to support you every step of the way.