Volunteers will either be placed in Carer's Support Bexley or Greenwich Volcare. Both Projects offers carers the chance to have a break by providing support to people in their own homes.

At Carers Harrow clients are all children and teenagers.

The projects offer carers the chance to have a break by providing support to people in their own homes. The carers who use the service range from children caring for a disabled parent or sibling, to people in their 90’s caring for a partner with dementia or perhaps a son or daughter with a learning disability. The break can last anything from three hours to two weeks, and can include overnight caring. Normally the breaks will be just a few hours each day. The people needing care are old people, disabled people or children under 16 with special needs. Occasionally, volunteers will go on holiday WITH the family
and support both carer and cared for to enjoy their break together.

Volunteers are there to enable carers to have a wellneeded break. The key duties are: being a companion and offering conversation, cooking meals (often microwave meals) and making drinks, assisting with eating and feeding, supporting a person with their leisure needs and interest, personal care – including toileting, shopping and minimal housework, looking after pets, taking children out to holiday clubs, playing with children, answering the telephone, etc.

Maturity, sensitivity, open mindedness, flexibility, commitment, common sense, good time keeping. Volunteers need to be healthy and fit. The projects accept both male and female volunteers aged over 18 years. Good English and excellent communication skills are essential.

Four of the projects (Greenwich Volcare, Carers Support Bexley, Carers Support Harrow and Carers Support Bromley) are located in Greater London. These are urban areas and within easy access to central London. The Carers Support Saxmundham and Herne Bay Volcare projects are located in small towns but with shops, restaurants and public transport to larger towns. Herne Bay is located by the sea.

Volunteers share a flat or house and have their own bedroom and share kitchen and bathroom and living room. A food allowance is given in addition to pocket money and volunteers cook their own food, or sometimes are provided with food at the client’s home.