THE Leopold Community & Learning Centre is recognising the tremendous work that carers do in our community by offering them a free program of activities.<\/p>\n
The centre is acknowledging the contribution carers make by providing community lunches, informative workshops and access to support services such as technical support, financial advice and legal advice.<\/p>\n
Carers on the Bellarine Peninsula who care for a relative or close friend are invited to participate in the \u201cCaring for Carers\u201d program, which aims to enrich the daily life of carers.<\/p>\n
The program is funded through the state government\u2019s Supporting Carers Locally Grants Program via Bellarine MP Lisa Neville.<\/p>\n
Giving carers the support they need is a key priority of Labor’s Victorian Carer Strategy 2018-22 \u2013 the first whole-of-government strategy recognising carers.<\/p>\n
Across Victoria, more than 736,000 carers give their time and effort to look after a family member or friend who needs them.<\/p>\n
Unpaid carers support people with different care needs including people with chronic disease, mental illness, people with a disability, older people with care needs and those receiving end-of-life or palliative care.<\/p>\n
The recent Mental Health Royal Commission final report identified the importance of supporting the mental health of carers as a key focus.<\/p>\n
The final report of the Royal Commission into Victoria\u2019s Mental Health System identified the importance of the role of carers and of involving and supporting them.<\/p>\n
Caring for Carers was officially launched at the Leopold Community & Learning Centre, 31-39 Kensington Road, Leopold, on November 10 with a talk by Australian Carers Guide publisher Paul Koury, and will hold its first lunch on December 8 at noon.<\/p>\n