On Carers Rights day today, the Minister for Children and Social Care officially opened a new hub that will help more unpaid carers claim their rights and access free support.
For nearly 20 years, the Swansea Carers Centre has supported a range of carers and grown to be one of the largest carers services in Wales.
With the help of Welsh Government funding, the centre has moved to a bigger building and launched a new service – the Carers Hwb.
The hwb aims to make it easier for carers to access all the services available to them in one place and attract new carers who might be unaware of their rights and entitlements, such as those from ethnic minorities and male carers.
Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden said:
I am delighted to open the new building and hwb for the Swansea Carers Centre today.
This larger centre will provide space for more carers to access high quality support and help the team reach a wide range of carers.
The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring unpaid carers get the support they deserve. So, I'm grateful that the centre delivers our Short Breaks Scheme and Carers Support Fund, which help carers take a break from their caring role and help them buy essential items.
Hubs like this are vital in helping carers feel supported and empowered.
I want to thank unpaid carers for their tremendous contributions to our society and the centre for their dedication to supporting unpaid carers.
Alongside counselling services and financial advice, the hwb will provide access to short breaks which range from days out, trips away and help with gym memberships.
Dave Burgess MBE has been a carer to his wife Jan for 55 years.
He first went to the Swansea Carers Centre 20 years ago for advice on filling out forms for carers benefits – now he’s on the board of trustees for the centre.
Dave said:
My wife is a fighter. She first broke her neck in an accident and then had her leg amputated 10 years ago from illness.
When you become a carer, it changes your life, you don't know where or who to turn to for help.
The support I've had from the centre since first going has been wide ranging. From professional financial advice to really supporting me through a rough time mentally with their counselling services.
The new hwb will mean that if you suddenly become a carer like me, there’s now a one stop shop where you come in and get all the information and guidance you need in one place, right at the start of your caring journey.
The centre gives life to carers outside of their caring role, and community to carers who may feel alone, and the hwb is going to make a huge difference to the lives of so many more people.