Carer Training
Finding yourself in a caring role can be daunting. There is lots of information to take in and you may find that you need to deal with tasks and situations that you are not prepared for.
We’ve collected some of the best resources out there to help you to build your skills and develop your confidence as a carer. Unless otherwise stated, all these resources are free to use and you can take them at your own pace and as and when it suits you.
Carers Scotland Self-Advocacy Toolkit
As a carer you may find there are times when you need to be heard, but find it hard to get people to listen. The Carers Self-Advocacy Toolkit is a group of integrated resources produced by Carers Scotland to help carers get their voices heard.
At its centre is the Being Heard guide, which provides information and suggests techniques to help carers advocate for themselves. It also offers signposts and links to other elements of the Toolkit for carers to access for more information.
Find out more about the Self-Advocacy Toolkit
Open University
The Open University provides a range of courses either specifically for or accessible by Carers. There are many free courses with flexible study options to give you more confidence in your caring role and also to learn new subjects and skills that may help you if you move on from your caring role.
The Open University has achieved its ‘Going Higher for Student Carers’ award, demonstrating its commitment to supporting Carers to access higher education.
Visit the Open University website
Caring Counts Course
This free reflection course was developed with and for carers. It will help you reflect on your experiences, gain a clearer understanding of who you are, and recognise the range of skills and abilities you’ve developed from your caring role. It will also help you to look forward, to think about what you’d like to do now or in the future, and to make plans that will help you get where you hope to be.
View the ‘Caring Counts’ course
Promas Unpaid Carer Courses
Promas is an online training programme for Unpaid Carers. The courses cover a range of topics and are designed to help Carers to understand how they are coping and to offer tools and practical ways to help them to thrive in their role.
These are not pass or fail courses, just a way to help you better manage your role as a carer. You have a year to complete the courses once you register, and you can dip in and out as it suits your life.
The first 3 sessions are free to complete online. If you choose to continue, the remainder of the course costs £45, however if this is something you are interested in please contact the Centre on 01786 447003 or email info@stirlingcarers.co.uk for details on funding that may be available.
Learn My Way
Free courses on using a computer, browsing the web, sending an email and finding work online.