Carers' Voice poster showing date Monday 28 July and time 10 to 12 noon

Invitation to Falkirk July Carers’ Voice

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Carers’ Voice meetings provide an opportunity for carers to meet with other carers, representatives from local authorities, and other third sector organisations.

Have your say at the next Carers’ Voice! Your input could prove invaluable in helping shape support, services and policies for carers.

What other carers said:

  • “A very welcoming environment- thank you very much!”
  • “Very good meet up, excellent support and information.”
  • “It is good to hear everyone’s story and advice.”

Come and join us!
During July’s Voice,

  • We will welcome Amanda from the Office of the Public Guardian to discuss Power of Attorney and Guardianship.
  • Rachel from Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs will also attend to tell us more about their service.
  • We also hope to provide you with an update from your Integration Joint Board (IJB) Carer Representative.

Meeting Details:
📅  Monday 28 July 2025
⏰  From 10 am to 12 noon
📍  At the Carers Centre in Falkirk or via Zoom

Register for the event here: https://ow.ly/ieQR50WjFKW
Or get in touch with Sharlene Ramage, our Carer Participation Development Worker: sharleneramage@centralcarers.co.uk

⁉️ Did you know? You can read the previous meeting minutes on our website here!

Carers Week 2025

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Only one more week to go until Carers Week 2025, which is a yearly campaign that aims:

  • to raise awareness about caring and who unpaid carers are
  • to raise awareness of and recognise the challenges unpaid carers face
  • to acknowledge the immense contributions unpaid carers make to our society
  • and to celebrate the vital role unpaid carers play in our communities

The theme for Carers Week 2025, “Caring About Equality”, highlights the inequalities unpaid carers face due to their caring role, including but not limited to, they are at a greater risk of:

  • poverty
  • social isolation
  • poor mental and physical health
  • missing out on opportunities in their education, careers, or personal lives

Each day of the week will explore different aspects of how inequality affects carers’ lives.

  • Monday: Health and social care
  • Tuesday: Financial wellbeing
  • Wednesday: Work and employment
  • Thursday: Younger carers
  • Friday: Older carers
  • Saturday: Mental health and wellbeing
  • Sunday: Reflections on Carers Week

At Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre we believe that carers deserve to be recognised for the difficulties they face, respected for their efforts, informed about their rights and options, and supported to continue caring safely.

Our Carers Week Programme:

5 Days of Carers Week Prize Draw

Our popular prize draw is back! We will be doing a draw each day from Monday 9 June to Friday 13 June. To show our support, prizes include vouchers from multiple local businesses. Please note you only need to enter your details once for all 5 days.

Enter the prize draw here:https://form.jotform.com/CentralCarers/cwpd

Monday 9 June 

Pamper Day in the Centre 

  • Time: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Location: at the Carers Centre, 1a Bank Street, Falkirk
  • Available treatments: facials, massage, and manicure with gel or nail polish. When booking for manicure appointments, please state your preference.
  • How to book: Call 01324 611510

***Please note appointments will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to one appointment per carer.

Alva Carer Get-Together 

***Please not this event is only for Clackmannanshire carers and spaces are limited which will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tuesday 10 June 

Pamper Day in the Centre 

  • Time: 10 am to 4 pm
  • Location: at the Carers Centre, 1a Bank Street, Falkirk
  • Available treatments: facials, massage, and manicure with gel or nail polish. When booking for manicure appointments, please state your preference.
  • How to book: Call 01324 611510

***Please note appointments will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to one appointment per carer.

Wednesday 11 June 

Central Carers Association Annual General Meeting

  • Time: From 10 am
  • Location: at the Carers Centre, 1a Bank Street, Falkirk

Our Annual General Meeting is open to anyone, and no booking is required. Those who cannot attend in person will be able to join via Zoom. Please only get in touch by calling 01324 611510 or emailing centre@centralcarers.co.uk if:

  • you require the Zoom link
  • live in Clackmannanshire and require transport to attend the meeting
  • would like to become a member of Central Carers Association, which is the local voluntary organisation and the managing body of the Carers Centre

Thursday 12 June

Clackmannanshire Afternoon Tea for Clackmannanshire Carers

***Please note, this event is only for Clackmannanshire carers, spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Notice of Annual General Meeting (AGM)

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The 29th AGM of Central Carers Association (CCA) will take place on Wednesday 11 June 2025 at 10.00 am, followed by a member’s lunch in the Carers Centre at 1a Bank Street, Falkirk, FK1 1NB. If you live in the Clackmannanshire area and need travel assistance, please contact the centre using the contact details below. Those who cannot attend in person will be able to join the AGM via Zoom.   

CCA is the local voluntary organisation that support carers in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire and is the managing body of the Carers Centre. Full membership of CCA is open to all carers 18 years of age and over in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire, and associate membership is open to young carers under the age of 18. By becoming a Member of CCA, you will be demonstrating your support for the work of the organisation and strengthening its voice as a body that represents carers. Full Members are also entitled to vote at the AGM. The current annual subscription fee is £5 for full or associate membership.  If you would like to become a member, please contact us on 01324 611510 (option 1) or via email: centre@centralcarers.co.uk. 

Summer 2024 newsletter now available!

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The summer 2024 edition of the Carers Centre’s newsletter has now been sent out to all carers and organisations currently on our mailing list to receive information by post or email. If you haven’t received a copy of the newsletter, you can download the digital version by clicking below.

In this latest edition:

        • Excellence for Carers Award 🏆
        • Become a Board Member 📌
        • Forth Valley Carers Card update 💳

If you’ve missed this edition but would like to sign up to our e-mailing list to receive future newsletters, you can do so here.

 

Young Carers Action Day!

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It’s Young Carers Action Day!

Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) raises awareness about young carers (YCs) and young adult carers (YACs), the challenges they face and the support they need. This year’s theme is Fair Futures for Young Carers which will be focussing on why caring should not be a barrier to learning, earning or being able to get on in life – but for many, it is.

Being a young carer shouldn’t be a barrier to a young person’s dreams. It should be a stepping stone to a brighter future. Together, let’s create a future where young carers can dream without limits.

You can find more information and resources on YCAD at Carers.org/YCAD or get involved on social media using the hashtag #YoungCarersActionDay

Winter 2023 newsletter now available!

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The winter 2023 edition of the Carers Centre’s newsletter has now been sent out to all carers and organisations currently on our mailing list to receive information by post or email. If you haven’t received a copy of the newsletter, you can download the digital version by clicking below.

In this latest edition:

        • We bid a fond farewell to one of our longest serving members of staff 👋
        • We have information about our Christmas Lunches and ‘5 Days of Christmas’ Prize Draw 🎄
        • and much more!

If you’ve missed this edition but would like to sign up to our e-mailing list to receive future newsletters, you can do so here.

 

Summer 2023 newsletter now available!

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The summer 2023 edition of the Carers Centre’s newsletter has now been sent out to all carers and organisations currently on our mailing list to receive information by post or email. If you haven’t received a copy of the newsletter, you can download the digital version by clicking below.

In this latest edition:

        • We bring you an update on Young Carers Action Day 2023! 🎉
        • We have staff info and updates, with interviews as well as all the comings and goings in the last 6 months 🔄
        • As well as info about our plans for Carers Week 2023, including our prize draw 🎫
        • and much more!

If you’ve missed this edition but would like to sign up to our e-mailing list to receive future newsletters, you can do so here.

 

Young Carers Action Day!

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It’s Young Carers Action Day!

Young Carers Action Day (YCAD) raises awareness about young carers (YCs) and young adult carers (YACs), the challenges they face and the support they need. This year’s theme is Make Time for Young Carers which highlights two things that are really important for YCs and YACs:

  • The need for professionals and responsible adults to make more time to listen to young carers and young adult carers explain the challenges they face, so we can better understand the support young carers and young adult carers actually need.
  • Once they understand the sort of support that’s required, responsible adults then need to make time to put that support in place.

For YCAD this year we’ll be Making Time for Young Carers with some exciting group activities! We’ll also be sharing some brilliant stop motion animations created by our Young Carers’ Voice group. 

You can find more information and resources on YCAD at Carers.org/YCAD or get involved on social media using the hashtag #YoungCarersActionDay

Summer 2022 newsletter now available!

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The summer 2022 edition of the Carers Centre’s newsletter has now been sent out to all carers and organisations currently on our mailing list to receive information by post or email. If you haven’t recevied a copy of the newsletter, you can download the digital version by clicking below.

In this latest edition:

      • We’re sharing the story of Stewart, a carer in Clackmannashire, and his carer support journey
      • We have updates from our Young Carers Project
      • Information about our monthly Professionals Afternoon
      • and much more!

If you’ve missed this edition but would like to sign up to our e-mailing list to receive future newsletters, you can do so here.

 

Health & Social Care Training

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Do you want to represent your community and inform how health and social care is delivered in Falkirk?

We are looking for carers and people who use health and social care services to become representatives and join a range of groups to help ensure that lived experience is central to planning and decision making.

Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership have teamed up with key organisations to deliver free training so you have everything you need to take part, feel supported and share your ideas, and together we can design services that reflect your needs.

What can I expect from the training?

  1. Once training is completed, individuals will feel empowered.
  2. The training will be easily digestible and relevant to the individual’s area.
  3. The training will develop on new and existing skills of the individual.
  4. Individuals will have the ability to represent their own views while remaining objective and able to speak on other people’s behalf.
  5. Individuals will improve their conversation/decision-making skills.
  6. Those who participate will be involved in follow-up discussion to help frame future training sessions.
  7. Individuals will feel motivated to carry on engagement and make a positive difference in their area.

Who is this training suitable for?

  • People with lived experience of health and social care.
  • People with an interest in health and social care.
  • People who want to join a supportive community.
  • People who are willing to share their ideas and experience to create positive change.
  • People who are willing to take on an advocacy role and represent their wider community.
  • People who want to make a difference to improve health and social care in their communities.

When will the training be delivered?

  • Wednesday 27 April, 10.30am – 1pm
  • Wednesday 4 May, 10.30am – 1pm
  • Wednesday 11 May, 10.30am – 1pm

Each session will include a 15-minute break. You will also have opportunities to ask questions and to get involved in discussions.

How do I sign up?

Registration is now open so click the link here to book your space.

What is the training like?

When we delivered this training for carer representatives in March 2021, they found the training informative and enjoyable. They told us:

  • “Really interesting course.”
  • “Good to hear about how things work in social work, it seems complex.”
  • “I hadn’t seen myself as a carer but now see myself as an advocate to other carers.”
  • “Course has good content and timings were good.”
  • “I learned a lot – found the negotiation part really interesting.”
  • “Gave me confidence to speak out.”

Do I have to become a representative if I sign up to the training?

There is no commitment to join as a carer or service user representative when you sign up for the training sessions. This training is your opportunity to learn how you can make a meaningful contribution to the Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership, as well as meet other people just like you.

If you decide to become a representative, then ongoing support will be provided so you can get the most out of your experience.

Do I need any special skills or qualifications?

You don’t need any prior qualifications or skills. We will cover everything you need to know in the training.

I want to get involved. How do I sign up again?

Complete the registration form by clicking the link here. We know you have opinions about health and social care, so this is your opportunity to shape how we deliver our services. Further information will be provided in due course.

If you have any questions, email HSCPComms@falkirk.gov.uk.

We hope to see you at the training.