Emily and Jo from our Shared Lives Service recently joined other care providers, local services and community groups in Leeds for the Pride Weekend ‘market place’ at the City Museum on Sunday 4th August to showcase our work and raise awareness of the service.
St Anne’s Shared Lives scheme is designed to support clients with learning disabilities that make it harder or impossible for them to live on their own. We assess ordinary people to become Shared Lives carers to provide a home for our clients. These carers share their family and community life, and give care and support to the client with care needs.
The outcomes can be startling, with clients reporting feeling settled, valued and like they belong for the first time in their lives. They make friends (a third make five or more friends through Shared Lives) and get involved in clubs, activities and volunteering, often for the first time. Half of people using Shared Lives went on their first ever holiday, as a result of the support and companionship of their Shared Lives carer.
Our scheme has been established for over 25 years and we currently have more than 80 clients living with their carers across the city. St Anne’s Community Services runs the Shared Lives scheme and we are a proudly LGBT inclusive organisation and Stonewall Diversity Champion.
Emily is a member of the staff team who support Shared Lives and looked after our Pride information stand;
“Shared Lives is an inclusive service which actively promotes diversity. We already have carers and clients from the LGBT community in our scheme and we are very proud of them. We saw the opportunity to attend the Pride market place to raise awareness of our service and support Leeds Pride. At our stall we promoted the shared lives service and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to network with other agencies and chat to visitors at the event, explaining how rewarding being a shared lives carer can be. We also celebrated how this arrangement gives clients the opportunity to have new experiences which they would not necessarily have in other services. “
Can I be a Carer if I’m Lesbian, Gay, Bi or Trans (LGBT)?
Yes. We support and encourage people from the LGBT community to consider being a shared lives carer.
We have a wide range of carers from all communities and it’s important that we are as diverse as the people we support! We have carers with a variety of skills and backgrounds including: families with children; single people of all ages; single people; couples whose children have grown up and LGBT+ communities. Having diverse applicants helps us to match people with the client in the best possible way. Potential carers undergo a thorough assessment process to ensure that only the most suitable people are approved.
What will I need to provide as a Carer with Shared Lives?
Once approved as a carer, you will provide:
- A room in your home
- All meals
- Any care and support that is required
- Full involvement in family and social life
What support will St Anne’s give me?
All arrangements are overseen by a scheme worker to ensure that the Clients’ needs continue to be met and that the carer receives the necessary support. The rewards for a carer are to help someone to have a better life, receive ongoing support and training, work from home and receive a fee of over £350 per week, tax free.
If you would like to find visit our service page here