Become A Shared Lives Carer!

Wigan Council; Wigan; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free training

Support from Shared Lives team

Flexible placements

Job summary

Wigan Council is seeking Shared Lives Carers to welcome adults in need of support into your home for long-term, respite, or emergency placements. Carers provide a furnished bedroom and family inclusion, with a phased, person-centered approach and regular respite days.

The role offers a modest payment for time and expenses, free training, and ongoing support from the Shared Lives team. If you care and want to make a real difference locally, we’d love to hear from you.

Qualifications

• Be over the age of 18
• Have a spare bedroom for long-term or short-break support
• Have at least 4 hours per week to spare
• Care for someone and want to help in the community

Responsibilities

• Provide full-time placements with a shared living arrangement
• Offer respite and short-term breaks as needed
• Support adults to participate in family life and activities

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Reliability

Community-minded

Job description

We're on a journey to build a workforce reflective of our Borough.

We are committed to fostering diverse teams where everybody can bring their authentic selves to work and feel that they belong. If you want to work for a Council where everybody is encouraged to meet their full potential and make a difference in our neighbourhoods, we would love to hear from you!

Become a Shared Lives Carer!

Do you want to make a real difference to somebody's life?

Could you share your time, your home, your family, your friends and your community with a vulnerable adult who needs support?

Wigan Council are currently looking for Shared Lives Carers for local people who need support due to age, disability or illness. Adults who need support are carefully matched with Shared Lives Carers with shared interests, or simply someone they get along well with.

What is a Shared Lives Carer?

There are different types of placements you can provide as carer that can work around your current commitments and offer a modest payment based on the level of support you provide.

Full time placement

This is where a person will come to live with you on a long-term basis. You will provide them with a furnished bedroom to allow the person to have their own private space. You will be expected to encourage the individual to be part of the family and share everyday life experiences. All full-time placements are facilitated via a phased approach at a pace you are both comfortable with. This will consist of supported sessions, tea visits and overnight stays. Each full-time placement will be allocated up to 28 days respite per year.

Respite / short term break

This is where somebody will come to stay overnight or for a longer period. This could be a one off or could be a regular arrangement. This will be a phased approach placement at a pace that you are both comfortable with.

Emergency support

The support is provided at short notice due to a crisis personally or family related. All emergency placements are managed closely to ensure that both parties remain safe and well.

Day support

• Up to 4 hours
• 4-6 hours
• 6-8 hours

This time can be spent sharing joint interests or exploring new opportunities in the local and wider community.

Who can be a Shared Lives Carer?

• Be over the age of 18
• Have a minimum of 4 hours per week to spare
• Have a spare bedroom (for long term and short break / respite support)
• Support someone to seek opportunities to develop their skills and aspirations in their own communities
• Be caring and want to develop new relationships.

In return you will get:

• Friendship
• A modest payment for your time and expenses
• Free training
• Support from our Shared Lives team and much more
• Build experience in caring

One of our Shared Lives Carers said:

"The lady I support for respite is lovely, positive and funny and has enriched my life over the past few years. I love being a carer, it is very rewarding. I am so pleased that I received a leaflet through my door"

Shared Lives supports people to develop meaningful friendships that enable them to live life to the full in their local communities.

It can help them achieve goals such as going to college, develop travel skills, visit places outside Wigan and go on holiday.

Carers are recruited from local communities, local people with big hearts who want to make a difference and put something back into their local area.