CARER Support Wiltshire is pleased to be launching a new programme this month that will help unpaid carers who want to return to the workplace. Many people give up work when a loved one becomes ill in order to care for them. It can then be challenging to return to work once they are ready to go back – carers often feel their skills have become out of date and they lack confidence.

Funding was awarded to the Wiltshire charity by the Government Equalities Office and the Returners Fund will shortly be ready to help local people by providing support, tools and industry-specific training. Carer Support Wiltshire will also work in partnership with employers, who will provide mentoring, advice and on-site training in return for access to potential new employees who are experienced and keen to return to work.

MP for Devizes Claire Perry said: “I am proud to be a patron for Carer Support Wiltshire and I have been very impressed with their drive to work with and support employers through their Working for Carers business programme, improving workplace support for carers in employment. A programme to help carers resume their careers after an extended career break seems a natural next step.

“I know from my regular meetings with local businesses that finding people with the right skills is still a challenge for many of these employers and I welcome this new initiative which will help to fill these gaps, whilst supporting those who have given up their careers to care for another, to return to skilled and fulfilling work.”

Carer Support Wiltshire currently has nearly 2,000 carers registered with them who are unemployed and would like to work. Of those, nearly 1,000 feel their skills are out of date or they lack the confidence to take the next step. 1,025 agree they ‘don’t know where to start’.

If you are a carer or former carer needing help returning to the work you can register with the Returners Fund now by visiting carersupportwiltshire.co.uk/returners-fund or calling Carer Support Wiltshire on 0800 181 4118.