Information about training and educational opportunities available, to help you with your caring role.
Durham County Carers Support
Durham County Carers Support is an independent, charitable organisation providing information, advice and support to carers. Durham County Carers Support offers a wide range of local, confidential support services to adult and parent carers including a range of training that will support you in your role as a carer. Training includes Moving and Handling, First Aid, Making Sense of Caring and much more. Visit their Courses and Training page for more information.
The Care Academy
The Care Academy work in partnership with Durham County Carers Support to provide training courses and events for unpaid carers.
This is a great way for you to gain knowledge and to meet other carers in a relaxed environment.
Courses range from practical help with caring such as Managing Medication, Infection Prevention and Control through to digital skills and areas that focus on your own wellbeing and development.
You can find out more information and courses available.
Digital Eagles
The Care Academy are working in partnership with Barclays Digital Eagles and Durham County Carers Support to offer access to a platform called Digital Wings to unpaid Carers who are looking after a relative or friend living in County Durham.
Digital Wings is a free training platform that offers a range of modules relating to digital skills that aim to increase digital confidence. There are a wide range of modules available in areas such as digital foundation skills, communicating online, being safe and legal online and keeping children safe online.
If you are interested please complete this form to receive your unique code and web address.
Positive Behaviour Support
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) is an evidence-based approach, which is recognised as best practice in supporting people with learning disabilities and behaviours that challenge. Through assessing the wider social, physical and individual contexts in which such behaviour occurs, it aims to facilitate the understanding of behaviour in order to develop support. The overall goal is to improve a person’s quality of life and the lives of people around them and minimise the chance of challenging behaviours happening in the first place.
The North East and Cumbria PBS Steering Group worked with a number of partners across the health and care sector, and Northumbria University. The group has developed and evaluated a range of accredited learning programmes in Positive Behavioural Support for the North East and North Cumbria. For more information please visit Positive Behavioural Support North East and North Cumbria.
Adult learning
Durham County Council’s Adult Learning and Skills Service offers a wide range of adult learning courses that can lead to a recognised national qualification, develop your knowledge and skills or widen your horizons by meeting new people.
- free maths and English courses
- eLearning including environmental sustainability, healthy living, health and safety, managing personal finances, food safety in catering, internet safety for IT users, understanding employment, business and enterprise
For further information about these courses, contact 03000 266 115 or visit the adult learning courses pages.
Apprenticeships
Gov.uk: apprenticeships offers information on support, funding and employment.
Learndirect
From improving your maths and English skills to give you more confidence, to work based courses such as NVQs, Learndirect have a range of flexible online courses to suit all levels. Learndirect understands that it can be hard to fit in learning around family and work commitments, so their courses allow you to learn at a time and place to suit you.
Learn my way
Learn My Way provides free learning to help you gain digital skills to stay safe and connected. The internet can save you time and money and helps you to do more of the things you like doing best. It also helps you keep in touch with family and friends online.
Learn My Way provides a range of easy courses and useful resources for new internet users. You can use Learn My Way on your mobile, tablet or computer, and as it is online you can access the training whenever it fits in with your caring role.
Friends Against Scams
Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards Scams Team initiative, which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering people to take a stand against scams.
If you would like to become a Friend Against Scams you can attend a short awareness session in person or complete online training which can be accessed at Friends Against Scams.
