Partnership benefits 250,000 unpaid carers
Join us in congratulating YourLink on their partnership with Carers South Australia.
Carers South Australia (Carers SA) is a non-profit, community-based organisation which provides support to all of South Australia’s 250,000 unpaid carers including Aboriginal Carers, Young Carers and carers from all cultural backgrounds. For 30 years, they’ve been providing carers with a range of support services including support planning, emergency respite, peer support and coaching, in-person counselling and tailored financial packages.
YourLink has provided – and will continue to provide – digital skills programs, training, coaches and technology to increase the adoption of digital solutions to improve the lives of seniors, carers and care workers. Together they recently rolled out a digital literacy program where YourLink supported Carers SA with program design and strategy, training for staff and carers, marketing, and device and data procurement.
“By giving carers access to technology and confidence in how to use it, we hope that carers will be able to find online ways to help with care through methods like digital health. But also opportunities to stay better connected socially with friends and family,” says Michael Scordo, Program Manager of Counselling and Young Carer Services at Carers SA.
The program offers carers a new iPad, 12 months of data, training to use the device and 12 months of support. They plan for it to roll out across the western metropolitan and south east country regions of South Australia.
YourLink has already seen amazing results amongst participants as carers start to become acquainted with new technologies. One of the carers had this to say about the program: “Having become single recently, the iPad and training is going to be another way for me to become more independent. I’m now on top of my emails and can add attachments. It’s made it much easier for me to contact government departments for my son who I care for.”
When asked why they thought this was an important partnership for them, Richard Scenna, Director of YourLink said: “It’s important for us to work with organisations like Carers SA. To help those who are digitally excluded, we must address the three barriers of affordability, accessibility and ability. Working with Carers SA on programs like this helps us to address this.”
Find out more about the program on the Carers South Australia website.
You can also visit the YourLink website, or contact Richard Scenna at richard@yourlink.com.au.