WELCOME Partnering to Support Greek Speaking Carers of People with Dementia Presenters: Betty Kalambokis & Aliki Kyrkou VCSN – BEST PRACTICE FORUM

UnitingCare Community Options – Agency Overview UnitingCare Community Options (UCCO) was established in 1987 and works with over 4000 Participants/ Clients per year. UCCO is auspiced by the Uniting Church We work within both ageing and disability streams. Some of the programs we run include CACP, EACH,EACHD, Linkages, Flexi packages. In the Eastern region, the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre operates within the umbrella of UCCO.

Fronditha Care – Agency Overview Residential Care Five facilities across Victoria and New South Wales Community Care 40 Independent Living Units for financially and socially disadvantaged 125 Community Aged Care Packages Planned Activity Groups 2 Host Homes Other small programs

Project Overview Funded by the Victorian Department of Health. Collaboratively responding to an identified need for carers of Greek speaking background. Elements of the project: - Two information sessions - Carer Support Group - Host Home

Experience in program planning and implementation Previous experience in Host Home Strong infrastructure Bi-lingual and bi-cultural staff Existing links to the community and established media contacts Carers of Greek speaking background known to each agency THE PARTNERSHIP Responsible funding allocation Steering committee Regular meetings Clear responsibilities Collaborative approach in all areas of the Project e.g. documentation Joint promotion CARER SUPPORT GROUP HOST HOME PROGRAM

Benefits of the partnership - for the target group Expansion of service provision to the Greek community in the Eastern Region Responded to an identified service gap A culturally and linguistically sensitive service response Opened up the scope of support available to carers Improved access to information

Benefits of the partnership - for the target group cont… Decrease in social isolation for the carer and care recipient Peer support and carer empowerment Building of informal networks Building community awareness

Benefits of the partnership - for the partnering agencies Learnt about each others activities and the communities that each agency supports Promoted each others activities at various forums Shared skills and expertise which contributed to professional development

Benefits of the partnership - for the partnering agencies cont… Refined the understanding of the needs of our Greek speaking clients Built service provider awareness of the needs of the Greek community in the Region. Allowed for sustainability beyond the life of the project Enables the origanisations to engage each other for input into future projects or initiatives.

Reflection The success of this partnership has been a recognition of each others strengths; our willingness to share resources and information, to achieve a common goal and our capacity to work constructively together based on trust and mutual respect.

Contact Details Betty Kalambokis – Partnership with Carers Worker UnitingCare Community Options Ph: (03) Aliki Kyrkou – Community Services Manager Fronditha Care Ph: (03)