Carers and cafés make special blend

Services for carers and cyber cafés providing training and jobs have been singled out for special praise as Government inspectors delivered their verdict on council social care services in the North West.

The inspectors were impressed by Rochdale Council’s carers’ services and the support the Council gives to carers who work for them and other employers. They also praised Rochdale and District MIND’s cyber cafés in Rochdale and Middleton, which are Council-funded community businesses offering training, work experience and employment to mental health service users.

The Carers Resource has become the focal point for carers services in the Borough. It was set up by Rochdale Council and opened in 2002. It now has 300 regular users and over the last year it had more than 6,000 requests for help.

The service achieved Beacon status in 2005-6, which means it was chosen by the Government as an example of good practice, which has been shared with other councils across the country.

Terry Thorp, Business Manager for Rochdale and District MIND, said: “Our cyber cafés offer a unique combination of Internet access and healthy home-made meals. We can serve over thirty people a day with a hot meal at our Rochdale Café and in Middleton people can pop-in for a coffee and a snack. As a service-user-led project, any praise is a just reward for their efforts.”

Thirty people who use or have used local mental health services run the cyber cafés, mostly as volunteers. Money to run the cafés and provide training comes partly from the Council and partly from the European Regional Development Fund, which also supports the Carers Resource.

The carer and café services were highlighted in a report produced by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, which is responsible for inspecting all social care services, including home care and residential care. In the report, the Commission says that, over the last year, Rochdale and councils across the North West have further improved social care services.

Councillor David Clayton, the Council’s Cabinet member for health and social care, said: “I am pleased to see that our continued improvement overall is recognised, and that Rochdale’s innovative services have been highlighted as good practice.”

The cyber café in Rochdale is at 13-15 Oldham Road close to the town centre and is open 10am to 4pm for meals and 9am to 5pm for Internet access. The café in Middleton is off Fountain Street; phone 01706 648562 for opening times.

Support for the independent Carers Association has been central to developing services for carers, and they are keen to recruit new members.  To find out how you might get involved or how the Carers Resource can help you, phone 01706 925808.