Weavers program
The Weavers program supports Carers in the Illawarra. It is a Carer-Led peer support program designed to support Carers to cope and maintain their own health throughout the journey of caring for a loved one with dementia.
Carers are matched to another woman, a Weaver, in the Illawarra who has cared for someone with dementia. Weavers are trained to provide support, social interaction, and a listening ear. They utilise their lived experience to offer guidance and mentorship to another Carer navigating her caring journey.
The program can help Carers:
- Deal with emotional challenges
- Navigate and negotiate services
- Care for yourself
- Connect with family and friends
- Reduce isolation
- Social support including home visits, phone check ins, catch ups, and lunches
The Weavers program is coordinated by Sharon Stewart, who facilitates training, support, and program evaluation. She can also provide referrals and information to other local services and supports.
We understand that caring is a hard job that can isolate you and make you feel quite overwhelmed. The Weavers program means you don’t have to face these challenges alone.
The Weavers program is funded by COORDINARE – the South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network (PHN), and is based on the model developed by The Australian Centre for Social Innovation (TACSI).
Our lived experience is enough to truly help someone else.
