Help Victorian Carers Find A Voice

Who Speaks for Carers? This message from Liz Stewart of Social Enterprise Partnerships Ltd asks the Victorian community to help Carers find a voice. They need our help. Liz Stewart writes:

“Carers Victoria has a board of 11 people. 4 of them are carers.

It is hard for carers of people with disabilities, mental and chronic illnesses and aged frailty to be heard. What makes it even harder is that our official bodies – the Carer Associations – are not run by carers, but by professionals with careers in the field. Amazingly, only 4 board members out of 11 in Carers Victoria are carers.

We are gathering support for a Special General Meeting in Carers Victoria to change the Rules to require its board members to be Carers. That’s hardly radical. But we need your help to do it.

Let us know if you are a member of Carers Victoria and are able to add your name to our requisition to hold a Special General Meeting in the New Year to have Carers run Carers Victoria. (We are working to hold the Special General Meeting in February or March 2009.)

If you’re not a member, join up (there’s no cost) using this form. http://www.carersvic.org.au/SupportingUs/Membership.htm
Then, when you’ve sent it off, let us know.

We only need 100 supporters to make the change.

Pass this message on through your networks.

This might seem like a very small step to some. But it will create huge waves in the disability, mental health and ageing scene if this rule change is made. We only need 100 supporters to do it.

One small step for each of us. But a huge collective step for Carers as a group.

Send an email reply registering your support to:

Liz Stewart
liz@partnerships.org.au
PO Box 159
Yarraville Vic 3013 “

I’ve printed off the Application Form and will mail it today – will you too?