The primary aim of the Peer Support Program for Carers is to empower carers of Autistic individuals to have more choice and control over supports and services both for themselves and the person they care for.
Carers innately trust carers, those people who have walked a path similar to their own. At Different Journeys we use a peer support approach to walk alongside carers to enable them to navigate a complicated support system, empower them to take up opportunities and engage with other carer families in similar situations.
Unfortunately, many carers of Autistic people lack the confidence, emotional strength or time to identify and access carer supports and services. A secondary aim of this Program is to follow up with carers to help link them into existing supports and services. This person-centred approach provides warm handovers and helps carers constructively express their needs. This project is limited to our scope of funding.