THE Voluntary Sector Consortium for Charities in Essex has just been awarded £483,000 over the next three years to help carers find employment.

After an extensive two-stage process, over the last 12 months, 4SX has secured the funding to cover the whole of Essex including Southend and Thurrock.

The Project, Essex Carers – The Way to Work, is an innovative project to support unpaid carers to access employment opportunities.

It will be delivered through the coming together of a range of partners; Action for Family Carers, Caracas, Carers Choices, Healthy Living Solutions, Rural Community Council for Essex and Signpost.

Unpaid carers assist the economy by an estimated £132 billion each year by caring for a family member, relative or friend. Often this care comes at the expense of their own employability.

This can be young adult carers not achieving qualifications at school or college due to the physical and emotional caring responsibility or adult carers who have had to give up work because of their caring role.

Carers are entitled to their own assessment to help them to carry on their caring role and this project will ensure that Carers receive the support they are entitled to and an individual action plan for employability.

Paul Ramsden, 4SX Lead Director and Chief Executive of Carers Choices, said: “We are delighted that a consortium of voluntary sector organisations working together has been awarded this grant for Carers in Essex.

“Carers contribute so much, selflessly, and this project is an opportunity to make sure they have the support to gain a job.

Linda Riley, Chair of the 4SX Board and Director of Voluntary Sector Training, said: “This is such a worthwhile project, pulling together voluntary sector organisations that do not traditionally work together, in order to transform people’s lives.

“The Voluntary Sector in Essex is very strong and diverse with deep links into the local community and this has been recognised in the bidding process.”

4SX has members across the Voluntary Sector in Essex, coming together as a consortium to work on delivering solutions. This is the first major Grant award that the consortium has bid for and won.

4SX was established with a grant from Essex Community Foundation, Capacity Building Fund.

For more information about the Essex Carers - The Way to Work project or 4SX visit 4sx.org.uk