Taking a short break isn’t always straightforward for unpaid carers. Time pressures, responsibilities and concerns about leaving the person they care for can all make it harder to step away.
But even a short amount of time can have a positive impact, particularly when it involves getting outdoors.
Across Wales, organisations like Age Connects Torfaen and The Outdoor Partnership are using Short Breaks funding to provide accessible, practical opportunities for carers to take that time.
Outdoor activities offer a different kind of environment to traditional support settings. Being outside can help carers to:
For many carers, this kind of setting makes it easier to engage and take part.
Age Connects Torfaen used funding to deliver a mix of short breaks for over 140 carers across Newport, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen. This included a series of Carers Forest sessions, which brought people together in an outdoor setting. Some sessions were for carers only, while others enabled carers to attend alongside the people they support.
These sessions created opportunities for:
Feedback showed that participants valued the chance to spend time outdoors and connect with others, with reported reductions in stress and feelings of isolation.
Emma Wootten from Age Connects Torfaen tells us, “ The outdoor Carers Forest sessions have been particularly well received, with participants reporting that being in a natural environment helped them to relax, reduce stress and connect with others in similar situations. The mix of dedicated carers' sessions and joint activities for carers and cared-for individuals has enabled us to meet a range of needs, providing both peer support and opportunities for families to enjoy positive experiences together.”
The project also included social activities, such as a Buffet & Boogie evening, offering a more traditional break focused on social connection and community participation.
Thanks to funding from the Short Breaks Scheme, The Outdoor Partnership’s dream of hosting a residential for Young Carers in Wales came to life, bringing together 68 young carers from six different counties across Wales.
“We have been successfully strengthening our relationships with young carer organisations across Wales over the past three years, organising activity sessions, residentials and courses, and we wanted to develop this into a bigger residential, with more activities, more regions involved and exploring somewhere new (for many of the groups)”, explains Sioned Johnstone, Outdoor Activity Development Officer at The Outdoor Partnership.
The residential at Llandysul Paddlers provided an opportunity for the young carers to try a variety of different activities including, kayaking, outdoor climbing, bushcraft and river swimming.
It was wonderful to see young people from a wide range of backgrounds and different areas coming together, making new friendships, building confidence, and enjoying the outdoors in such a positive environment.
- Gareth Bryant, Watersports Development Officer CCC & CW Centre Manager, Llandysul Paddlers Canoe Centre
Sioned says, “Activities like this can help remove common barriers to participation, such as lack of confidence or access to equipment. For some participants, this was their first time taking part in this type of activity, which shows how short breaks can also introduce new experiences.”
Several key themes emerged in the feedback from the staff and young carers involved, highlighting the impact of the experience; encouragement, confidence, wonderful staff, respite, new friends and amazing memories.
From young carers discovering new adventures to adult carers finding a moment of calm, the outdoors has something to offer everyone. Time spent outside can provide a break from daily responsibilities, help people feel more connected, boost confidence and support mental wellbeing. As these projects show, a short break in the right environment can have a lasting impact, whatever a carer's age or circumstances.