How we help

Everything we offer is free, confidential and built around real caring lives. No referrals, no waiting lists, no judgement — just people who understand.

Peer Support A cosy café table set for a relaxed morning tea

1. Support Groups & Coffee Mornings

The heart of our association. Carers meet regularly across Gippsland for coffee, conversation and the kind of understanding that only comes from someone who's been awake at 3am worrying too. There's no agenda and no obligation to talk — some people come for advice, others just to sit among friends.

  • Regular groups and coffee mornings in towns across Gippsland
  • Facilitated by people with lived caring experience
  • Free to attend — tea, coffee and morning tea included
  • Come once or every week; talk or just listen
Practical Help Two hands reaching out to meet each other

2. Information & Referral

Caring comes with a maze: payments, assessments, services, forms. We help carers make sense of it all in plain language — what you're entitled to, what to ask for, and who to call. And if your enquiry is beyond what we can do ourselves, we don't just hand you a phone number: we help you connect and follow through.

  • Plain-language guidance on carer payments and services
  • Help understanding assessments, plans and paperwork
  • Warm referrals to trusted local and national services
  • Follow-up to make sure you actually got the help you needed
A Real Break A quiet forest path perfect for a restorative walk

3. Respite & Social Activities

Every carer needs time that's their own. Our walks, outings and social days give carers a genuine breather — and they're just as good for the people being cared for, who enjoy supported company, fresh air and something to look forward to. Caring relationships come back refreshed.

  • Regular walks, outings and social days across the region
  • Activities welcoming both carers and the people they care for
  • Gentle, accessible options for all mobility levels
  • A chance for everyone to be a person, not just a role
Carer Voice Many hands stacked together in shared commitment

4. Advocacy & Carer Voice

Carers are the invisible backbone of our health and aged care systems, and their experience should shape those systems. We speak up for Gippsland carers — raising local issues, contributing to consultations, and making sure decision-makers hear from the people who live caring every day.

  • Representing carer perspectives to services and government
  • Raising local issues that affect Gippsland families
  • Opportunities for carers to share their voice safely
  • Celebrating carers publicly, especially during Carers Week
For Everyone An elderly woman cooking independently in her home kitchen

5. Support for the Person You Care For

Caring works both ways, and so does our support. We assist the people being cared for as well — with social connection, enjoyable activities and help navigating their own services — because when the person you love is content and supported, your load lightens too.

  • Social activities designed for people receiving care
  • Support to maintain independence at home and in the community
  • Information and referral for their needs, not just yours
  • A welcoming place where both of you belong

Keep this support free for every carer

Our groups, coffee mornings and respite days cost little per person and mean the world. Your donation keeps them running all year.

Donate to Support Carers