A TOOLKIT: How carers in ACT can advocate for change · 2019-05-01 · You might want to keep a copy on your kitchen bench or deliver a copy of the petition to the letterboxes in

A TOOLKIT: How carers in ACT can advocate for change

www.caringfairly.org.au

www.facebook.com/caringfairlycampaign

@caringfairly

@caringfairly

WHO WE ARE

WHY WE ARE TAKING ACTION

Caring Fairly is a national campaign led by unpaid carers and specialist organisations that support and

advocate for their rights. Launched in August 2018 and coordinated by Mind Australia, Caring Fairly is led by a

coalition of over 25 carer support organisations, NGOs, peak bodies, and carers themselves. In ACT,

Caring Fairly is represented by Carers ACT.

We need your support, and invite you to join the Caring Fairly coalition.

Caring Fairly wants:

• A fairer deal for Australia’s unpaid carers

• Better economic outcomes for people who devote their time to supporting and caring for their loved ones

• Government policies that help unpaid carers balance paid work and care, wherever possible

• Politicians to understand what’s at stake for unpaid carers going into the 2019 federal election

To achieve this, we need your help.

Unpaid carers are often hidden from view in Australian politics. There are almost 2.7 million unpaid carers

nationally. Over 850,000 people in Australia are the primary carer to a loved one with disability. Many

carers, understandly, don’t identify as a ‘carer’.

Caring Fairly wants visibility for Australia’s unpaid carers. We are helping to build a new social

movement in Australia to achieve this.

Unpaid carers prop up Australian society. Like all Australians, unpaid carers have a right to a fair and

decent quality of life.

Caring Fairly is advocating for vital reforms needed to bring fairness to the hidden world of unpaid

care in Australia.

We need your support.

With your support, we can shape a new public conversation about the value we attach to unpaid carers in

Australia, and advocate for the changes urgently needed by so many Australian families.

We can only do this together.

Join the movement, shape the conversation, and lend your support to the Caring Fairly campaign and

coalition at:

WHAT’S UNFAIR? THE KEY ISSUES There are 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia, and over 850,000 primary carers.

Unpaid carers aren’t able to go on strike, but if they did, the Australian Government would have to spend over

$1 billion per week on formal health and social care services.

Australia’s reliance on unpaid carers is unsustainable and unfair. Over two thirds of primary carers are women.

Many carers aren’t able to get paid work on an equal footing to other Australians. Many older carers retire with

limited savings.

Young carers get a raw deal. Many children and young people who provide care to a loved one have poorer

educational outcomes and fewer employment and training opportunities than other Australians.

www.caringfairly.org.au/takeaction


@caringfairly

@caringfairly

3

WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE? THE KEY MESSAGES

2Government must make it easier for unpaid carers to balance work and care, on an equal footing with other

Australians

1Government must invest in the long-term economic

security of unpaid carers

Government must make sure that all young carers can be

identified and assisted

Caring Fairly believes the Australian Federal Government must take urgent action to bring fairness to care. It

must look beyond short term policies, and invest in long term solutions. It must drive a cultural change in how

we as Australians, value the unpaid carers in all our communities. Ahead of the 2019 federal election, our three

key messages are:

These three key messages are drawn from Caring Fairly’s 2019 policy platform. To read the full document, and

our evidence base, visit www.caringfairly.org.au.

TAKE ACTION

Pressure your local senator to take action Meeting with ACT’s federal senators is a great way to influence the people who represent you at the

highest levels of government. Senators hold substantial power within their respective political parties. Senators

serve six-year terms in Parliament, making them the perfect driver for the long term policy changes we are seeking.

ACT has two senators. You dont have to meet with both, you can ask for meetings with each, or any senator that

you’d particularly like to speak to - the choice is yours.

As a constituent you are entitled to request a meeting with your Senators on any issue of importance to you. Here

are some tips to make the process as easy as possible:

• You can request a meeting by calling or emailing the Senators from your state. You can also use the letter

template attached in this pack for some ideas on what to say

• Expect to wait a few weeks before the meeting occurs

• Plan what you’d like the Senator to know about your experience or situation and why you are passionate about

changing things

• Have a clear idea of what you’d like to ask them to do on your behalf - you can refer to the Caring Fairly key

messages for some ideas

• You can encourage your friends and family to sign the Caring Fairly petition in this kit and present this to

your senator to show the widespread community support for change.

GIVING ACT CARERS A VOICE IN THE 2019 FEDERAL ELECTION Within the next few weeks, Australians will go to the ballot box to elect a new federal government.

Caring Fairly wants unpaid carers to shape the outcome of this election. We want to use our collective voice to

achieve a fairer deal for carers, and a fairer society for all Australians.

It is essential that federal politicians hear from you to understand exactly what’s at stake in this election - in

ACT, and for you, your family, and your community. Here are some ideas about how you can use your voice.

Your ACT senators

• You can request a follow up meeting for a few months time to discuss and track progress on the issue

• The more voices your senators hear from on this issue, the harder it beomes to ignore our voice, and our

demands for change

Senator Zed Seselja There is currently no second

senator for ACT due to the recent

resignation of Mr David Smith. A new

senator will be elected on May 18th, 2019.

Liberal Party (02) 6247 [email protected]

@Zedseselja

WHAT’S AT STAKE THIS ELECTION IN ACT? Every election is often decided by a few marginal seats across the country. It is always worth contacting your local MP

and candidates as well as your senator. If you are not sure which federal electorate you live in you can check at www.

aec.gov.au. The three electorates in the ACT are:

Bean Canberra Fenner

Engage with your local supports Whether it’s an online support group or one you might attend in person - let your support networks know about this

campaign and why you support it yourself. You can share our posters, petitions or social media graphics with the group

but don’t forget to explain your personal perspective as a supporter of the campaign.

Not sure what supports are available in your local area?

Head over to www.caringfairly.org.au/takeaction and fill out the contact us form. We can give you some

information on what supports are available through our affiliated support organisations.

You can also visit our ACT partner’s website directly:

• Carers ACT - www.carersact.org.au

Host an event One of the best ways of spreading our message is through face-to-face conversations in a social setting. Hosting an event is also

a really helpful way of engaging with other carers. The following ideas could be used to bring people in your community together to

discuss this important issue.

• A carers morning tea, hosted at your own home or at a community venue. This can be as informal or formal as you would like

• Offer to run a social event as part of a carers support group or community group

• Organise some friends to go with you to your local shopping strip and ask people to sign the Caring Fairly petition

• Hold a carers craft afternoon

• Anything that incorporates fun and social activities with activities to provide information about the Caring Fairly

campaign

Use the petition The Caring Fairly petition can be found at the back of this toolkit. It is a simple and effective tool to start conversations

about this important topic, and to demonstrate to politicians the collective power of unpaid carers in this election. You can

ask your friends, family, neighbours and online community to sign to encourage government to prioritise carers at this

election.

Get creative There are creative ways to tell your story, and to be a voice for change. You might want to:

• Write a poem;

• Paint or draw;

• Write a blog post;

• Engage with your local community radio station;

• Develop an outdoor display or mural;

• Anything else you can think of that engages your artistic skills and expression.

Once your project is complete, be sure to share it with us online, through our website or the other links below.

You can also tag us in anything you post on social media if you are posting it to your personal page.



@caringfairly

@caringfairly

:

:

Advocate online Modern elections are fought online as much as offline. Using your social media presence to share your story, voice your

demands, and amplify the messages of the Caring Fairly campaign are important ways to get the attention of

politicians, and advocate for change.

• Follow and engage with Caring Fairly’s social media channels • Share Caring Fairly graphics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can find these at caringfairly.org.au• Use Caring Fairly frames on your profile picture on Facebook. You can find these at caringfairly.org.au• Share part of your story online, and set out the reforms you want to see from politicians in this election (more on this

in the next section)• Create a 30 second online video (see below)

• Engage in online support groups where appropriate and let people know about the Caring Fairly campaign and how

they can get involved

• Engage with politicians and political parties online to raise awareness of the campaign

• Engage in respectful conversations on Twitter and Facebook about your experience

When publishing your story - be sure to tag Caring Fairly on social media so we can help spread the word. You can use

the links below to share.


www.facebook.com/caringfairly

@caringfairly

@caringfairly

Not sure how or what to share online?

Head over to www.caringfairly.org.au/takeaction and fill out the contact us form. Someone from the

campaign will be in touch to give you some advice about how to share your story online.

There are creative ways to tell your story, and to be a voice for change. You might want to:

• Write a poem;

• Paint or draw;

• Write a blog post;

• Engage with your local community radio station;

• Develop an outdoor display or mural;

• Anything else you can think of that engages your artistic skills and expression.

Once your project is complete, be sure to share it with us online, through our website or the other links below.

You can also tag us in anything you post on social media if you are posting it to your personal page.

You might want to keep a copy on your kitchen bench or deliver a copy of the petition to the letterboxes

in your street. Most people will be happy to support the cause but they do need to be asked to do so.

Please let the Caring Fairly team know if you are using the petition, so that we can help you maximise your local and

national impact. Send any completed copies of the petition to [email protected] and let us know how we

can support you.

Share your story online Sharing your experiences is one of your most powerful advocacy tools. It is one of the best ways to build a sense of

connection and a way to captivate, and compel people to action.

Writing down your own experiences as a carer can be confronting, emotional, and traumatic. It is important to reflect on

your own boundaries around what you are comfortable sharing with other people; be they your family, friends, neighbours,

local community or your online environment.

Tips to try in your storytelling: Always keep in mind what the purpose of your story is. What message are you trying to convey? Why do you want

people to hear about it? This will help guide the shape of your story and give an idea of where the particular points of

focus should be.

Don’t worry about figures, data or metrics to include in your story. The value of your story is in your experience and the

perspective you have as a result.

You don’t need to disclose every personal detail. Sharing your story gives you power over how much you disclose and to

whom. You can choose to highlight particular aspects of your story depending on your comfort levels and your audience.

Allow yourself some vulnerability. This gives your audience something to relate to emotionally.

Make sure your story includes characters. Although you won’t want to disclose everything about them, don’t gloss over the

participants in the story and their point of view.

There is political power in voicing common experiences. Most people will find it very easy to understand issues as they

relate to family, or friendships, or suffering, as they are universal human experiences. Use this to your advantage and

focus on the most universal aspects of your story.

Finish with a call to action. What do you want people to do now that they’ve heard your story? What action do you want

to inspire from them? Crucially, what do you want your elected representatives to do? If you share our vision of ‘what

needs to change’, we ask you to use our ‘key messages’, found earlier in this toolkit.

Need help crafting your story or not sure how best to take action?

Head over to www.caringfairly.org.au/takeaction and fill out the contact us form. Someone from the

campaign will be in touch to give you some advice about how you can be involved!

Filming a short video on your phone is a great and easy way of sharing your story, adding a human face to this important

issue and getting public attention.

Caring Fairly can help make it even easier for you.

Examples of short videos from campaign supporters can be found on our facebook page at

Caring Fairly would love to hear your stories via video and help you reach a wide online audience. We can edit, brand, and

‘polish’ your videos, if you want us to. When you tag Caring Fairly on Facebook or Twitter with your 30 second video, we will

help you share and promote your video.

We are collecting the stories of carers to help raise public awareness of the campaign and make sure a wide variety of voic-

es are heard. We are asking Caring Fairly supporters from ACT to record a 30 second video of themselves and submit the

footage via our Facebook inbox or email: [email protected]. Make sure you tag us if you upload your video on

social media as well.

Makre sure you tag us if you upload your video on social media as well!

Create a 30 second video



@caringfairly

@caringfairly

facebook.com/caringfairlycampaign.

ACT FEDERAL ELECTORATE GUIDE:

Caring Fairly is non-partisan and apolitical. We want to see improved government responses, policies, and

committments from all parties, politicians, and candidates.

This information is accurate at the time of publishing and is subject to change.

To stay up to date with election developments follow /CaringFairlyCampaign on Facebook.

Bean

ALP Candidate: Mr David Smith

Phone: 02 6247 4066

Email: [email protected]

Liberal Candidate: Mr Ed Cocks


Greens Candidate: Mr Jonathan Davis


Phone: (02) 6140 3220

Canberra

ALP Candidate: Ms Alicia Payne


Liberal Candidate: Ms Mina Zaki


Greens Candidate: Mr Tim Hollo


Phone: (02) 6140 3220

Fenner

ALP Candidate: Mr Andrew Leigh MP


Phone: (02) 6247 4396

Liberal Candidate: Ms Leanne Castley


Greens Candidate: Andrew Braddock


Phone: (02) 6140 3220

Help bring fairness to unpaid care

NAME PHONE

EMAIL:

ADDRESS

WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECIEVE CARING FAIRLY UPDATES? Y/N

NAME PHONE

EMAIL:

ADDRESS


NAME PHONE

EMAIL:

ADDRESS


NAME PHONE

EMAIL:

ADDRESS


NAME PHONE

EMAIL:

ADDRESS


NAME PHONE

EMAIL:

ADDRESS


Sign to show your support for great fairness and recognition for carers.

Dear Senator,

Re: Caring Fairly campaign

I am writing to ask you to take action in support of the Caring Fairly campaign.

There are almost 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia, across every electorate and in every state and territory. Over 850,000 people

in Australia are the primary carer to a loved one with disability. I am one of these people. [A bit of background about yourself, your

family, and your caring responsibilities].

Unpaid carers get the rawest of deals in Australia. As you may know, consistent evidence has shown that unpaid carers like me sacrifice

own economic security, employment, and health and wellbeing. We are taken for granted in Australian government policies, because our

‘work’ sits outside of the formal economy. The current systems and services that we have in place to support people like me are

insufficient, unfair, and at breaking point.

There are lots of big social problems that Australian politicians will have to grapple with over the coming years, but our growing need

for ‘care’ should be high on that list. Across ACT, adults and children alike are caring for loved ones at a scale far above and beyond

‘normal’ family care arrangements. We do this at the expense of our careers, education, and long-term economic security. As our

population ages, this is an issue that will affect more and more Australians.

This is not sustainable, and it is not fair. Things need to change. If people like me are to continue propping up the formal health and

social care systems in this country, then we need radically more support from government. We don’t need short-term policies, or empty

commitments. We need long term commitments, from politicians like you, to rethink how Australian society values people like me.

Caring Fairly has developed sensible policies to bring about these changes. You can read in detail about the campaign’s policy platform,

research base, and supporters at caringfairly.org.au

I seek your public support for the Caring Fairly campaign. Caring Fairly was launched in 2018 by a founding coalition of over 20

specialist carer support and service delivery organisations, NGOs, and peak bodies from across Australia. What we are asking for makes

sense, and is supported by evidence and the community sector in ACT and across Australia.

I ask you to support the Caring Fairly campaign by [Action: meeting with me / pledging your support to the Caring Fairly campaign

online and through your social media channels / committing to raise these concerns at the highest levels within your party]. As

a senator, your voice on this issue can make a vital difference to my family, and the lives of so many others in ACT.

Yours sincerely

[Your name]

A letter to your senator: a guide

Unpaid Carers Aren’t Able To Strike

If we did, the Australian Government would have to step in and spend over $1 Billion a week on replacement services. www.caringfairly.org.au www.facebook.com/caringfairlycampaign @caringfairly@caringfairly

We care too much about

the people we support,

and what we do isn’t

recognised as ‘work’.

Find out more about Caring Fairly, a campaign and coalition advocating for a fairer deal for Australia’s unpaid carers.

A FAIRER DEAL FORAUSTRALIA’S UNPAID CARERS

Take Action

www.caringfairly.org.au/takeaction


@caringfairly

@caringfairly

Find out more about Caring Fairly, a campaign and coalition advocatingfor a fairer deal for Australia’s unpaid carers.

www.caringfairly.org.au www.facebook.com/caringfairlycampaign @caringfairly@caringfairly

Find out more about Caring Fairly, a campaign and coalition advocating for a fairer deal for Australia’s unpaid carers.

Most unpaid care is done by women

On average women retire with almost half the superannuation of men. Help bring fairness to unpaid care

Documents

A TOOLKIT: How carers in ACT can advocate for change · 2019-05-01 · You might want to keep a copy on your kitchen bench or deliver a copy of the petition to the letterboxes in