Caring with Confidence™
A culturally responsive health-literacy, prevention and empowerment intervention for Black African and Caribbean unpaid carers.
Caring with Confidence™ is currently in development. It is designed as a culturally responsive health-literacy, prevention and empowerment intervention for Black African and Caribbean unpaid carers.
Why Caring with Confidence™ is needed
Many people do not initially identify themselves as carers. They see themselves as a husband, wife, daughter, son, parent, sibling or friend who is simply helping someone they love.
As caring responsibilities grow, people may need to understand health conditions, medication, appointments, services, benefits and emergency planning while also protecting their own health. Information is often scattered, difficult to interpret or not communicated in a culturally relevant way.
Caring with Confidence™ brings practical learning, trusted conversation and signposting together in one adaptable programme. It complements existing carers’ services and helps organisations address health-literacy and service-navigation gaps.
Who the programme supports
The Foundation Pilot
The Foundation Pilot provides a practical starting point that can be adapted to local needs, existing services and commissioner priorities.
The final number, length and format of activities will be agreed with the commissioning organisation.
Discovery and Co-design Session
Organisations that are not ready to commission a full pilot can begin with a professionally facilitated Discovery and Co-design Session.
- One facilitated listening and insight session.
- Participation from carers, family members, staff or relevant community stakeholders.
- Identification of health-literacy and service-navigation gaps.
- Consideration of cultural and communication needs.
- Five practical recommendations.
- A short insight summary.
- An outline for a locally adapted Foundation Pilot.
The session can draw on a manageable group and existing organisational knowledge. It does not require a large-scale carer recruitment exercise before work can begin.
Discuss a Discovery SessionLearning themes
Culturally responsive by design
Cultural responsiveness is embedded throughout Caring with Confidence™. The programme considers how culture, identity, family expectations, faith, language, stigma, trust and previous experiences of services can affect how people understand information and seek support.
GVM has particular expertise in engaging Black African and Caribbean communities, while the model can be adapted for diverse communities and local circumstances.
Value for commissioners and partners
- Supports prevention and earlier action.
- Improves confidence in using health information.
- Strengthens preparation for appointments and conversations.
- Complements existing carers’ provision.
- Creates reusable, accessible learning content.
- Provides structured community insight and feedback.
- Supports culturally responsive engagement.
- Generates practical learning for future service development.
Delivery and evaluation
GVM will agree the audience, location, learning priorities, recruitment approach, delivery partners and intended outcomes with the commissioner. Evaluation can include participation, completion, confidence, knowledge, usefulness and intended behaviour change, supported by qualitative feedback.
Bring Caring with Confidence™ to your community
If your organisation supports carers, families or people living with long-term conditions, GVM would welcome a conversation about a Discovery Session or locally adapted Foundation Pilot.