I have been thinking about language or more specifically labels…
the labels that we or society attach to us without thinking of the effect they will have. Within the college and the site we are very careful about the labels we give people –the terms ‘service user’ and ‘client’ are banned, people are people, workers, volunteers, participants, students and that’s where the labelling has always ended. Recently though one label has particularly begun to make me think. I had a conversation the other day when someone rather apologetically said they were a ‘full time carer’ and followed this by saying, “I don’t work.” I was fairly astounded by this and pointed out that they do work and that being a carer in itself was a full time job and one which should be celebrated. Unpaid carers save the around £132 billion a year – to give an idea of how much this is, it would be similar to funding all of the NHS. The average unpaid carer sorts out medication, provides 24hr support, personal care, manages diaries and appointments, is an emergency service, someone to listen, advise, care, clean, cook, wash, advocate, respond at no notice, motivate, worry and much more. If a job description existed for the role, nobody would apply. Due to the nature of this vital role I would like to change the job title so that when I have the conversation again someone will say to me, “I don’t have a normal job, I’m an Unpaid Hero.”
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