Published July 08 2025
The Carer Advisory Group (CAG) is made up of 12 members who play an important role in improving Carer Gateway services in Victoria. By sharing their experiences and feedback, they ensure that carers' voices are embedded in service delivery, making support more meaningful and relevant for every carer.
In June, members of the CAG came together for a full day of training and conversation with Carer Gateway staff at the Rydges Hotel in Melbourne CBD.
The aim of the day was to empower carers with new skills to strengthen their advocacy skills both within and beyond Carer Gateway. Topics were selected by carers themselves and included System and Organisational Advocacy, Spheres of Influence, Network Mapping, Telling Your Story and Elevator Pitches.
In the afternoon, the group was joined by staff from the Carer Gateway team, to connect, ask questions, and provide feedback about the program. Through the discussion, carers and staff explored how they can work more closely in the future and identified shared goals to support the ongoing development of the Carer Gateway program in Victoria. The Q&A also gave staff a better understanding of the lived experience of carers, helping them embed the carer voice in service planning for the coming year.
It was the first time that carers and staff had connected in this capacity. The feedback from carers was overwhelmingly positive:
“Thanks for a great day, it was well planned and well executed. The Q&A session was a highlight for me.”
“The content was extremely relevant and helped clarify my role in the CAG.”
“I loved having enough time to discuss and share ideas.”
It was an incredible opportunity for CAG members from across Victoria to get together, develop their professional skills and contribute meaningfully to the future of Carer Gateway.