Do you have the time and the commitment to help support vulnerable adults in your own home?
Gwynedd and Anglesey Shared Lives Scheme is looking for enablers who are willing to open their homes for a fee to provide:
- Respite
- Short breaks
- A long term home
Who We Are
The Gwynedd and Anglesey Shared Lives Scheme provides flexible, person-centred support for adults who may need help to live well, stay safe, build confidence, and feel part of their local community.
Shared Lives is different from more traditional types of care and support. It is based on ordinary family and community life, where people are supported by approved Shared Lives enablers in a warm, welcoming, and supportive environment. Support may take place in the enabler’s own home, during the day, or through short-term arrangements depending on the needs and wishes of the person receiving support.
Who does the scheme support?
The scheme supports adults across Gwynedd and Anglesey, including older people, people with learning disabilities, people with physical disabilities, people with mental health needs, and people who may need additional support during a period of change in their lives.
At the heart of Shared Lives is the belief that everyone should have the opportunity to live a meaningful life, make choices, develop relationships, and be included in their community. The support offered is built around the individual, their strengths, their goals, and what matters most to them.
Shared Lives enablers are carefully assessed, approved, trained, and supported by the scheme. They offer more than practical help. They provide encouragement, stability, companionship, and opportunities for people to grow in confidence and independence.
Our aim is to create safe, positive, and supportive arrangements where people feel valued, respected, and able to live life as fully as possible.
What We Do
We carefully match people who need support with approved Shared Lives enablers who can offer the right type of care, guidance, and encouragement.
Every Shared Lives arrangement is planned around the person. We take time to understand what support is needed, what the person enjoys, what they would like to achieve, and what kind of environment would suit them best. We also consider the skills, experience, household, and interests of the Shared Lives enabler to help make sure the match is right for everyone.
The scheme can support people in different ways, including long-term living arrangements, short breaks, day support, and Stepping Forward Support. Each arrangement is regularly reviewed to make sure it continues to meet the person’s needs and supports their independence, wellbeing, and personal outcomes.
We work closely with individuals, families, unpaid carers, social care professionals, and Shared Lives enablers to provide support that is safe, flexible, and personal.
Through the scheme, people may be supported to:
- Build confidence and independence
- Develop daily living skills
- Take part in activities they enjoy
- Maintain routines and structure
- Make and maintain relationships
- Access local opportunities
- Feel included in family and community life
- Work towards personal goals
- Receive support during a period of change or recovery
- Enjoy a short break in a safe and supportive setting
We also recruit, assess, train, and support Shared Lives enablers. This includes providing guidance, regular contact, reviews, and ongoing support to help enablers provide high-quality care.
Shared Lives is about more than providing a service. It is about building positive relationships, creating opportunities, and helping people feel connected, supported, and valued.
Types of support
Shared Lives support can be arranged in different ways, depending on the needs, wishes, and circumstances of the person receiving support.
This may include:
Every arrangement is carefully matched and planned to make sure it is right for both the person receiving support and the Shared Lives enabler.
Can you offer support?
Do you have time, patience, and a genuine interest in helping others?
You do not need formal care qualifications to become involved in Shared Lives. What matters most is that you are caring, reliable, respectful, and willing to welcome someone into your home or support them through a planned Shared Lives arrangement.
Shared Lives enablers come from many different backgrounds. You may be single, a couple, a family, working part-time, retired, or looking for a new and rewarding role.
You could offer support if you:
- Have a spare room or time to support someone during the day
- Enjoy helping people build confidence and independence
- Are willing to share everyday family life, skills, routines, and experiences
- Can provide a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment
- Are patient, flexible, and good at encouraging people
- Are open to training, assessment, and ongoing support from the scheme
All Shared Lives enablers go through a careful assessment and approval process. This helps make sure that the support offered is safe, suitable, and centred on the needs of the person using the service.
Interested in becoming a Shared Lives Enabler?
Becoming a Shared Lives enabler can be a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s life.
As a Shared Lives enabler, you could help someone feel included, valued, and supported to live their life in the way that matters to them. This could mean sharing meals, supporting daily routines, helping someone develop practical skills, offering short breaks, providing day support, or helping someone take positive steps forward through Stepping Forward Support.
You will not be doing this alone. The Gwynedd and Anglesey Shared Lives Scheme provides:
- Training and guidance
- A full assessment and matching process
- Ongoing support from the Shared Lives team
- Regular reviews and contact
- Payment for the support you provide
If you are interested in becoming a Shared Lives enabler, we would be pleased to hear from you.
Whether you can offer long-term support, short breaks, day support, or Stepping Forward Support, your time and care could make a lasting difference.
Get in touch with the Gwynedd and Anglesey Shared Lives Scheme to find out more about becoming a Shared Lives enabler.
Contact us
- Phone: 01758 704145
- E-mail: Cynllun.lleoli@gwynedd.llyw.cymru
- Gwynedd and Anglesey Shared Lives Scheme, Cyngor Gwynedd Offices, Embankment Road, Pwllheli, Gwynedd, LL53 5AA