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Story
Why Young Carers?
A young carer is a child or young person who helps look after a parent, sibling or family member who is ill, disabled, experiencing poor mental health or living with addiction.
Young carers are part of every community, including ours. Every day, these selfless young people give up their free time to take care of a loved one, meaning they often mean they miss out on opportunities that many of their peers take for granted.
See last years highlights here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Nd8S3kHe2UU
Why Now?
Rising costs of transport, activities and staffing have created barriers to attend the festival, but we're determined that no young person misses out because of funding. With your help we can break down barriers and reach more young carers than ever before.
A Young Carer's Festival Story: Illiana
At just 16 years old, Illiana supports her mum, who has complex health needs, her grandmother who lives with Parkinson's disease and her step-grandfather who is undergoing cancer treatment. Caring has been part of her everyday life since she was four years old.
"I don't have to care for them, but I do it because no one else will, and because I want to." - Illiana
Like many young carers, Illiana's responsibilities often go unseen, until last year when she was able to attend the Young Carer’s Festival for the first time thanks to funding.
The weekend gave Illiana something she rarely experiences: time to focus on herself. She tried new activities, joined in with friends, watched the fireworks, and even attended a careers workshop that led to a job interview opportunity. Most importantly, she spent time with other young carers who understood her experiences.
When Illiana returned home, her mum noticed a real change in her confidence and independence.
"When she came back, she was like a newfound young woman. She walked in that door so independent. She'd been laughing, she'd been in the sun. It was incredible to see the difference." - Frankie, Illiana's mum
For Illiana, the festival wasn't simply a weekend away. It was a chance to step away from caring responsibilities, build confidence, make memories and realise that it was okay to take time for herself.
" There was no judgement. It was just fun … I felt heavy before I left. When I came back, it felt light." Illiana
This is why we're fundraising. Every £140 raised helps another young carer attend the Young Carers Festival, giving them the same opportunity to take a break, make friends, build confidence and simply enjoy being young.