Young Carers Awareness Day
Today, 28th January, is Young Carers Awareness Day, a day on which we spare a thought for the estimated 700,000 young carers in the UK. These’re people who are aged under 18 and provide unpaid care and support to family members or friends who are physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuse drugs or alcohol.
Over the past few months we’ve been working with North Tyneside Carers Centre, and one particular group of young carers from the YES! project, to develop a web app called A DAY IN THE LIFE…. The aim of the YES! project and the App we’ve developed with them is to raise general awareness of the plight of young carers and to make people consider the many ways in which being a young carer can impact your everyday life.
It’s also worth mentioning that there are still many young carers out there who haven’t been identified, either because they feel that they may be stigmatised, or because they don’t actually realise that what they’re doing qualifies them as a young carer. We hope that an increase in overall awareness will break down any stigmas or negative perceptions attached to being a young carer, and convince previously unidentified young carers to come forward and receive the vital services and support that they’re entitled to.
A DAY IN THE LIFE… can be played on computer or smartphone simply by clicking the following link:
http://www.theyesproject.co.uk/
Finally, we’d like to extend a massive THANK YOU to the YES! group and staff at North Tyneside Young Carers Centre for all their work with us on this eye-opening project!