Carers First Young Carers
Action 4 Youth
Who we are
Transformative
Action4Youth is an ambitious, proactive charity focused on driving forward the crucial youth agenda to transform lives for the better. Every child should have the opportunity to be heard, to be safe and to succeed.
Collaborative
We believe change is most impactful when delivered in collaboration with other youth agencies and key partners. We build partnerships across sectors so that we can share resources and expertise to secure the best possible outcomes for young people and their communities in Buckinghamshire and beyond.
Empowering
We listen and engage with our young people to give them a voice in developing our work and agenda. Our Youth Board and groups have a fundamental role in ensuring our programmes meet the needs of young participants across a wide spectrum of differing backgrounds including young people from the most deprived areas of society, those with disabilities and additional needs, and those who need support and inspiration to reach their goals and surpass limitations.
Everything we do engages the rising generation of our community to work together in helping not only themselves but each other.
For us it’s about inspiring young people to become Inspiring Young People.
Young Minds
The sheer scale of the problem we’re faced with can feel overwhelming. More young people than ever before need support for their mental health and accessing that support quickly, can make a critical difference to those young people. Yet, most of the time those young people need to wait. And wait. And wait.
When it feels like nothing is there for you when you need it most, you feel alone. For far too many young people, this is their reality. When they need help and can’t get it, it feels like they’re being told they don’t matter.
We have called our strategy ‘You Matter’ because, ultimately, that is what this is all about. We need young people to know that whatever they are going through, they matter and they deserve help. And each and every one of us needs to acknowledge that, to those young people, we matter and the role we can play is vital.
The Childrens Society
Supporting young carers
Young carers are children who look after a friend or family member. Their extra responsibilities often mean they miss out on school and hanging out with friends. It can sideline their whole childhood. We help them find balance, give them space to enjoy being young and support them into adulthood so they can pursue their dreams outside of caring.
The Young Lives Foundation
Barnardo’s
Family Action
Action for Children
We can’t take away a parent’s illness, but we can give young carers a break. Our services help young people balance caring with being a child
A young carer is someone under 18 who looks after a parent or another family member. They take on physical and emotional duties that adults usually handle. It can feel scary and isolating.
Our support helps young carers come to terms with their parent's or other family member’s illness or condition. We teach them how to cope, and guide them to build positive relationships outside the family.
We help young carers plan for the future, by making sure they can access adult services when they’re 18.
Macmillan
Support groups for young carers
Joining a support group is a great way to relax and meet other young carers. You can make friends with people who understand what you are going through and get emotional support.
Many young carers find that support groups are fun. Meetings sometimes include activities, a social event or a talk from a guest speaker. You can share as little or much as you like with others. You may want to talk about cancer and your caring role, but you will probably chat about all sorts of things.
Your school or college may already have a support group. You can also ask your GP, school nurse or look online to see if there is one in your area. We have a search tool called In your area, which you can use to find local support groups.
If there is no support group that you can go to locally, you can set one up. You could also encourage your school to set up a support group. Your teachers can find information about this on the Carers Trust website.
This Mix
How to cope as a young carer
Being a young carer can sometimes be overwhelming – The Mix provide tips on how to cope when you’re finding caring difficult.Am I a young carer?
You may not see yourself as a carer; caring for a friend or family member is just a part of your life and it feels pretty normal. But officially, you’re recognised as a young carer if you’re under 18 and looking after someone who’s sick, disabled or has mental health or addiction issues. If you’re caring for someone and you’re aged 18-25, you’re officially seen as a young adult carer.What kind of thing do young carers do?
Caring can range from small tasks to round-the-clock care. You might be doing the shopping and housework, providing emotional support for a family friend, helping to get your sister ready for school or making sure your dad takes his medicine.Being a young carer can be difficult
Firstly, if you’re a young or young adult carer – you’re amazing. Taking care of someone is a kind and brilliant thing to do, and it can have so many rewards. You get to help someone you love; you learn loads about looking after someone, and you can see how much your care has changed their life for the better. But caring can also be tough, lonely and stressful. If you feel that way sometimes – that’s ok, and we’re here to help.
Childline: Mental Health
We want to know what's making you feel good.
- Post on our Good days message board
- Get creative with our Art box
- Plan your future
Get support
We're here for you on the phone or online. Or try getting support from other young people on our message boards.
