Young Carers Awareness Day

Today is Young Carers Awareness Day 2020 and each year the Carers Trust host this important day to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by young people because of their caring role, and to campaign for greater support for young carers and their needs. Every day across the UK thousands of young people help to look after someone in their family, or a friend, who is ill, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol.

As you may already know, at Midcounties we support a number of charities in our regional communities raising vital funds for our partners in need. We are involved in volunteering, fundraising and a whole host of community projects being passionate about making a difference to local people!

How are Midcounties involved?

This year the Forest of Dean Regional Community has organised a Snazzy Socks and Specs fundraiser for their charity partner Gloucestershire Young Carers.  We are encouraging young carers and our members to get creative and decorate cardboard spectacles.

Young carers from support groups across Gloucestershire designed specs for colleagues working in the Forest of Dean and staff will be proudly wearing them over the weekend.

The focus of this year’s Young Carers Awareness Day for Gloucestershire Young Carers will be to encourage schools to identify and support young carers with the charity’s staff team attempting to visit 30 schools across the county.

Hana Gill, Gloucestershire Young Carers’ Development Manager for Education and Participation, says: “We know that young carers are more at risk of failing to achieve at school and that they experience challenges entering the world of education and work.  But we also know that with the right support they can thrive and achieve in spite of the extra responsibilities they have compared to their peers. We work very closely with the Young Carer Leads in Gloucestershire’s schools to ensure there is support in every area of a young carer’s life.” 

Colleagues at Midcounties may be hiding behind their Snazzy Specs for this campaign but the aim of the supportive community is to ensure young carers are not hidden.

In a few weeks, colleagues from Midcounties will be volunteering at an event aimed at encouraging and supporting young adult carers – Young Adult Carer Futures. The event has also been sponsored by Midcounties.

How can colleagues get involved?

Colleagues can get involved by posting their own Snazzy Specs and Socks photos on social media and joining the YCAD conversation with hashtags: #YoungCarersAwarenessDay #YCAD2020 and #CountMeIn

Please contact the Community Team directly at communityteam@midcounties.coop for volunteering opportunities.