Picture showing only the torsos of young people in jeans and t shirts, holding hands against a yellow background.

Young Carers Action Day 2023

15 March 2023

‘Making Time for Young Carers’

Young Carers Action Day is a national event that raises awareness of young carers, and the incredible contribution young carers make to their families and their local communities.

This year we would like to take this theme ‘Making Time for Young Carers’ and focus on highlighting Dundee as a City where its young carers are identified and celebrated and where the experiences and contributions of our young carers are known, understood, and valued.

On this page:

What is a carer?

A carer is someone who provides unpaid care and support to another person who could not manage without their help.
This could be due to age, disability, physical or mental illness or drug/alcohol dependency. A young carer is someone who does this, and is either under 18 years old, or has reached the age of 18 years and remains a pupil at school.

Dundee has continued to increase the number of young carers identified and supported, particularly in primary schools. This has led to an increase in early intervention work with young carers and their families.

Group of children of varying ages
Group of young people in school uniform sitting together in a circle chatting.

Young Carers Voice

Young Carers Voice are a group of young carers from across the City, supported by Dundee Carers Centre, who have been the driving force of change in the City, working with key decision makers and ensuring young carers voices are heard and acted upon. 

Young Carers Voice have identified that while Dundee has made significant progress in identifying our young carers the wider community still does not understand the diversity and variety of caring roles young carers undertake and their different experiences.

What we are doing this year...

This year we have invited organisations, schools, youth group, businesses, and community groups to celebrate the diverse contribution of young carers you work with or support in the city to increase awareness of young carers and their contribution by registering to take part in our Showcase Event on 15th March 2023 at the Overgate Centre.  

20+ organisations and community groups will come together to showcase their interpretations of “A Day in the life of a young carer” that will include:

  • The types of tasks undertaken by the young carer
  • How the young carer feels about their role (positive and negative)
  • The impact (positive and negative) that being a young carer has on other parts of their life – friends/family/social activities/school
  • Any information, advice, or support that is particularly helpful for the young carer

Young Carer Roadshows in Schools

Young Carer Voice and Young Carer Ambassadors have been working hard to prepare a new roadshow to introduce all S1 pupils across the city to what it means to be a Young Carer.

They have been unable to deliver roadshows since 2019 but this year throughout February and before the Young Carer Day in March they will be able to visit each secondary school.  This year for the first time Roadshows will also visit a youth group to reach young people in the community.

Most schools have confirmed dates and Young Carers Voice are looking forward to raising awareness of young carers and their amazing contribution to staff and young people across the City.

The confirmed dates are as follows:

Thursday 23 February – Grove Academy
Friday 24 February – Harris Academy
Thursday 2 March – St Pauls Academy
Friday 3 March – Morgan Academy
Friday 3 March – AIM Kirton 3rd March
Monday 6 March – Baldragon Academy
Tuesday 7 March – Craigie High
Thursday 9 March – St John’s RC High School
Friday 10 March – Braeview Academy

Mixed group of secondary school children standing in uniform outside a school.

Young Carers Action Day Latest Updates

See below latest news from local and national sources on Young Carers Action Day.

For more information on Young Carers Action Day please visit Carers Trust Scotland website

Respitality Donations for Young Carers

Dundee Carers Centre is a Respitality Delivery Partner and we have been approaching local businesses to ask them to donate a break in honour of Young Carers Action Day.

The theme for this year’s action day is “Making Time for Young Carers” and we would like to say a massive thank you to all the businesses that have so far pledged a break. We were really touched by the local response, especially as we know that so many businesses are still recovering from the effects of COVID and now more recently the Cost of Living Crisis.

Young girl sitting smiling at something off camera, in background blurred out couple.

Businesses that have donated:

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Young Carers of Dundee News

Young Carers of Dundee News brings together all the information, advice, and resources available in Dundee to support you to identify and support the young carers you work with.

In this issue:

  • Young Carers Action Day 2023
  • Young Carer Roadshows
  • Young Carer Health Checks
  • Young Carers Voice & Young Carer Ambassadors
  • Transitions
  • New Resources
  • Young Carers Research Project
  • Dundee Carers Charter News & Updates

Click here to read

Venue Announced for Showcase Event

The Young Carers Action Day showcase event will take place on Weds 15 March at the Overgate Centre.  

The event will celebrate with this year’s theme of “Making Time for Carers” and will invite services/organisations and schools along to present a day in the life of a young carer.

Teenage boy sitting on a sofa chatting to someone via video call on a mobile device