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.

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.

Give Me a Break Event

• ScrapAntics and Central Library
• Wednesday 12 March and Friday 14 March
• 10am -12.30pm
  (Invite-only events)

With this year’s theme “Give me a Break” we will ensure young carers do just that. We received feedback from young carers who gave us ideas on what they would like to see at future events.

With that in mind, we have organised two morning events at Scrapantics at the Wellgate, offering young carers a range of workshops and activities to try out.

Workshops

1. Health and Wellbeing with The Corner and Tayside School of Nursing
2. Arts and Crafts – Scrapantics
3. VR and 3D Scanning – Dundee Central Libraries (ages 13+ only)
4. Beauty masterclass for younger skin – Jordan Petrie Beauty
5. Science – D&A College

Activities

1. Biscuit Decorating (please make us aware of any allergies)
2. Make your own stress ball
3. Colouring and arts with Siobhan
4. Friendship Bracelet making

Please note that these are invite-only events that will be extended to all young carers within schools. Schools will contact you shortly with more details about the events and the day’s itinerary.

As we start our 1-week countdown to the day, we will showcase some inspiring stories and photos from young carers on how they have used different services to allow them to take a break from their caring roles, watch out for these across our platforms.

Please follow this page or Carers of Dundee Facebook, or Instagram for future news and updates.

Our School Roadshows Return!

Following on the huge success of last year, we are once again touring schools across Dundee to raise awareness of young carers and their amazing contribution to staff and young people across the City.

This year we are changing things up as we extend the tour for the whole of 2025.  Information about roadshows for each school has been communicated through school messaging platforms.

What we did last year...

Last year, we took the theme ‘Fair Futures For Young Carers’ and focused on highlighting Dundee as a City where its young carers are supported to allow them to continue learning, earning and participate in activities and events and get on with their lives.

We invited local organisations that support young carers and their families, as well as local businesses that are carer-positive and can help support carers in their employment journey such as:

• Dundee Carers Centre
• NHS The Corner
• Penumbra Mental Health- Dundee
• Discovery Credit Union
• MCR Pathways
• Barnardo’s Work’s Tayside
• Boomerang Community Centre
• The Yard Scotland
• Togetherall – Counselling in Schools
• Social Security Scotland

Explore our YCAD 24 Findings Report

As part of the Showcase Event we also invited local schools to create a colourful display on what they thought “Fair Futures for Young Carers” meant to them.

There were many colourful insightful displays that we felt we had to share with everyone else, so we have created an online gallery for you to explore.

Click here to visit the Virtual Gallery

Fair Futures For Young Carers Mural

Young Carers Voice, collaborated with local artist Diane Selbie, Scrapantics and the Wellgate Centre Dundee to create a mural to celebrate Young Carers Action Day.

The mural is still on display located on the ground floor at the Wellgate Shopping Centre. Show your support for young carers by taking a selfie at the mural and tagging @carersofdundee or use the hashtags #YCAD2025

Click here for more information