As we gear up for Young Carers Action Day 2024, we want to introduce you to some of the staff involved in this year’s event.
Behind the scenes, a team of inspiring and committed people have been working tirelessly to make this year’s event more than just a date on the calendar. With the theme “Fair Futures for Young Carers,” they strive to make a lasting impact on the lives of young carers by highlighting and raising awareness that aims to build a world where young carers have opportunities and thrive.
Claire Grier-Monaghan, Community & Media Relations Officer – Dundee Carers Centre
“Young Carers Action Day is such a fab day! This is my 3rd year helping to organise the event and it gets busier every year, which is brilliant! It’s fab to see so many school groups getting involved and it’s always great to see their creations and that buzz on the day!
It’s great to see the groups all come together and share their work, but also the local community groups raising awareness of the support services that are available for young carers and their families – all under one roof!
You will see me on the day running around with a clipboard!
Young carers should be allowed to have the same hopes and dreams as any young person, accessing support at an early stage will help them achieve anything they want and desire. It’s great to see young people who are in caring roles achieving their goals and this is possible, speak out ask for help and aim high!”
Jaymieleigh Eardley – Participation and Involvement Worker – Dundee Carers Centre
“For me, Fairer Futures for Young Carers looks like a world where they are given the same opportunities as other young people their age, and they’re able to live a happy, full life alongside their caring role. Where young carers are not only accommodated in our community but also celebrated. Fairer futures is young carers being celebrated for the skills and learning they have accumulated over their experience being young carers.
Many of them have excellent people skills, unmatched empathy, and a passion for creating change for other young carers. I wish to see a future where these learning experiences are celebrated and appreciated within society and the workforce.
Fair futures for them should also include continuing to provide young carers with opportunities both in learning and in general which they can often miss out on due to their caring roles. Ideally, fairer futures would also include a change of attitude around young carers and their roles. Many of the young carers I work with don’t want to be pitied for their caring roles or people to feel sorry for them. Instead, I want them to feel like being a young carer is not a bad thing, it is a thing to be celebrated and something that could bring them fun and exciting opportunities, experiences, and learning.”
Helen Reid – Team Manager (Carers Support)
“A Fair Future for Young Carers” aims to symbolise the transformation, resilience, and strength of our young carers. The pressures and challenges young carers are faced with should not be a barrier or impact on whether they can get on at school, college, get a job and follow their dreams. They make an incredible contribution for family members, friends and to the community and we need to ensure that there is investment, changes in practice and support for young carers to flourish and thrive.”
Kieran Drugan – Team Leader – Dundee Carers Centre
“The Carer Support Team are out and about on the lead-up to YCAD delivering the Young Carers Road Shows. The Roadshow will be delivered to all S1 pupils from February until the end of March, it’s a perfect way to raise awareness of some of the challenges and rewards of being a Young Carer.
Being a Young Carer should be celebrated and they should be recognised as an important part of our communities. In doing so we can all ensure a ‘Fair Future for Young Carers’.”
Sandy Greene – Managing Director – ScrapAntics
“ScrapAntics is honoured to be hosting an exciting Young Carers Action Day 2024 event in the Wellgate Shopping Centre. Our community space will showcase artwork and displays made by groups of young carers from across the city on Wednesday 11th March from 10am. All are invited, please come along!
Fairer futures for young carers mean recognising the additional challenges that these young people have faced by playing such an important role in their families’ lives. Bridging the gap these challenges create and celebrating their achievements, skills and tenacity so that these young people’s futures are full of opportunity and promise.”
Diane Selbie – Local Mural Artist
“I was so excited when I was offered to be part of this project, I really enjoy painting murals and I love that I get the opportunity to work with and meet so many different amazing people along the way.
It’s also given me more experience as an artist where I am able to work with my community in a group setting and Young Carers Voice has been a lovely group of people to meet. I’m very thankful to be given this opportunity to hopefully inspire them to pursue anything they want to in life.
I think bringing significance to what they do for our community in overcoming the challenges that they face in the way that they do, I think it should be highlighted and awareness should be given in the surrounding community.”
As we count down to Young Carers Action Day 2024 keep following our dedicated webpage and social media for further updates and other announcements.