To mark Young Carers Awareness day, YSS keyworkers were out and about in the community raising awareness about Worcestershire Young Carers, a service delivered by YSS that supports more than 400 young carers in the county every year.

As part of his role at YSS David King, Education Link Worker, works in partnership with schools and colleges throughout Worcestershire to improve identification of young carers, ensuring they are safe, healthy, aspiring and achieving. On Young Carers Awareness Day, which took place on Thursday 25 January, David visited Kidderminster College and Heart of Worcester College to promote YSS Worcestershire Young Carers and speak to staff and students.

He said: “During the morning at Kidderminster College I ran a promotional campaign which included a table top display and various promotional literature, referral forms and merchandise. I took the opportunity to talk to as many young people and staff as possible, and would like to say a big thank you to Yvette Kay, Wellbeing Officer at Kidderminster College, and Georgia Danby who works at the college and created a brilliant promotional corner independent of my display. It was brilliant to meet the staff and students and I’ll be returning later in the year to deliver a presentation at the college.”

David also delivered a presentation at Heart of Worcester College (HOW), Worcester campus, that same afternoon. He said: “It was brilliant to meet staff and students at HOW. As well as getting to know some of the young people and raising brand awareness, I also met young people who may use the YSS Worcestershire Young Carers service in future, as well as the college’s Wellbeing Officer, Hannah Kettles. Hannah is vital to the college and works to ensure learners, including young carers and independently living students, remain in college, achieve their potential and feel safe, happy and healthy in college, as well as outside of college too. She is a brilliant contact to have and we are working closely to arrange future presentations at various campuses across Worcestershire, including Redditch, Bromsgrove and Malvern, which will be instrumental in the number of young people we are able to reach out to and support.” 

Meanwhile, keyworker Vicky Parker spent the afternoon at Ronkswood Co-op in Worcester, which has kindly supported Worcestershire Young Carers in the past by donating funds raised through its 5p bag scheme. Vicky held a stand at the store which included a display board and information about Worcestershire Young Carers. Vicky also raised over £20 to support young carers thanks to generous customers dropping their spare change into a collection bucket.

Lorraine Preece, Chief Executive at YSS, said: “In Worcestershire there are around 420 officially identified young carers, although this is likely to be the tip of the iceberg as many who provide unpaid care for someone who is physically or mentally unwell or disabled are not known to local services. The 2011 census showed that 3,490 young people in Worcestershire recognised themselves as having a caring role.

“Many of these young people miss out on vital services and support to which they are entitled. National Young Carers Awareness Day was a brilliant opportunity to highlight the work young carers do, helping them, along with their families, access appropriate support. 

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Kidderminster College and Heart of Worcester College for helping us spread the word about Worcestershire Young Carers, and a big thank you to everyone at Co-op in Ronkswood for supporting our stand and donating to the service.”

To find out more about Worcestershire Young Carers or any of the services YSS delivers, please go to yss.org.uk or call 01905 730 780.