Positives that being a young carer brings

Millie2787 · November 2018

many of you have probs seen this in the newsletter but I thought I’d pop it in here aswell 💖

More often that not the articles and research that are done about young carer focus on the negative effects of there lives. They very rarely focus on the positive effects that being a young carer brings. I want to start to change this as there are just as many positives as there are negatives.

I know that being a young carer can be stressful, upsetting and more often than not tiring. There are many young carers that are still unidentified but for me and for what I’m sure are many other young carers these positives really do help to outweigh the negatives.

Being a young carer means that for a lot of us we get to experience first-hand how important charities such as Children in Need are, as for many of us if it was not for the generosity of people during there appeal night we wouldn’t have a young carers project where we can turn to when things are tough.

We get to attend amazing events such as the Young Carers Festival. A 3-day event that runs during the last weekend of June in Southampton. Where over 1000 young carers and their project leaders come together for a weekend of celebration and a chance to meet other young carers from around the UK. This festival is truly amazing There's everything from a firework display on the first night to a few fairground rides and the most important thing we get to experience camping (watch a video about the festival here).

We get to be an advocate for someone we truly love. We get to be there voice and help them through what can be some difficult times and trust be to be able to be an advocate for a special someone in your life is truly amazing and gives you a massive sense of pride to be able to say ‘I’m an advocate for that special person in my life’.

It gives us an overwhelming sense of pride achievement and a sense of purpose because for some of us being a young carer really does make a difference not only to the person you care for but also family and friends around them lives, whether that be through proving must needed rest for parents or giving a loved one much needed medication.

Even simple things such as being able to make a group of friends who all share one thing in common, having that friend who understands what you’re going through can really make a difference.

Were able to have an in-depth knowledge and understanding on conditions that other young people are age might not even know about and with this knowledge we are able to go out and educate friends, families and other people.

Being a young carer means that we can have a voice in shaping services and both locally, countywide and nationally.

So, for me being a young carer is so much more than the negatives we face. The positives are often the most vital bits that the reports, research and articles miss about the young carer community and these positives are only half the story of the joy being a young carer can bring.