What is Worcestershire Young Carers?

Worcestershire Young Carers is commissioned by Worcestershire County Council to provide assessment, signposting, one to one support and monthly youth clubs for young people with a caring role at home, aged between seven and 17, who live in Worcestershire - we also support young adult carers aged between 18 and 25. The caring role could be for a parent, a sibling or a grandparent due to illness, disability, physical or mental health difficulties or substance misuse.

The service is also funded by BBC Children in Need to deliver a Participation Group, which focuses on highlighting the needs of young carers, and helps get their voices heard by organisations and services that affect them. This has been running since 2013.

Thanks to generous private donors, YSS also employs an Education Link Worker who works in partnership with schools and colleges throughout the county to raise awareness and improve identification and support of young carers, ensuring they are safe, healthy, aspiring and achieving.  

Finally, Worcestershire Young Carers delivers a 'Young Carer Ambassador Programme', funded by #iwill2018. The project offers up to 60 10-18 year old young carers a place on one of four performing arts workshops held throughout the year, focusing on improving communication, public speaking and presentation skills, and ultimately supporting young people to develop the skills that employers look for. The project also aims to encourage a significant number of young people to become Young Carer Ambassadors following involvement in one of the workshops. This role will see them co-deliver assemblies at their schools alongside the Worcestershire Young Carers Education Link Worker, and will provide the opportunity to share their story with other young people whilst practicing the skills they have learned in public speaking, presentation and communication. 

We also deliver a wide range of trips and activities during school holidays to ensure young carers enjoy a break from their caring responsibilities, and provide opportunities they would not otherwise have access to. These additional activities are only made possible thanks to donations from members of the public, as well as fundraising from individuals, groups, clubs, schools and businesses.  

For more information please email: [email protected]