Young Adult Carers, Falkirk & Clackmannanshire

⛰Super proud of our Young Carers Voice Group members taking on the challenge of Outward Bound Loch Eil!

📣 Carers Trust are hosting an important session for young adult carers to share their thoughts and opinions on employment and education in the UK!

💜If you are over 18 sign up on the link below for the session on Tuesday 25 June from 5-6pm
https://forms.office.com/e/Mdz9xMWnGm

📆Reminder the deadline to apply to postal vote is this Wednesday (19th June)!
⬇More information on applying to vote and required ID can be found on the post & website below

🗳There's a UK General Election coming in the next month...
📸To vote in UK elections in Scotland, you're required to present photo ID at the polling station. This included passports, driving licences, citizen cards. If you don't have ID don't worry, you can apply for a Voters ID card.
📋You need to register to vote, or if you're not going to be able to make it to a polling station register to postal vote.

📲More information and guidance can be found at www.electoralcommission.org.uk - and by changing location to Scotland.

Important dates:
📆19th June: deadline for registering to postal vote
📆26th June: deadline for applying for a Voters ID
📆4th July: Election Day

⭐How would you rate life in Falkirk and Clackmannanshire for young carers and young adult carers? This was the question we asked...
⭐On average our young people rated their experience as 6.8 stars!

💙While there's still some room for improvement, it's really positive to see our young adult carers are happy with their opportunities living in Falkirk & Clacks.

🤗Support looks different for every young adult carer...
💬Our young carers and young adult carers said they'd benefit most from social opportunities, and support with their career goals and within education.

💜We provide support using a person-centred approach to ensure all our young adult carers have their individual needs met!

📣We caught up with a group of our young carers and young adult carers to look at what barriers they face being a carer.
📊The most common barrier was lack of access to social opportunities or time to see friends, with financial pressures coming in a close second.
💜Understanding what barriers and challenges our carers are facing is important to help us shape our service and supports.

🌍Carers Week is the 10th-16th June, and this year's theme is 'Putting Carers on the Map'.
💚Making sure the voices of our young adult carers are heard and their needs are met is a core part of what we do at the YAC Project.
💙This week we'll look at the different challenges and barriers faced by our young adult carers, and what we as a community can do to support a better and brighter future for all carers.

🏳‍🌈We're proud to support the work of LGBT Youth Scotland every day, not just during Pride Month
🌈We like to make our project as accessible and safe for everyone
💙For more information on LGBT+ support in Scotland check out www.lgbtyouth.org.uk

🗳There's a UK General Election coming in the next month...
📸To vote in UK elections in Scotland, you're required to present photo ID at the polling station. This included passports, driving licences, citizen cards. If you don't have ID don't worry, you can apply for a Voters ID card.
📋You need to register to vote, or if you're not going to be able to make it to a polling station register to postal vote.

📲More information and guidance can be found at www.electoralcommission.org.uk - and by changing location to Scotland.

Important dates:
📆19th June: deadline for registering to postal vote
📆26th June: deadline for applying for a Voters ID
📆4th July: Election Day

📺Considering a career in broadcasting? Join Carers Trust Scotland and BBC Scotland for a workshop on how to kick-start your career with the BBC.

🤩We’ll kick off with Talent Acquisition looking at the following:
• Where to find BBC job posts
• Preparing for an interview
• Setting up Job Alerts
• Applying for apprenticeship schemes

🎥We’ll then follow with a panel of BBC colleagues talking about what it’s like to be an apprentice, experience of managing your career as a carer and why the BBC is for everyone.

❓There will be time for a Q&A

🔗Sign up here: https://forms.office.com/e/8SeGjnA4ed

🏊‍♀️Moving our bodies is important for our mental health.

📊Yet research by the Mental Health Foundation shows that more than a third of UK adults find it challenging to find the time for movement.

📉Research with young adult carers has shown that 68% of young adult carers have reported a decline in their mental health since the Covid-19 pandemic.

💚Reach out for support!

💚 Today is Day for Mental Health Awareness Week!

Our young carer, young adult carer and adult carer staff teams have joined in the fun and dressed in green to show our support for the importance of removing the stigma and providing mental health support for all! 🙌


Mental Health Foundation

💚We're taking part in Wear it Green Day for Mental Health Awareness Week.

💚Find out more: mentalhealth.org.uk

🏃‍♂️This , get moving more for your mental health by finding moments for movement every day.

💙When life’s busy, it can be tricky finding time for wellbeing-boosting activities. But finding moments for movement might be easier than you think. Why not use the time you spend waiting to move more? When you’re waiting for the kettle to boil; for your kids to come out of school; or for a bus to arrive. These moments will add up!

💚Get more tips from the Mental Health Foundation: mentalhealth.org.uk/movement-tips

🏓Being able to boost our mental health through movement shouldn’t be a luxury.

📊Yet new research from the Mental Health Foundation shows that too many people are facing barriers to moving for their mental health due to financial strain and inequality.

💚Find out more: mentalhealth.org.uk/movement-research
💚Find out more: mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw

💙We’re proud to support the Mental Health Foundation this Mental Health Awareness Week – 13 to 19 May. Join in and help to create a world with good mental health for all.

🏃‍♂️This year’s theme is movement: moving more for our mental health. Get involved by finding and sharing your moments for movement this Mental Health Awareness Week.

💚Find out more: mentalhealth.org.uk/mhaw

🪓Everybody's favourite stress relieving activity was back!
👏Huge thank you to John and Graeme at Game of Throwing Stirling for having us along!
👀Lots of very good throws - we'll be keeping both eyes open around these guys now...

💙Last week we had the exciting opportunity to attend and present at the 4th International Young Carers Conference 2024 - Manchester.
💜While away we got to hear from amazing people and organisations across the globe such as MYTIME Young Carers, Carers Trust Scotland, Little Dreamers Australia, Sheffield Young Carers, American Association of Caregiving Youth, Professor Saul Becker, and Dr Becca Lacey.
❤️We were hosted for a fantastic dinner at Old Trafford by the Manchester United Foundation, where we got to hear the experiences of Oritsé Williams, and we had a top 3 finish in the YC stats game.

🌟Thank you for hearing our stories🌟

‼ Closing Sunday 21 April ‼

📣 The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on proposals for a Learning Disabilities, Autism & Neurodivergence Bill.

📝 You can complete the survey as a young carer, parent or on behalf of a neurodivergent person or a person with a learning disability.

Have your say here 👉 ow.ly/hi3E50Ql0hj

🤔Not sure what the next steps for you are? Unsure how your caring role will fit? Do you need some support with an application?
📅Next Wednesday (17th April) - Kim will be running a drop in session for all things transition, applications, and next steps.
👋Bring your forms, CVs, applications, questions, or just yourself along at any time between 5pm - 8pm.

🥚 The Easter weekend will be rolling in soon and with it, we'll be closing for a few days.

🐤 You can visit our website to find out more about which local and emergency services are available: centralcarers.org/easter-2024

🐰 We'll be back on Tuesday 2 April! Have a happy Easter!

🌟 We strive to provide the best service that we can for carers, and to do that we need your feedback.

💬 As network partners of Carers Trust, we've worked closely with them to develop a feedback survey about your experience of using our services.

📋 Complete the 'We Care' survey here: carerstrust.surveymonkey.com/r/WeCareFalkirkCCC

🙌Today is
💙This year's theme is Fair Futures for Young Carers - focusing on helping young carers work towards their goals and aspirations not only for themselves, but also because of what they can bring to the workforce.

💜We partnered with Improving Lives Plymouth to support a group of young adult carers experience a trip away to Birmingham.
🍫Topped off with a trip to Cadbury World, the trip allowed everyone have new experiences, make new friendships, and broaden their horizons.

🤔Are you a young carer or young adult carer who's not sure what your future looks like?
💙Carers Trust are running an online session TONIGHT on employability options for young carers and young adult carers.
👇Register by scanning the QR code or following the link below
https://forms.office.com/e/CKuZnsGUxs

📣Carers Trust have some amazing opportunities available for YACs aged 18-25 to get their voices out there!
💙See the post below for what's currently available, and get in touch with Kim for more information.

💡 Being a young carer shouldn’t be a barrier to a young person’s dreams. It should be a stepping stone to a brighter future. Together, let’s create a future where young carers can dream without limits.

🗣 Your voice matters. Support us on Young Carers Action Day so every young carer can learn, earn, and thrive!

Find out more and get involved 👉 Carers.org/ycad

❓Got any questions or things you'd like to chat over? Our coffee drop in session has been rescheduled.
☕On Monday 12th February, Kim will be in Starbucks in the retail park for a few hours for any drop ins.
👋Pop in and say hello!

📚It's Forth Valley Student Association Re-Fresher's Fair week!
💜Catch us across all three campuses at Forth Valley College this week.
🩵We've lots of information and freebies for those stopping for a chat...

❓Have you ever accessed the Clacks Activity Grant?
❗Clacks budget cuts propose that the Clacks Activity Grant will no longer exist for YC's and YACs...
👇Fill out the survey below to help us keep this vital piece of funding in place!