Since 2019, we have been funded by East Sussex County Council to deliver Carers O'Clock, a project supporting adult carers. We are now developing activity focused on Young Carers, with our partners Care For The Carers (our local hub for carer services).

 

Young Carers in East Sussex have very limited opportunities to meet together, and Care For The Carers are currently addressing and developing their services in this respect. We believe that creative activities will complement the emotional and practical support that Care For The Carers can provide, and we are building on our experience and expertise in working with young people to support this very specific and often invisible cohort.

 

In early 2021, we delivered our first online ‘Play In A Day’ workshop with young carers between the ages of 5 and 14, working with professional theatre practitioners (members of the Uninterrupted Theatre Collective). Since then, we have started to deliver in person sessions at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill. 

 

This work aims to:

 

• Bring young carers together to socialise/build relationships with peers in a fun, creative and well supported environment, providing respite from their caring roles.

 

• Develop the skills and confidence of young carers, particularly in their communication skills.

 

• Promote the voices of young carers, and create a platform for them to discuss the issues and challenges they face; to be supported and to offer support to others with similar lived experience

 

• Facilitate opportunities for young carers to express their feelings and process their experiences in positive, creative ways.

 

To give you an idea of what activities are involved, below is a short video from our June 'Play in a Day' workshop: