Create supports the UK’s young and adult carers throughout the year with free access to high-quality creative workshops led by professional artists. For Carers Week 2015, we’re introducing you to some of the carers that we’ve worked with and how they’ve benefited from our programmes.
Kimberly* is a young carer from Newham. She has been caring for her mum since she was 8 years old. Kimberly’s mum has mobility problems and depression, but despite the difficulties she has in moving around, she has currently been housed in a flat with 28 steps to the front door. Kimberley has taken part in several Create projects, including inspired:arts in which she has the opportunity to dance on the stage in front of a sell-out audience at Sadler’s Wells.
“I like being creative but I don’t usually have the time. It always feels like I’m being pulled in a million different directions at once.”
Kimberly
“When I get home from school, I often have to start straight away with the cooking because my mum won’t be well enough to do it. Sometimes I’ll have had to carry heavy shopping home by myself. In the evenings, I struggle getting my mum in and out of the bath as she needs help moving around. I’m starting my GCSEs and it’s hard to fit homework around all of these things.
“It doesn’t help that we’re in temporary accommodation either. We’ve had to move six times in nine years so it’s really difficult to settle into an area. I struggle with having friends round because of our situation. All our stuff is packed up ready to move onto the next place at any moment.
“I like being creative but I don’t usually have the time. It always feels like I’m being pulled in a million different directions at once. It felt really good to work with the other young carers to create our own dance. I’m now much more able to try out my ideas in front of a group. I often suffer from a lack of confidence so this opportunity helped a lot.”
*name changed to protect anonymity