For Carers Week 2016 Create is celebrating its amazing carer friendly partner organisations. Today we’d like to introduce you to Newham Carers Network, which we’ve worked with since 2012 on a number of multi-arts programmes for young and adult carers.

Newham Carers Network delivers a wide range of information, advice and support services to anyone who provides voluntary support on a regular basis to a family member or friend who experiences ill-health or disability. It strives to provide support to all carers and their families to ensure that they receive all the services they are entitled to. This includes carers being assessed in their own right and as part of the decision making process of the person they care for, as well as activities, training and events for carers.

creative:release

Create has run creative:release with Newham Carers Network since 2014, thanks to funding and volunteer support from international law firm, Reed Smith.

A survey commissioned by Revitalise in 2015 found that 40% of carers expressed fears about social isolation and 80% worried about what the future holds. We designed creative:release to provide adult carers with a creative and social outlet away from their caring role, and they have experienced visual art, photography, film-making and storytelling workshops to date, with ceramics planned for later in the year. The programme enhances Newham Carers Network’s services, enabling carers to develop supportive relationships with their peers, build self-confidence and self-esteem, engender a sense of empowerment and take a break from their caring responsibilities.

meet florence

Florence (not her real name) is a former carer who took part in creative:release. She looked after her mother for just over six years towards the end of her life and eventually moved in with her:

“When I was a full-time carer, I felt like I didn’t have a life. I had two and a half hours a week where somebody was paid to come in and sit with my mother. That more or less gave me time to rush off down the road and get repeat prescriptions for her. One month, my only social contact was with my dentist.

“Caring is a difficult life and I lost contact with a lot of people. You need to put time into relationships but that’s something I didn’t really have. I didn’t get out much at all but I was supported by Newham Carers Network. When my mother died I thought that caring wouldn’t be part of my life any more, but I’ve kept that link with the carer service because it has such an important role in my life.

“I’ve found my voice through Create’s arts programmes. Even when I feel a bit out of depth using technology or new techniques, I still feel comfortable here. Just to be exposed to new things helps because we can get trapped inside our own little shells.

“I share everything I learned whilst I was caring with my mother with the other carers in the group so that they can benefit too. I think, caring or not, it’s important in life that everyone feels useful.”

This article is from 2016.

For Carers Week 2016 Create is celebrating its amazing carer friendly partner organisations. Today we’d like to introduce you to Richmond Carers Centre (RCC), which we’ve worked with since 2014 on our inspired:arts programmes for young carers.

As RCC’s website explains, young carers are children and young people under the age of 18 who take on practical and/or emotional caring responsibilities often beyond their years. These can include anything from cooking, shopping and housework, to the administering of medication, assisting with personal care such as washing or dressing, interpreting, physical and emotional support, or looking after siblings. Young carers’ roles are often overlooked: respondents of a study by The Carers Trust in 2015 showed 50% of young carers as feeling unsupported.

RCC is a charity that addresses this, acknowledging the work that young carers undertake and offering free, confidential information to help those living in or caring for someone within London’s borough of Richmond. RCC provides a range of services for the young carers that attend: its 11+ Young Carers Social Group offers an informal and fun peer support group for registered young carers of secondary school age, with sessions giving the opportunity for individuals to share personal thoughts and feelings, encouraging group discussions and collective activities. Siblings between the ages of 5 and 11 sharing caring duties also have the chance to spend time with one another away from the domestic context of responsibility in RCC’s ‘FRAME group’ – an after school group where they can come together for a variety of activities, be it cooking, crafting or creating art. Outside these group settings one-to-one support is available through RCC’s mentoring programme, where a safe space for individuals to talk to a Young Carers Support Worker can be facilitated, either at school or at RCC’s centre.

Create’s collaboration with RCC through our inspired:arts programme builds on the support that RCC offers young carers. Through creative workshops led by our professional artists, young carers forge relationships and support networks, helping to build new skills and confidence and enjoy valuable “me time”. Since our collaboration’s inception in 2014, Create’s artists have led a wide range of creative workshops including music, photography, animation, creative writing, drama, visual art, jewellery and costume/set design.

Chloe’s reflections

We spoke to Chloe Cooper, one of our animation artists, about a three-day inspired:arts project she led last October. The young carers explored various forms of animation, fashioning their own thaumatropes and flipbooks, as well as scripting, shooting and editing Halloween-themed, animated short films.

Chloe said: “We had a great time together. The RCC staff were really supportive and got stuck in – even decorating the room for our Halloween screening. The young carers were fantastic – they were so creative – they had amazing ideas for characters, story lines and editing. They were really ambitious and made fantastic animations. When it came to the screening they shared what they’d done with their families with real pride.”

Create’s partnership with RCC continues this year, with forthcoming inspired:arts projects on the horizon in August, continuing to February 2017.

For more on RCC, head to their website for their activity schedule, an informative blog, and a list of useful resources for young carers.

This article is from 2016.

For Carers Week 2016 Create is celebrating its amazing carer friendly partner organisations. Today we’d like to introduce you to Carers Milton Keynes, which we’ve worked with to run inspired:arts programmes for young carers since 2014.

A young carer is someone aged under 18 who regularly helps look after someone in their home who is physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuses drugs or alcohol. This could be a parent or a sibling. These responsibilities can impact on the young person’s wellbeing and many young carers struggle to juggle their education and caring role, causing pressure and stress.

The Young Carers Service in Milton Keynes supports approximately 515 young carers by offering advice and signposting, youth clubs, school holiday activities, targeted workshops, one to one emotional support, advocacy and representation and residential breaks.

inspired:arts is a multi-arts programme for young carers, which enables them to take a break from their caring responsibilities, build trusting relationships with their peers and develop creativity, social skills and confidence. During previous inspired:arts programmes in Milton Keynes, young carers have collaborated on original pieces of drama, short films, jewellery making and even designed a sculpture to accompany the iconic concrete cows that were in residence at intu Milton Keynes.

Research released by Carers Trust this week shows that whilst many carers felt supported, a significant number of children with caring responsibilities face barriers that result in poorer grades, reduced career prospects and increased mental health problems. Carers Trust statistics showed that 45% of carers in school struggle to get their homework done on time and a quarter of young carers are bullied because of their caring role.

Gail Scott-Spicer, CEO of Carers Trust, said: “The figures are quite shocking. These are children who are struggling to do their schoolwork during the day time and then heading home to look after their own mum, dad, brother or sister, in the evening.

“Young carers are vulnerable pupils. If they are not supported, the help they provide to their families can become too much and put their own life chances at risk. Schools, colleges and universities have a vital role to play in ensuring young carers are identified and supported. Understanding their caring responsibilities, making sure the family has the right support and offering some flexibility can be the difference between a young person dropping out or completing their course.”

Russell Hobby, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “Failing to support young carers is simply failing them. Schools can play a vital role in identifying and supporting young carers, and in helping these exceptional young people to succeed.”

Meet Maria

Maria (not her real name), one of the young carers from Carers Milton Keynes who took part in inspired:arts, has cared for her father since she was three years old. She said:

“I care for my dad because he has bipolar and severe depression. I feel like I don’t get to go out as much or do as much as other people my age. In school it can be hard to concentrate sometimes because I’m always thinking about what my dad is doing. It can feel like you’re picked out of the crowd when other people know about your life at home.

“I enjoyed working with professional artists during Create’s project. They have taught me how to use a video camera and how to take different shots. I’ve also learnt new painting techniques, how to create pieces of jewellery and how to build a sculpture.

“Getting to work as a team was the best thing about the project because you’re not just one person; you get to hear everybody else’s point of view. I’ve made quite a few friends through the project with Create. It’s been great to see them again at each workshop.

“I think projects like inspired:arts are important for young carers because they take us away from that role and let us be children for a little while. The general public know that young carers exist but I don’t think they understand what we have to do. They don’t take us as seriously as adult carers.”

For more information on Carers Milton Keynes head to their website.

This article is from 2016.

For Carers Week 2016 Create is celebrating its amazing carer friendly partner organisations. Today we’d like to introduce you to Winchester & District Young Carers (WDYC), who we’ve worked with since 2015 on two art:space programmes.

WDYC supports young people who take on caring responsibilities for an unwell or disabled family member. It provides respite activities, support groups, one-to-one sessions and family support. A dedicated schools worker also provides weekly lunchtime drop-ins, one-to-one sessions and advocacy in all the Winchester Secondary Schools.

Create’s art:space programme, funded by British Land, provides the opportunity for young carers to develop creative thinking through art forms including film, animation and dance. The workshops enable them meet other young carers and develop social skills including teamwork and communication, gain self-confidence and self-esteem, and have fun.

“All the staff and artists have been great, very committed and organised. They make working in partnership very easy.”

Anna hutchings, WDYC

A partnership with Whiteley Shopping, art:space Winchester culminated last night in a celebration of the young carers’ work, including their dance performance and the screening of a film and animations that they created earlier in the year. This enabled them to share their achievements with friends, family and the wider public, absolutely fitting during during Carers Week.

Nicky Goulder, Chief Executive of Create, said the peformance was a great success: “It was an absolute pleasure to see the young carers performing their original dance piece and sharing the surreal films they had made. They had clearly been inspired by the “Who Am I?” theme and their visits to Whiteley Shopping Centre and I loved seeing how much they enjoyed performing – and how proud they and their families were. The Deputy Mayor of Winchester presented them with certificates and thanked them not just for their inspiring performance but for the work they do in their role as carers. It was a privilege to share such a special evening with this exceptional group of young people and a fitting celebration of their talents and creativity during Carers Week.”

Meet Cara

Research conducted by Carers Trust shows that although 55% of young carers are proud of the role they fulfil, 44% feel tired and 48% feel stressed because of their responsibilities. art:space has been designed to provide young carers with a much-needed creative and social outlet, giving them vital “me time” away from their caring responsibilities.

Cara (not her real name) helps her mum care for her older sister, who has brain damage, epilepsy, learning difficulties and scoliosis. She has recently taken part in art:space and told us about her caring role and what creativity means to her:

“My sister has the learning age of a 4-6 year old although she’s actually 20, so I play with her, keep her happy, help her get changed and give her medicine. It’s difficult to get away because I spend a lot of time with my sister, otherwise I’m leaving my mum alone and she needs my help.

“As young carers, we have more responsibilities than other people our age. It’s out of the norm because we look after someone who traditionally we wouldn’t have to look after. Siblings without caring responsibilities don’t dress each other or help each other eat as they develop into young adults. It has made me grow up a lot quicker. I would say that I’ve probably been in hospital more times than other young people because of my sister’s health and that has been quite scary.

“Being creative makes me really happy. It gives me a chance to get away from the stress, even if it’s just for a little while. Create’s workshops have enabled me to have fun with my friends and learn something new together. When it’s stressful at home, I come and do this three-day workshop and it takes my mind off it.”

Anna from WDYC

Anna Hutchings, Activities and Support Coordinator at WDYC, said: “We’ve worked with Create to provide the young people with three day workshops in photography, music, animation and film making. All of them have been very successful, they have given the young carers a much needed break and the chance to learn new skills whilst making friends and building confidence.

“As an organisation we have really enjoyed working with Create. All the staff and artists have been great, very committed and organised. They make working in partnership very easy as they are very flexible and communicative every step of the way. We feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with them.”

For more information on WDYC head to their website.

This article is from 2016.