More than 150 young carers in the Basildon, Brentwood and Wickford areas have accessed tailored support and education thanks to funding awarded to Kool Carers in the 23/24 VVU Community Grant round.
£6270 was awarded to Kool Carers to run educational sessions for the young people attending the project.
Kool Carers, provides a safe, supportive environment for young carers age 8 – 18 years to develop personal and social relationships, and develop their independent life skills while building resilience – helping to reduce isolation and enhance their emotional wellbeing.
As young carers take on so many adult responsibilities they can often miss out on opportunities that other children/young people have to play, learn and make friends.
Kool Carers hold sessions tailored to meet the needs of their young people, often running programmes that have been suggested, designed and developed by the young people themselves.
Kool Carers shows the young people who attend their project that they are not alone in their caring responsibilities and that there are people who can help. The project also gives the young people some time out and space to make friends and have fun.
Tailored Support
The VVU grant meant that Kool Carers could run 28 sessions for young carers and their parents around keeping safe online, cyber-bullying, county lines and drug awareness.
The sessions also gave young people the chance to meet others in a similar situation and give them a break from caring responsibilities. The sessions helped the young carers build trusted connections with adults and supported the project to facilitate conversations around education, physical and mental wellbeing and wider family needs.
Rachel Tongate, Founder and CEO, Kool Carers said: “The funding from VVU has allowed Kool Carers to provide these vital sessions not only to young carers but to their parents too. These are very vulnerable young people, who often miss out on education and deserve the best in life.”
