celebrating young carers' achievements
Inside this issue:
CELEBRATING YOUNG CARERS’ ACHIEVEMENTS At Be Free Young Carers we are always so proud to hear about the achievements of the young carers that we support. Below are just a few of the wonderful things that our young carers have achieved, created or written recently! If you have anything that you are proud of and would like to share with other young carers, email us [email protected]! Remember this face, you are likely to see him at the Olympics one day! This is Jordan and not only does he do a great job helping to look after his younger brother, he has also found the time to train really hard and be a champion swimmer in the backstroke! Check out all of those medals!! 20 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze to be precise! Not only that but on a recent swimming trip to Oasis with our 13-17 year old young carers, he saved a small child who was in difficulty! A massive well done to Jordan for all of his achievements, we are very proud of you! Check out this cute photo taken by Ashley on a recent Be Free YC trip to Cotswold Wildlife Park. We love seeing Ashley’s photos and she is a very talented photographer! We were unbelievably proud when we heard about Emily's success in May. Emily is a keen gymnast and took part in a Level 5 competition at Abingdon Gymnastics Club where she received 3 golds and one bronze!! Wow!! 1st overall, 1st on the beam, 1st on the floor & 3rd on the bars! Apparently, Emily was shocked to receive these medals but was delighted after working so hard. Congratulations & well done, Emily. We’re sure we will see Emily as part of Team GB in years to come!!
This incredible acrostic poem was written by talented young carer, Casey. Casey told us "I made this mnemonic to represent the feelings that young carers experience. I thought it might help explain them." We think this is especially poignant as many of our young carers have recently taken their exams while still trying to cope with their caring responsibilities. Thank you for sharing this special poem with everyone, Casey. #YoungCarersAreUnique You couldn’t be further from the truth if you thought: “Oh, you don't care about your grades, U never do your homework and Never make it in time for the register” Gears turn in my head: I’m so misunderstood. Caring for my mum is my big responsibility Are you prepared to help me? Rare is the occasion that I do my homework properly. Even then, it's rubbish: 'Do it again!' Rarely I have my own time to do something fun Seldom people don't think I'm dumb. Aiding me with work at school is no one Rocky roads to grade Cs Enough stress - I have to tell someone. Understanding me when I told you, New methods of teaching were introduced Instead of struggling was learning Quitting less and remembering more Unbreaking bonds of friendship now, Expiring the question of: How? ~ Casey, aged 15
Celebrating Young Carers’ Achievements
1
Volunteers Needed!
2
Changes to our medication policy
2
Trip Information
3
Trip pick up locations
3
Useful Information
4
Oxfordshire Young Carers Service
4
Be Free Young Carers (Formerly South & Vale Young Carers)
Harwell Innovation Centre, 173 Curie Avenue, Harwell, OXON, OX11 0QG Tel: 01235 838554 Carly’s mobile: 07826 930064 Chrissy’s mobile: 07825 990064 [email protected]
www.befreeyc.org.uk Closed Mondays A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales Reg. Charity Number 1042708 Company No. 02989722
We continue to have a very high demand for the trips we offer and we now have over 450 young carers registered with our charity!! We try very hard to get you on lots of your trip choices although unfortunately this isn’t always possible. We work hard on sorting this out but it does mean that it is even more important that you let us know if you can’t come on a trip so that someone else can have your place as spaces are so limited. We don’t mind at all if you can’t come on a trip but we request that you let us know as soon as possible so we can let someone else come instead. We are recruiting volunteers to increase the number of young carers on trip so that more of you can experience the fun activities that we provide. Some of you may have already met Josh, Hannah, Batool and Angela on recent trips. We are extremely grateful for their kindness and help, without them we wouldn’t be able to invite as many of you on trips so remember to thank them when you see them!! To allow more of you to come on trips we need more volunteers so if you know someone who might be interested in volunteering their time (either with trips or helping in another way), please let us know! It could be a family member or friend, somebody that works at school… as long as they are aged 18 or over and would like to do something amazing by helping the special young carers that we support, then we would love to hear from them. Please call us on 01235 838554 or email [email protected] for more information. Thank you!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION CHANGES TO OUR MEDICATION POLICY FOR TRIPS! There have been some important changes to our medication policy that you need to be made aware of. Staff and volunteers will not be able to administer any medication to young carers on our trips, activities & workshops. These changes are to protect the safety and wellbeing of all young carers coming on our trips. *Young carers should not bring medication on trips and where possible must take medication prior to attending the activity. The only medication deemed acceptable for young carers to bring on trips are asthma inhalers, epipens and moisturising cream for dry skin conditions. Be Free YC staff must be made aware if a young carer is carrying these medications and where they are kept on the day, should an emergency occur. Young carers are responsible for these medications themselves and should administer them when needed. All children with asthma must bring an inhaler with them. *When completing trip booking forms, Be Free YC must be told of all known medical conditions including allergies and asthma. If an emergency were to occur, it is vital that we have been made aware of what medication is normally taken to treat these conditions should the young carer need medical treatment and we are unable to contact their parent/guardian. *It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to ensure that a young carer is well enough to attend a trip, activity or workshop and must be prepared that in some cases, the young carer may need to be collected from a trip location if too unwell to continue with an activity. For any questions or queries about this policy, or to see the policy in full, please contact Be Free Young Carers on 01235 838554 or email [email protected]. Page 2
Young Carers
TRIP INFORMATION The trips and workshops that Be Free Young Carers provide are completely free, however, we are always very grateful for any contributions made as we have to fundraise to cover the cost of the activities we offer you.
Trips & Activities Golden Rules The trips we provide are an opportunity for you to relax and have fun away from your caring role and the young carers that attend really enjoy them. It is important that everyone follows the Trip Golden Rules so that trips are successful and a great day for everyone.
1.
Always confirm your place - If you have a place on a trip, we will write to you to let you know. If not, you will
2.
Always let us know if you can’t attend a trip that you have been invited on - Trips are very popular
3.
Always be punctual - we can only wait a maximum of 5 minutes after the planned departure time
4.
Always be respectful of staff, other young carers and members of the public - this
5.
Always be sensible when travelling - always wear your seatbelt to keep you safe. Please don’t leave litter on
6.
Finally, and most importantly -
be on the reserve list and you may be contacted at the last minute if there is a cancellation. If you are invited on a trip YOU MUST CONFIRM if you are attending. If you do not, we will assume you do not want to come and we will give your place to somebody else. and book up quickly so we always have a reserve list of young carers wanting to come. If you don’t let us know you can no longer come, other young carers will miss out on coming which is a real shame!
of a trip. Any delay will shorten the trip for everybody, make us late for other pick ups and disrupt planned activities. It is really, really important to be on time please.
makes the trip enjoyable for everyone involved. The Trips & Activities Code of Conduct is in place to keep you safe and must be followed at all times please. the minibus – no eating on the bus please.
ALWAYS HAVE LOTS OF FUN!!
TRIP PICK UP/DROP OFF LOCATIONS Don’t forget... Our Didcot pick up location is now at the Civic Hall car park in Britwell Road (OX11 7JN). As Chrissy and Carly will meet you at the Civic Hall car park, if you need to call them on the day of a trip, please call them on their mobiles as they won’t be able to pick up messages left at the office. The pick up in Abingdon is still at the Tesco Supermarket lay-by (Marcham Road —Tesco side, opposite Pets at Home). Where possible, we will also do a pick up in Faringdon for people who struggle to get to Didcot or Abingdon. This pick up will be in the car park of The Faringdon Medical Centre on Volunteer Way (SN7 7YU). On the trip posters we will let you know which trips will be picking up in Faringdon as it won’t be possible every time due to trip location.
Didcot Civic Hall
Faringdon Medical Centre Car Park
Tesco Lay-by
TESCO
USEFUL INFORMATION
Disclaimer: Be Free YC takes every care in producing this newsletter but cannot take responsibility for any errors that may have occurred. Any services mentioned are for information only and are not endorsed by us. CB
CELEBRATING YOUNG CARERS’ ACHIEVEMENTS At Be Free Young Carers we are always so proud to hear about the achievements of the young carers that we support. Below are just a few of the wonderful things that our young carers have achieved, created or written recently! If you have anything that you are proud of and would like to share with other young carers, email us [email protected]! Remember this face, you are likely to see him at the Olympics one day! This is Jordan and not only does he do a great job helping to look after his younger brother, he has also found the time to train really hard and be a champion swimmer in the backstroke! Check out all of those medals!! 20 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze to be precise! Not only that but on a recent swimming trip to Oasis with our 13-17 year old young carers, he saved a small child who was in difficulty! A massive well done to Jordan for all of his achievements, we are very proud of you! Check out this cute photo taken by Ashley on a recent Be Free YC trip to Cotswold Wildlife Park. We love seeing Ashley’s photos and she is a very talented photographer! We were unbelievably proud when we heard about Emily's success in May. Emily is a keen gymnast and took part in a Level 5 competition at Abingdon Gymnastics Club where she received 3 golds and one bronze!! Wow!! 1st overall, 1st on the beam, 1st on the floor & 3rd on the bars! Apparently, Emily was shocked to receive these medals but was delighted after working so hard. Congratulations & well done, Emily. We’re sure we will see Emily as part of Team GB in years to come!!
This incredible acrostic poem was written by talented young carer, Casey. Casey told us "I made this mnemonic to represent the feelings that young carers experience. I thought it might help explain them." We think this is especially poignant as many of our young carers have recently taken their exams while still trying to cope with their caring responsibilities. Thank you for sharing this special poem with everyone, Casey. #YoungCarersAreUnique You couldn’t be further from the truth if you thought: “Oh, you don't care about your grades, U never do your homework and Never make it in time for the register” Gears turn in my head: I’m so misunderstood. Caring for my mum is my big responsibility Are you prepared to help me? Rare is the occasion that I do my homework properly. Even then, it's rubbish: 'Do it again!' Rarely I have my own time to do something fun Seldom people don't think I'm dumb. Aiding me with work at school is no one Rocky roads to grade Cs Enough stress - I have to tell someone. Understanding me when I told you, New methods of teaching were introduced Instead of struggling was learning Quitting less and remembering more Unbreaking bonds of friendship now, Expiring the question of: How? ~ Casey, aged 15
Celebrating Young Carers’ Achievements
1
Volunteers Needed!
2
Changes to our medication policy
2
Trip Information
3
Trip pick up locations
3
Useful Information
4
Oxfordshire Young Carers Service
4
Be Free Young Carers (Formerly South & Vale Young Carers)
Harwell Innovation Centre, 173 Curie Avenue, Harwell, OXON, OX11 0QG Tel: 01235 838554 Carly’s mobile: 07826 930064 Chrissy’s mobile: 07825 990064 [email protected]
www.befreeyc.org.uk Closed Mondays A company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales Reg. Charity Number 1042708 Company No. 02989722
We continue to have a very high demand for the trips we offer and we now have over 450 young carers registered with our charity!! We try very hard to get you on lots of your trip choices although unfortunately this isn’t always possible. We work hard on sorting this out but it does mean that it is even more important that you let us know if you can’t come on a trip so that someone else can have your place as spaces are so limited. We don’t mind at all if you can’t come on a trip but we request that you let us know as soon as possible so we can let someone else come instead. We are recruiting volunteers to increase the number of young carers on trip so that more of you can experience the fun activities that we provide. Some of you may have already met Josh, Hannah, Batool and Angela on recent trips. We are extremely grateful for their kindness and help, without them we wouldn’t be able to invite as many of you on trips so remember to thank them when you see them!! To allow more of you to come on trips we need more volunteers so if you know someone who might be interested in volunteering their time (either with trips or helping in another way), please let us know! It could be a family member or friend, somebody that works at school… as long as they are aged 18 or over and would like to do something amazing by helping the special young carers that we support, then we would love to hear from them. Please call us on 01235 838554 or email [email protected] for more information. Thank you!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION CHANGES TO OUR MEDICATION POLICY FOR TRIPS! There have been some important changes to our medication policy that you need to be made aware of. Staff and volunteers will not be able to administer any medication to young carers on our trips, activities & workshops. These changes are to protect the safety and wellbeing of all young carers coming on our trips. *Young carers should not bring medication on trips and where possible must take medication prior to attending the activity. The only medication deemed acceptable for young carers to bring on trips are asthma inhalers, epipens and moisturising cream for dry skin conditions. Be Free YC staff must be made aware if a young carer is carrying these medications and where they are kept on the day, should an emergency occur. Young carers are responsible for these medications themselves and should administer them when needed. All children with asthma must bring an inhaler with them. *When completing trip booking forms, Be Free YC must be told of all known medical conditions including allergies and asthma. If an emergency were to occur, it is vital that we have been made aware of what medication is normally taken to treat these conditions should the young carer need medical treatment and we are unable to contact their parent/guardian. *It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to ensure that a young carer is well enough to attend a trip, activity or workshop and must be prepared that in some cases, the young carer may need to be collected from a trip location if too unwell to continue with an activity. For any questions or queries about this policy, or to see the policy in full, please contact Be Free Young Carers on 01235 838554 or email [email protected]. Page 2
Young Carers
TRIP INFORMATION The trips and workshops that Be Free Young Carers provide are completely free, however, we are always very grateful for any contributions made as we have to fundraise to cover the cost of the activities we offer you.
Trips & Activities Golden Rules The trips we provide are an opportunity for you to relax and have fun away from your caring role and the young carers that attend really enjoy them. It is important that everyone follows the Trip Golden Rules so that trips are successful and a great day for everyone.
1.
Always confirm your place - If you have a place on a trip, we will write to you to let you know. If not, you will
2.
Always let us know if you can’t attend a trip that you have been invited on - Trips are very popular
3.
Always be punctual - we can only wait a maximum of 5 minutes after the planned departure time
4.
Always be respectful of staff, other young carers and members of the public - this
5.
Always be sensible when travelling - always wear your seatbelt to keep you safe. Please don’t leave litter on
6.
Finally, and most importantly -
be on the reserve list and you may be contacted at the last minute if there is a cancellation. If you are invited on a trip YOU MUST CONFIRM if you are attending. If you do not, we will assume you do not want to come and we will give your place to somebody else. and book up quickly so we always have a reserve list of young carers wanting to come. If you don’t let us know you can no longer come, other young carers will miss out on coming which is a real shame!
of a trip. Any delay will shorten the trip for everybody, make us late for other pick ups and disrupt planned activities. It is really, really important to be on time please.
makes the trip enjoyable for everyone involved. The Trips & Activities Code of Conduct is in place to keep you safe and must be followed at all times please. the minibus – no eating on the bus please.
ALWAYS HAVE LOTS OF FUN!!
TRIP PICK UP/DROP OFF LOCATIONS Don’t forget... Our Didcot pick up location is now at the Civic Hall car park in Britwell Road (OX11 7JN). As Chrissy and Carly will meet you at the Civic Hall car park, if you need to call them on the day of a trip, please call them on their mobiles as they won’t be able to pick up messages left at the office. The pick up in Abingdon is still at the Tesco Supermarket lay-by (Marcham Road —Tesco side, opposite Pets at Home). Where possible, we will also do a pick up in Faringdon for people who struggle to get to Didcot or Abingdon. This pick up will be in the car park of The Faringdon Medical Centre on Volunteer Way (SN7 7YU). On the trip posters we will let you know which trips will be picking up in Faringdon as it won’t be possible every time due to trip location.
Didcot Civic Hall
Faringdon Medical Centre Car Park
Tesco Lay-by
TESCO
USEFUL INFORMATION
Disclaimer: Be Free YC takes every care in producing this newsletter but cannot take responsibility for any errors that may have occurred. Any services mentioned are for information only and are not endorsed by us. CB
