North Argyll Young Carers get £12,000 from Rotarians

A CHARITY supporting North Argyll’s young carers will get £12,000 over the next three years to help keep up its good work.

The donation from Oban Rotary Club will give North Argyll Carers Centre £4,000 each year in the hope of attracting more match funding for its young carers service.

The funding will also help towards holidays, day trips and training for young people, aged eight to 18, who are looking after a parent, sibling or other close relative.

Morag Maclean from North Argyll Carers Centre said: ‘We really value the support from the community, in particular from the long-term partnership we have with the Rotary Club, which will have such a huge impact on the lives of our young carers.’

Rotary Club president Tommy McQuade said: ‘It’s very unusual for us to commit to a longer-term partnership but we felt it was important to give the young carers service stability and continuity.’

Last week’s Oban Times reported North Argyll Carers Centre in Albany Street works with 104 young carers and young adult carers, although government estimates suggest there could be as many as 547 in the area.

Arlene Colewell, co-ordinator of North Argyll Young Carers Service, has urged people to help identify young carers so they can get help early. She says the service is working to full capactiy and always needs funds to help it do more.

‘In Scotland, we do have well recognised support for young carers. It’s something we are very proud of but we can always do more. Being a young carer can be a really rewarding experience if they get the support they need.

‘Most young carers I know develop qualities and skills that a lot of adults will never have. I’m talking about their levels of empathy, patience and lack of selfishness. It’s not all me, me. They can grow up to be very employable,’ added Ms Colewell.

Although being a young carer is something to be proud of, it can limit them enjoying activities and making friends. Sometimes they feel under pressure, isolated and different to other people, so they benefit from meeting with other young people like them and to have adults who can support them.

The young carers service offers support at Oban High School and is hoping to build up more links with the area’s primary schools.

It also runs after-school clubs during term time and in the holidays organises boat excursions, outward bound residential breaks, trips to theme parks and more.

It can work on a one-to-one basis and has a young adult carers group, for 18 to 25-yearolds, that meets on the first Thursday of the month at the centre to help with anything from careers advice, to education, housing and health needs.

Volunteer drivers are desperately wanted and the service needs more youth work qualified sessional-workers to get in touch.

To find out more about the Young Carers Service at North Argyll Carers Centre call 01631 564422 or go to northargyllcarers.org.uk