Website of the Week: Young Carers NSW

From the Young Carers NSW website:

• There are around 347,700 Australians, under the age of 25, providing care to a family member who has a long-term illness or disability? (5.2% of all people under 25)

• The Young Carer Program at Carers NSW was developed to make a positive difference to the lives of young carers and their families.

• Young Carers are children and young people, 25 years or under, who help to support a family member or friend who has a disability, mental illness, drug or alcohol dependency, chronic condition, terminal illness or who is frail.

The aims of the Young Carers NSW Program:

• Promote the issues and needs of young carers through statewide programs 
• Develop a young carer support network in partnership with relevant agencies, services and schools 
• Coordinate a variety of young carer activities in the short term 
• Support referrals to local services who can assist young carers and their families 
• Develop and distribute other appropriate resources 
• Review and evaluate existing support activities

A screen from the  Young Carers NSW website

The Young Carers NSW website provides an enormous amount of information about events, projects and resources for young carers, such as siblings.

• Young Carers at Carers NSW on Facebook
• Carers NSW Biennial Conference 14th - 15th March 2013

Carers Australia launched its own Young Carers website in 2012, designed to support a different audience:

"The website is specifically designed as an information resource for professionals such as teachers and service providers and members of the community who may be in contact with young people who have caring roles," NSW Minister for Disability Services, Andrew Constance said at the launch.

"We want to ensure that young people receive the supports they need especially in relation to balancing their education and recreation with their responsibilities as a carer."

Young Carers (Australia) website, launched in October 2012