[Sub ID 4683] Recognising young carer skills (Northern Carers Network)

Submission ID: 4683
Organisation name: Northern Carers Network
State: SA

Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young carers

What need or issue are you trying to address?
The project is informed by independent research and in particular Northern Carers Network Young Carer Service Development project 2014.
The research highlights that young people with caring responsibilities are a special group that require special attention and services to be able to transition between school and work.
• The caring role does have significant and long-term negative impacts on Young Carers engagement with education and employment.
• Caring responsibilities affect the employment choices and opportunities of young people.
• Young Carers are often a much ‘hidden’ group within the community and there are ongoing challenges to engage with them.
• Lack of awareness and support for Young Carers within schools and employment.

We intend to address the above by:
• Intense individual and group support to help Young Carers plan their next step in education or employment through targeted career advise which takes into consideration their caring responsibilities
• Increase the awareness of employment sector to understand the challenges and potential skill set of Young Carers.
• Using a regional collaborative approach drawing on the expertise, skill and knowledge of employment and business experts and other relevant agencies.
• An Advisory Group of stakeholders will be established to guide and deliver the project

What is your idea?
The aim is to bring employment groups and Yong Carers together to have an exchange of ideas, exploring how best to support young Carers to pursue their preferred career path and achieve their goals and aspirations for their futures. An active case management role will work as a conduit between employers and Young Carers. The case manager will work directly with young Carers and intensely coordinate their individual complex situations. They will help young Carers to determine what is important to them what they think would be the most effective way to reach their goals.
The purpose is to increase the capacity, skills and knowledge of young Carers by building on their existing skill set, as Carers, and engaging with businesses to proactively contribute to enabling Young Carers to be confident and work ready. An essential part of the project will be collaborate partnership with a diverse group of key stakeholders. These would include job networks, employers, workforce disability hub, councils, schools, youth services, TAFE SA, Carer Support Network SA (CSNSA), Northern Volunteering and employment groups
• Young Carers have skills and benefits due to their experiences as a Carer. They may be better equipped in some areas giving them an advantageous competitive edge over their peers for economic participation. Young Carers may need mentoring to identity their existing skills and knowledge. They may need support in how to capitalise on their experiences of caring which can give leverage in gaining employment. This will increase the confidence and self-esteem of young Carers. They may need support to achieve training qualifications in their areas of choice for career pathways.
• Objective is to increase the business employment sector with awareness of young Carer and their potential unique skill set they may bring over and above that of their peers.
• Replacement Care is essential to the success of the program. This is required to enable the Young Carer access the program, attend any skills development and resilience training as required.