Sport Aberdeen is delighted to recently receive £36,000 of funding from the Carers Strategy Implementation Group through Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership.
The funding will go towards recruiting a full-time project activator to kickstart the programme, where the charity’s Active Schools team will be working closely alongside Barnardo’s to deliver the sessions.
The need for the sessions was identified through the Carers Strategy Implementation Group (CSIG) at Aberdeen City Council. This group is lead by ACHSCP.
The project will look to emulate the popular and successful SPACE (Supported Physical Activity for Care Experienced) programme already run by Active Schools, which aims to improve the lives of local care experienced children and young people through sport and physical activity.
The Young Carer’s Initiative will instead target young carers by offering extracurricular sessions in Woodside, Westpark and other local schools.
By definition, a young carer is under 18-years-old and helps to look after a relative with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or drug or alcohol problem. A young carer could be looking after a parent or a sibling.
The new sessions will allow young carers to enjoy participating in sport and physical activity, either in a one-to-one setting or small group environment. Young carers will be able to choose the activities they participate in.
Graeme Dale, Director of Sport and Active Communities, said: “It is very exciting to launch our new programme to support young carers in Aberdeen thanks to extensive partnership working with Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership (ACHSCP) and Barnardo’s.
“The programme will adopt a child-centred approach, ensuring that the young people are the voice of the support they receive and can choose the activities they wish to participate in.
“This new project adds to the work that our Active Schools team has already established with young carers across the city.
“It will be great to see the positive impact that providing opportunities through sport and physical activity will have on young people’s wellbeing.”
Lisa McCulloch, Team Manager at the Barnardo’s Aberdeen Young Carers service, said: “Barnardo’s Scotland is very excited about this new partnership project with Sports Aberdeen – Care and Connect – that will support more young carers in Aberdeen City through sport, physical activity and play.
“Since Barnardo’s Aberdeen Young Carers service commenced in 2019, we know that there could be as many 2,000 Young Carers in Aberdeen city that require support. By having a dedicated full-time Project Activator to provide bespoke individual sessions and opportunities for group work to approximately 15 young carers will be an invaluable service to Aberdeen City.
“Through this partnership, together we will be able to expand support and offer the opportunity to identify, reach and work with more young carers that need support. We can also identify more young carers because it is recognised that there are many hidden across the city.”
Stuart Lamberton, Transformation Programme Manager at ACHSCP, said: ““The Carers Strategy Implementation Group is delighted to support the launch and delivery of this exciting programme.
“We have a great working relationship with Sport Aberdeen and Barnardo’s, and indeed with all of our carer support organisations. Through our Carers Strategy 2022-26, we are committed to hearing from more carers and supporting as many as we possibly can.
“This is another step towards more support and accessible information for carers, which helps deliver the priorities set out in our strategy.”