We’re there because we care!
What is a Young Carer?
A young Carer is a child or young person up to the age of 18 (or a Young Adult Carer up to the age of 21) whose life is affected by looking after someone with a disability or long-term illness or health condition. They carry out, often on a regular basis, significant or substantial caring tasks and assume levels of responsibility usually associated with an adult. The person they care for may be a parent, a sibling or another family member, and the care they give may be practical, physical and/or emotional.
What do we do?
GYGYC provides a seamless services for young carers (YC 5 -17) and Young Adult Carers (YAC 18 to 21) in the Borough of Great Yarmouth.
We offer age specific Peer Groups, a one to one mentoring scheme and small groups in schools and colleges across the Borough. Currently due to the Covid-19 pandemic we are offering an online service.
Our service is offered to young people aged 5 to 21 who are affected by their families situations either due to them caring for another member of their family, or are affected by the home situations due to missing out of the normal activities as they go through the transition from children to adults.
History
In 2011, the organisation was established by Terry Macrowan (was Wood) and with succeeded funding, the Young People’s Committee was developed. Further funding led to the first peer support group opening in November 2011. Since then the organisation became a charity in May 2013 and has had continued success with grants to enable us to open more Peer support groups during term time and with donations, young people’s fund raising events and additional grants to support a school holiday activity programme. In April 2015 we appointed a full-time Manager and were able to add an Admin assistant in March 2018 to the staff team and as the number of referrers grew in January 2019 we were successful in obtaining funding to employ two Full-time and two part-time Youth Workers/Support Workers to start to offer our one to one mentoring scheme.
“When I come to young carers I feel free and happy”
“GYGYC makes you feel proud of what you do”
“The staff are great and easy to talk to”
“They’re like a big family, my second home”
