About Us

Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers History

2000
We set up a support group - 6 initial members came to the first meeting. We developed our ground rules and the plans for how the project would work. More members joined and we decided on the name of Skye & Lochalsh Young Carers Project. We got a grant from BBC Children in Need to help the project develop over the next 3 years. We made Young Carer Information Packs and helped develop policies so we had a say in how our project should be run.

2001
We got our first project base in Portree, it is an office above the Bank of Scotland building. We were very busy fundraising and spreading the word about what its like for us being young carers. We started getting training in subjects like stress management, First Aid and Moving and Handling. Our numbers have grown so much we had to split into two groups!

2002
We now have computers, e-mail and internet access set up in our office base. We got money to set up healthy snacks which everyone loved!  As well as lots of training courses and sessions we were doing challenges to help us develop our skills and confidence. Our Skye and Lochalsh Young Carers Information Packs were launched during the Queen's visit to Portree and there was the launch of the Young Carers Guidelines for Hospital Staff - they went to every hospital in the Highlands. We have regular respite outings which are now an important part of the project work.

We became the winners of the Public Involvement in Health Award which was supported by the King's Fund.  This was a National Award with 59 projects from accross Britain competing for it.  Two of our members and two workers went down to London to hear the results being announced and recieve the award (and the shopping and sight seeing were brilliant too!!).

2005
Some of our members started doing extra First Aid training with the Red Cross and are now Red Cross volunteers.  We continue to do what we can to raise awarness by attending conferences and meeting people from the Scottish Executive.
Lots of local people and groups now help us with fundraising and in so many other ways, and of course we’re  busy trying to fundraise for ourselves as well - we've made Christams cards to sell this year.

2006
Some of us appeared on TV this year with De-a-nis and the Children In Need appeal.  We have completed our poetry book as well as our 'Friendship' and 'Dealing with Blame' training programmes.  We have now started work on our 'Alcohol' training pack for service providers as well as this website which two of our members are very busy putting together!

2007
We have 58 members and we are now benefiting from one to one support and support at school liaison meetings etc, this helps make sure our views and feelings are listened to and taken aboard. GREAT NEWS!
The Big lottery has awarded us £267,866 over the next 5 years for our ‘Transition Mission’ Project.  We can now have weekly support groups for all the primary aged young carers and we will also have more staff cover.  We will be able to develop and deliver special training programmes and work with other agencies like the Red Cross and the Fire Service who can help support us.

2007 Red Cross Humanitarian Award goes to S&L Young Carers

This annual Awards were set up to recognise the achievements and celebrate the contribution that young people aged 25 and under make to the lives of others.  At an exclusive ceremony in London on the 17 November 2007, the overall winners - selected from more than 70 nominees – were announced.  It was the ‘Overall Group Award’ which was given to four of our young carers.

Robert, Nicola, Craig, and Ben  were recognised for their support work with other young carers and their dedication to volunteering, which includes teaching first aid to classmates and travelling throughout the highlands of Scotland to provide first aid cover.  "We didn't know we were even being nominated and to find out we've now won means so much to us.

2008
This year we have been learning about the law, we completed questionnaires and then invited police officers to come along and chat with us -we had to accept we knew a lot less than we thought we did!  We've also been working with the Highlands and Islands Fire & Rescue Service, helping them become more aware of our needs and issues while they have helped us and our families feel safer in our homes.

We've produced a youth friendly Service Directory which has proved to be very popular.  We've also worked with our local adult addiction support service and Council for Voluntary Organisations to produce an information leaflet about caffeine and the negative affects it can have on the body

With our families consent some GP Centres have set up an electronic flagging system on our notes so that when we visit a clinic they will know that we are young carers and could benefit from additional time with them. 

In August 2008 two of our members  attended the Highland NHS Scottish Government Annual Review and met with Shona Robinson, Minister for Public Health and her team.  Written feedback stated that the team found the session very useful, in particular the insight given by young carers  "We will be considering what we heard and what we can do to give better support to young carers". 

2009
In May we won the Portree & District Rotary Youth Achievement Award for the Fire Information Card and health related information leaflets and Directory.  Those of us who went to the Awards dinner really enjoyed it as you can see from the picture!

Twelve of us went to the Scottish Young Carers Festival this year, it was a very long journey but well worth it - we even managed to come home with the five-a-side football trophy!  Sincere thanks goes to Jansvans for helping to sponsor the trip.

We have worked with Learning Support staff and have created Portree and Plockton High School Young Carers Policies and Procedures documents so young carers and staff know what support is available, how it will be given and who will take responsibility to make sure it happens.