Head of Employability Cindy, along with the Future Ready Project Officer Paula, attended the Hertfordshire Young Carers Conference in February. It was an opportunity to chat with young carers about their future aspirations and challenges as they move through school and further education pathways into the workplace.

We asked the young carers what they thought the challenges are going to be for them to get a job or be employed. As you can imagine there was a range of replies from the heartfelt “Who would employ me?” to “It’s difficult to find a job to fit in with my caring responsibility”.

As well as gathering invaluable data which will help Paula to develop the Future Ready project mentoring and coaching programme, Cindy and Paula were invited alongside other professional service providers to attend “sharing” sessions.

The young carer participants of the conference which had the theme of Empathy not Sympathy, shared their artwork, music and drama created on the day, as well as answered questions from the professionals about the conference and their activities. A giant set  of Jenga was kindly loaned by St Georges United Reformed Church, was very popular and helped to engage the young carers with our marketplace table over the lunch time period.

If you would like to find out more regarding the Future Ready Project

please email paula@communityactiondacorum.org.uk