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The Diversity Trust Podcast #18 Young Carers

 

 

The Diversity Trust Podcast #18 Part 2 – Young Carers

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Andy McGowan is today’s guest on The Diversity Trust’s Equalities podcast, with Series 5 exploring the theme of access to education.

Leah Haynes chats with Andy McGowan, the Policy and Practice Manager at Carers Trust and the founder of the Young Carers Alliance.

Tune in to listen to Leah and Andy explore the topic of access to education and the barriers young carers in the UK face when it comes to school.

This episode is split into two parts.

Leah Haynes

As a former young carer herself, Leah has first-hand experience of balancing the education with caring responsibilities. Indeed, she continues to be a Young Carers Champion today.  Throughout her career, she’s worked to raise awareness for young carers, predominantly providing financial and practical assistance to marginalised groups, as well as leading various projects, including running a Kids Time workshop in under the Our Time charity – an organisation that supports children with a parent experiencing mental illness and being the Independent Lived Experience Consultant, providing expertise, insight and scrutiny to a consultancy that was engaged to evaluate the added value of Hampshire Young Carers Alliance, an umbrella body for the 10 young carers projects operating across the county.

Currently, she works for the Royal College of Nursing while also running Perched, selling British hand-made luxury furniture where a percentage of profits is given to causes supporting young carers.

  • LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-h-b00894164/

Andy McGowan

Andy McGowan is the Policy and Practice Manager at Carers Trust and the founder of the Young Carers Alliance.  Himself, a former young carer from the age of 6, he has been involved in young carers campaigning since 2003, starting his journey at Centre 33 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as a Young Carers Project Worker. He has dedicated his experience and passion to various organisations, particularly focusing on policy work relating to young carers and young adult carers, as well as supporting local carer services nationwide.

Earlier in his career, Andy worked firstly as the Head of Carer Services, and later, the Head of Engagement at the Caring Together Charity. It was in this role that he set up the Young Carers Alliance. The Alliance now stands as a growing network of over 200 organisations and 800 individuals committed to improving the lives of young carers, young adult carers and their families. Carers Trust, where Andy now works, aims to transform the lives of unpaid carers through programme work, influencing policy and undertaking research. Andy leads their young carers policy work in England, and has supported the delivery of events such as Young Carers Action Day.

Take action:

Further resources:

  • ‘Caring and classes: the education gap for young carers’ report (2024) – Carers Trust
  • ‘All-Party Parliamentary Group for Young Carers and Young Carers’ (Annual Report 2022-23) (APPG) -https://carers.org/downloads/appg-for-young-carers-and-young-adult-carers—2022-23-annual-report.pdf
  • ‘Unseen Sacrifices Faced by Young Carers’ (MYTIME, 2024) – https://www.mytimeyoungcarers.org/res/MYTIME%20Report%20-%20Unseen%20Sacrifices%20Faced%20by%20Young%20Carers.pdf 
  • ‘Overlooked and Overburdened: Addressing the Educational Challenges Faced by Young Carers’ (MYTIME Young Carers, 2024) – https://www.mytimeyoungcarers.org/res/Overlooked%20and%20Overburdended%20-%20Educational%20Challenges%20Faced%20by%20Young%20Carers%20-%20Report.pdf