AN UNPAID young carer is praising the work of a charity for giving him "the confidence to live his life".
Action for Family Carers, based at Brickhouse Farm, in Poulton Close, Maldon, recently got a grant of almost £42,000 to help 16 to 24-year-olds whose life is in some way restricted because of the need to care for someone close to them.
Andrew Adams, 19, of Heybridge, cares for his 22-year-old sister Rebecca, who has epilepsy and pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS), an extreme inflammation of the joints which can lead to tumours.
He has been getting help from the charity for the last six years and it has arranged workshops, first aid courses and drop-in sessions, as well as career advice for Andrew.
"I've spent a lot of time helping my sister with her seizures that she would have daily and help out while she was attending many of her hospital appointments," he told the Chronicle.
"It was such a weight on my mum's shoulders so I was helping out a lot. I've developed with their help – they have given me the confidence to live my life."
Andrew is studying for a BA in psychology at Staffordshire University and he said that the centre helped him give him the confidence to do so.
"I wouldn't be in the position that I'm in today without Action for Family Carers. I'm a quiet person anyway but they have given me the confidence to go out and to make friends," Andrew said.
The charity has helped 1,800 young carers in the last year and 1,000 just in the Maldon, Chelmsford and Colchester areas.
They estimate that there could be up to 275 unidentified young carers in Maldon alone that could benefit from their help.
Sarah Batchelor, 25, who works as Young Carers service manager at the charity, said: "This grant can make a huge difference to the lives of so many young carers in the area.
"Young people can find themselves as carers for a number of reasons and we try to do all we can to make sure they can get a break from their busy and stressful lives, even for a short while, and focus on their future."
There are an estimated 500,000 unpaid young adult carers aged from 14 to 25 in the UK who take on practical and emotional caring responsibilities for a family member or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.
The charity takes young carers on days out, recently to a Jamie Oliver restaurant in London to learn how to cook, offer them a place to socialise and help the youngsters plan for the future.
The grant will fund the "Time to change project" which uses one-to-one support, focus groups, and individual evaluations whilst providing the carers with a place to meet other people in their situation.
Miss Batchelor added: "If they want to go to college or university then we can help, we want to be able to help young carers go out and develop themselves personally.
"We can provide a break from looking after a person so they can just be themselves."
The charity also assists adults who, without payment, provide help and support to a partner, child, relative, friend or neighbour, who could not manage without their help.
The donation of £41,975 is among the first to be awarded following a Charity of the Year partnership between Carers Trust and The Co-operative Group.
James Clarke, CEO of Action for Family Carers, said: "We are absolutely thrilled with the support from Carers Trust, and for the enthusiasm and support shown by staff, members and customers of the Co-operative."
