Celebrating a Groundbreaking Gwent Young Carers Partnership Programme

Today, we celebrated the completion of a ground-breaking partnership programme supporting young unpaid carers across the Gwent region.  Delivered by Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in partnership with The King’s Trust and Barnardo’s, the programme provided tailored support to young unpaid carers aged 16–30 who are currently not in education, employment or training. 

The first of its kind for a health board in Wales, the programme supported a cohort of young people, helping them build confidence, develop employability skills and gain practical insight into careers in healthcare. 

The event was a chance to celebrate the achievements of the participants and to reflect on the progress they’ve made over the last few weeks. The young people were encouraged to share their thoughts and reflections on their experience: 

“As a young carer, opportunities like this can be quite hard to access due to barriers like time and qualifications etc. It’s hard to know, without experience, what career and pathway to pursue. I chose ophthalmology and got to experience both the clinical and administration side of the department. I got to shadow nurses, speak to patients, sit with consultants. I found an interest in clinical photography, something I didn’t know existed. Working with Mike, the senior photographer, to see the full process was really interesting. It’s so much clearer now what I want to do. Everyone was so lovely and helpful. I hope I can continue working towards a career in the NHS.” 

“I was able to meet many young people just like myself. I’m deeply appreciative of what the kings trust and the NHS have done to support us. I spent the first week working in admin in the urology department; I came to really appreciate the work that goes on behind the scenes. It’s so important that we value that work. In the 2nd week I got to experience in the clinical side and it widened my fascination. I’m forever grateful for this opportunity and I hope those that come after me get that chance to know and understand where they want to be in the future. “ 

The partnership brought together guidance from across health, youth development and third-sector bodies, creating a supportive programme for young carers rooted in understanding of their lived experience.  

Young people were placed in departments across the health board. One participant worked at the Breast Unit at YYF during her placement and was able to experience all aspects of care in the unit, from working on the reception desk to shadowing mammographers.

Looking back on her experience, she said: “It was so interesting to see how it worked.  Within the first hour, the staff made me feel like I’d been there for ages. I got to speak to the clinic nurse. It was eye opening and a bit emotional at times.” 

Naheed Ashraf, regional lead for unpaid carers and one of the team responsible for planning the programme praised the group and spoke passionately about creating opportunities for young carers: “Young carers are the glue in our communities. Every young person deserves the chance to fulfil their potential. Their ambition matters.” 

Peter Carr, Executive Director of Allied Health Professions & Health Science, attended the event, delivering a heartfelt thank you to those who organised the programme and a big congratulations to all of the participants. He said: “I’m so amazed by everything I’ve heard today. It was so interesting to hear about your experiences and stories. You are capable of so much and we’re so lucky to have people like you in Gwent” 

Shah Alom, a representative from the Kings Trust said: “Aneurin Bevan University Health Board do fantastic work to provide people in the community with work experience. The collaboration between us and Barnardos is a testament to their commitment to providing those opportunities.” 

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to those involved in the planning of the programme, those who continue to support young unpaid in our carers, and to all the staff involved in supporting placements across the health board.