International Women’s Day: How Kiesha forged a successful career after college failed her 

This International Women’s Day, we’ve been reflecting on the story of Kiesha, a 13-year-old young carer from Harrow who became an award-winning youth worker and most recently, Communications Intern at Carers Trust.  

Kiesha isn’t your typical 20-year-old. For several years, she has been the primary carer for not just one, but four adults – her mum, nan, and two brothers. They all live with a variety of physical and mental health conditions.
  
Travelling between their separate homes, Kiesha spends most of her week offering up the emotional and practical support all four of them need to keep going. As you can imagine, this takes a huge toll on Kiesha. And she, like everyone, needs someone to listen to her needs too.

Throughout secondary school, Kiesha received excellent support from her teachers. A dedicated member of staff would seek out young carers across the school and organise regular meet-ups so they could feel less alone and share their experiences.  

But sadly, this level of support did not extend into Kiesha’s college years.  

“They just weren’t understanding at all. In my first year, I told my tutor I was a carer and she had no idea what that meant,” Kiesha said. “I thought, if my tutor doesn’t know, then how can I expect anyone else in the college to understand? So I just didn’t tell anyone at my college I was a carer and kind of gave up on them.” 

In her second year, her caring responsibilities became so all-consuming that she had to drop out of college. And there were times when Kiesha wondered what lay next for her.  

But then Harrow Carers, where she’d received brilliant support since she was 13, offered her a unique opportunity. Kiesha’s mentor at the centre, Phill, invited her to become the first young carer ever to join their staff in 2022, as a Youth Worker.  

In this role, among many other achievements, Kiesha supported hundreds of young carers attending the Young Carers Festival in Southampton. She also spoke at an event in Birmingham, for our Making Carers Count programme. And during Carers Week she met the Mayor of Harrow, who later recognised her achievements in the form of an award.  

“I was delighted to receive this award, which reflected my diligence and dedication to the community,” said Kiesha. “It was a testament to my hard work.” 

In July 2024, Kiesha was ready for a new challenge. And as it happened, Carers Trust had just started looking for a Communications Intern to support our young carers team.   

By September, Kiesha had joined our team and had hit the ground running. And over the past six months she’s either led or supported work on an array of projects that are having a positive impact on young carers.  

Whether it’s her two-part animation series focusing on the challenges young carers face in schools, or providing valuable input into our communications plans for Young Carers Action Day, Kiesha always brings her creativity, enthusiasm and unique carer insight to the table.  

While her internship has now come to a close, we’re really excited for what Kiesha has next in store. She’ll soon be joining a brilliant organisation called Ignite Youth. They provide meaningful support to young people, particularly those who are at-risk of exclusion and involvement in the criminal justice system.  

With the theme of International Women’s Day – Accelerate Action – in mind, Kiesha reflected on how she’s got to where she is today.    

“The impact that both Harrow Carers – and specifically my mentor Phill – has had on my life has been game-changing,” she said.  

“I urge other carers out there to seek support with their local carer centre, as I did all those years ago with Harrow Carers. I can’t wait to seize my next opportunity and use my skills to promote positive change and make a lasting impact on the lives of young people.” 
 
If you're a carer and are looking for support, find your local carers centre.