Volunteering at our Scottish Young Carers Festival!

Young carers are young people under 18 who provide unpaid care for a family member or a friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.

The Scottish Young Carers Festival provides the opportunity for young carers to meet other young people in similar situations, to have a break from caring and of course, have fun! The event is also attended by key decision makers where young carers can share their experiences, the impact that caring has on them and suggest changes that could make their lives better.

Last year, we welcomed over 500 young carers. We need lots of volunteers to make sure our Festival is a safe and enjoyable event!

‘Just wait until you see the children at the Festival smile and laugh…It makes it all worth it.’

We spoke with Bekah who has been volunteering at our Scottish Young Carers Festival since 2019. Read more about Bekah’s experience below.

  1. When did you start volunteering at the Festival and why?

I began to volunteer at the Festival in 2019 because as a child I went to the first ever Scottish Young Carers Festival with my local young carers group, where I made lifelong friends, received the help and experience I required to go to university vie the media team and I want to help make another child's future be happy.  

  1. What are some typical jobs you do as a Festival volunteer?

There are a number of things you can do to help. This can be ensuring that the team leaders/other volunteers have access to coffee (its needed!), monitoring the activities (the therapets were lovely), ensuring that everyone has a shot on the gaming consoles, keeping watch over the disco, general litter picking or being a friendly face for people to ask for assistance. 

  1. What is your favourite memory from volunteering at the Festival?

I remember in 2022, in the gaming tent, there were a group of boys who were fighting over the console and who's shot it was next. I had to explain that we all had to share and that we were all at the Festival for a break as we are all carers. One boy then came up to me and asked about my caring responsibilities and you could just see it in his eyes that every single young person on site was a carer. He gave up his space on the console and allowed others to play. 

  1. What would you say to others who are interested?

Comfy shoes are key. Get ready to get your steps up and just wait until you see the children at the Festival smile and laugh and run and literally just be a kid instead of caring. It makes it all worth it.