Kathy's story

As a young carer, I felt alone and left behind, worried that my role would mean I missed out while my peers thrived.

Through the support from local carers' centres and Carers Trust, and by taking part in their internship programme, I learned to be proud of being a carer and the skills that came with it.

By caring from the age of 10, I had learned to control my finances and use spreadsheets in a far more realistic way than my friends who learned in IT classes.

I developed the ability to know when to speak and how to speak to different audiences through empathy and practice in supporting my mother at appointments.

This mix of confidence and direct support led me to believe I could keep up with my education and study for the PhD I always dreamed of.

I am just a few months away from completing this journey and have already begun a full-time job working in Equality and Diversity in Higher Education.

Now I can help other carers, other disabled people, and many more access the amazing experiences I had.

People are always amazed by my ability to manage my time, and I wouldn't be able to do this without having been a carer. Caring has provided me not just with time management skills, but also the resilience to get through.