How to Improve the Position of Young Carers?
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Across Europe, thousands of children and young people care for ill, disabled, or addicted family members – often in silence and without recognition. Young carers represent a vulnerable and frequently overlooked group whose needs are too often neglected in public policies. The path toward including their voices in policy-making is being opened by the international project OUR VOICES, implemented by the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ljubljana.
The project’s goal is to make young carers visible, valued, and included in shaping policies that affect their lives – at the local, national, and European levels.
What does the project bring?
Through the project, researchers strengthen the participation of young carers, develop new tools and support strategies, advocate for inclusive policies, and share good practices among EU countries. The aim is to achieve sustainable change by empowering young carers, professionals, and support systems.
The project’s activities will contribute to three key outcomes:
- Empowered young carers
Young people will better understand the importance of participation and develop advocacy skills that will enable them to represent their interests in decision-making processes.
- Enhanced competences of professionals
Professionals in healthcare, social care, and education will improve their ability to identify young carers and implement effective practices that allow young people to actively participate in decision-making.
- Strengthened cooperation and policy impact
Collaboration between young carers, policymakers, professionals, and educators will foster the development of a sustainable support model that can be transferred to other EU countries. In the long run, this will contribute to greater inclusion and influence of young carers in participatory mechanisms.
The project consortium consists of six organizations that complement each other in expertise, competences, and geographical coverage, enabling effective support in achieving project goals. In addition to the Centre for Welfare Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana, the partnership includes: EUROCARERS (project coordinator) – Belgium, Anziani e non solo – Italy, Linnaeus University – Sweden, ZoJong! – Belgium, and Social Network VESTA – Bulgaria.
You can read more about the project at the following link.
