Young carers welcome new careers support

A leading careers advice programme has expanded its remit to offer more support to help young carers across West Lancashire to study at College or University.

Future U, which works with Schools and Colleges across Lancashire to encourage more young people to consider higher education, is running a series of mentoring sessions with young carers to ensure they don't fall through the net when it comes to applying for higher and further education.

Future U's sessions, delivered in partnership with Barnardo's, help young carers to explore ways to overcome their barriers to education, as well as information on the support available to them in applying for University. The sessions allow the young carers to get equal access to the training and development that will guide them in their employment, education and personal lives.

Research shows that young carers are twice as likely to end up out of education, employment or training when they leave School, while one in four young carers say that their caring responsibilities have prevented them from going to University.

Rachel Ibram, from the Lancashire Young Carers Service at Barnardo's, added:- "Many of the young carers we support juggle their caring role alongside their education, amongst many other responsibilities, and feel that there is a lot to consider when deciding on their future. This mentoring programme has allowed them to explore their options and develop new skills in a safe space. The programme has provided our young carers with the opportunity to ask questions of people who have the right information to support them, meet other young carers facing similar challenges and to make the 1st step in considering their future in further education."

Oliver Norris, Outreach Officer at Future U, said:- "Despite the responsibilities and pressure of being a young carer, they have shown great commitment to the sessions, learning about concepts such as the Belief Cycle and the Healthy Mind Platter. It's been inspiring to hear how they have been using these ideas to make positive changes in their own lives and I'm excited to continue supporting the learners to make some big decisions about their future pathway in the final sessions."

It is estimated that there are around 800,000 young carers in England, equivalent to 6 young carers in every Secondary School in the country.

Future U works across Lancashire to increase the career and higher education knowledge of young people and encourage teenagers to think about studying at University and their career aspirations.

The project also supports families and young people from areas which are currently underrepresented in higher education, including:- Ormskirk and Skelmersdale, and works with adult learners, children in care, young carers and students from military families.

Since the start of the project in 2017, Future U has delivered over 1,100 careers activities across 70 Schools and Colleges in the area, in addition to creating a range of educational and careers resources available to download from its website:- LancashireFutureU.Org.UK.

Future U is part of the national Uni Connect Programme, funded by the Office for Students, and involves institutions and organisations across the county including:- University of Central Lancashire, Lancaster University, Edge Hill University and the University of Cumbria. Its list of partners also include Blackburn College, The Blackpool 6th Form College, Blackpool and the Fylde College, Burnley College, Kendal College, Lancashire County Council, Lancashire Enterprise Partnership, Myerscough College, Nelson and Colne College Group, Preston College, STEMFirst, Runshaw College, The Lancashire Colleges, West Lancashire College.

Make a difference by registering as a blood or organ donor

DONATING blood or organs are the most important things you can do to make a difference to someone else's life, according to new research which ranks altruistic acts. A survey of 2,189 adults in England placed blood and organ donation top in a poll of ways that people felt they could make a real difference to other people's lives.

As most New Year resolutions are starting to fade by mid January, NHS Blood and Transplant are urging people not to ditch their New Year resolution but instead switch and make a pledge to register as a blood or organ donor.

In the survey carried out by Kantar's Omnibus for NHS Blood and Transplant, back in December 2021, found that when respondents were asked:- "When it comes to making a real difference in people's lives, which of these do you think are the most important things that someone could do?"

Donating organs or giving blood came out as the 2 most important steps that people can take:-

► 42% of people citing organ donation as the most important.

► 43% of people saying giving blood was most important.

Other ways people were asked to list in terms of importance included:- giving to charity, donating to food banks or doing voluntary work.

Respondents said the biggest motivation for giving blood or donating organs was that they could help save or improve someone else's life.

Other reasons were to help the NHS, that donation is the:- 'right thing to do' and that it:- 'feels good' to do something for others.

One organ donor can save or transform up to nine lives after their death through organ donation and save and transform even more by donating tissue.

In 2020 to 2021, across the UK, 3,391 people had their lives saved thanks to the generosity of 1,180 people who donated their organs after death.

Even though organ donation has moved to an opt out system across England, Scotland and Wales, families will still always be consulted before donation goes ahead.

This means it is still just as important as ever to let your family know what you want to happen; we urge people to speak with your family to share your decision as well as record it on the NHS Organ Donor Register.

In 2021, 132,172 new blood donors made their 1st step in making a difference and donated blood. NHSBT needs around 450 donors a day to meet demand.

Blood is needed to help the NHS provide life saving transfusions to people with blood disorders, as well as for use in trauma emergencies, childbirth, during surgery, and in cancer treatments.

On average around 1.4 million units of blood are issued to Hospitals each year.

Blood donation is safe, easy and takes just 1 hour. Each donation can save or improve up to three lives. People can also donate plasma and platelets at some centres.

Helen Duggan, Assistant Director of Marketing and Creative Services at NHS Blood and Transplant, said:- "New Year is a time when lots of people make resolutions to make a change for the better, but many of these resolutions don't last longer than a few days or weeks and many people feel disheartened when they fail. Instead, we want to highlight the simple ways that people can feel good by making a positive change and help to save lives; by donating blood or by having a conversation with their loved ones about their organ donation decision and registering as an organ donor. We're heartened to see the results of this survey which shows altruistic giving is still a top priority for people and as we begin a new year we hope that feeling of giving will continue to shape our communities."

You can save three lives in just 1 hour by donating blood. Register today and book and appointment by calling:- 03001232323, downloading the GiveBloodNHS app, or visiting:- Blood.Co.UK.

Find out about organ donation, and register your organ donation decision, at:- OrganDonation.Co.UK or call:- 03001232323. Users of the NHS app can also use this to check, update or register their decision.