This year’s YAC FUTURES, our bespoke careers and education event, saw 21 young carers and young adult carers come together for a day of learning, networking, and communicating.  Now in its seventh year, the day enabled the young adult carers to explore opportunities in the world of employment and the route to reach their aspirations through further and higher education.

The day is also an excellent opportunity to assist young carers with the transition into GYC’s dedicated Young Adult Carer Service (YACS) as we invite Year 11 young carers to the event.  

One of the young people described it as a ‘Well laid out event which kept me on my toes and kept me looking for more’

As many of the young people had never met before, breakfast and a ‘getting to know you’ ice breaker helped to encourage everyone to mingle, bond and feel more at ease.  Feedback included, ‘The ice breakers were great because a lot of people didn’t know each other at first.' Morning workshops ‘Change and Motivation’ and ‘CV Writing and Interview Skills’ delivered by Hooray Recruitment followed with excellent feedback including ‘ I know exactly how to plan and write my CV now.’

Besides enjoying the great food at lunchtime, the young people were able to engage with staff from nine support services across the county. The stallholders related how ‘we are so impressed by the level of engagement, motivation, and interest all the YCs and YACS showed.’

The ‘village’ at Skillzone is a great venue for the speed networking with companies and organisations setting up stall in appropriate settings – eg. the vet in the stables, and the police in the cells.  Thanks go to Vanilla Pod Bakery, Coop Retail, Hooray Recruitment, NHS Career and Apprenticeship Team, Cheltenham Equine Vets, Mcloughlin Planning, Thousand Word Media Photography, Tayntons Solicitors and Gloucestershire Police who took part and saw the young people fully engaged in finding out about different careers, securing work experience placements and arranging future links.  

The attendees described how ‘What I enjoyed most about the day was ‘being able to answer questions for what career I want to do’, ‘learning how others work’ and ‘Information on apprenticeships.

We were also delighted to host the High Sheriff of Gloucester who shared ‘It was very good to see you and hear what a wonderful job that Gloucestershire Young Carers are doing.

It was then time for a final close and goodbye, to get feedback from the young people and send them off with a goodie bag including easter eggs and skincare products. Overall evaluations from the day included that it was ‘Very good’ and ‘I enjoyed this event a lot.’

Special thanks go to Gloucester Rotary, Co-op, John Lewis, GIN - Gloucestershire Independent Networking, Hooray Recruitment Director Dan Hulm and trustee Roz Smith, GYC volunteers Pam Gorf, Amber Pirie, Paul Mapplebeck, Tracy Adams, and WI volunteer Vivien Barr.

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