Young Carers Training Event – 31 January 2019

A young carer is under 18 years old, or has reached the age of 18 years and remains a pupil at school. A young person may become a young carer as the result of a family member’s illness, disability, mental health problems, or the misuse of drugs or alcohol in the home. Young carers may help someone with all manner of routine tasks from cooking, housework or shopping through to family budgeting and emotional support. With so many adult responsibilities, young carers can face many challenges since caring can have an impact on their own lives at school or college, and on normal social activity with friends.

President Colin Vooght, his wife Maggie, and members of Ayr Rotary club assisted with a training day for fifteen Young Carers by arranging for them and one or two of their dependants to receive basic training in Patient Care, Manual Handling, First Aid (CPR), Message in a Bottle, Fire Prevention and Preventing Crime. The event was held in the Church Hall of the Salvation Army in Ayr.

West Lowland Battalion of the Army Cadet Force, Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service all sent along instructors who were thoroughly impressed by these very young people trying to cope with home situations which make their lives very challenging.

All in all, the day was considered to have been a great success with very positive outcomes for all concerned and Colin expressed his grateful thanks to club members Neil Beattie, John Ewing, Ieuan Isaac and Alex Thompson.