On March 15th
Boca Raton, FL – The American Association of Caregiving Youth (AACY), in collaboration with the Carers Trust in the U.K and U.S. partners, are jointly celebrating a day of recognition on March 15 for those in the U.S. known as Caregiving Youth.
A free Zoom event will be hosted by AACY from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 15th. Registration is required.
There are estimated to be more than 800,000 young carers in the UK and more than 5.3 million Caregiving Youth in the USA. The UK has been providing support and resources for them since the mid-1990s. The AACY began the first US Caregiving Youth Project in 2006 at Boca Raton Community Middle School and has since served more than 2,150 student-caregivers and their families. Most spent at least 20 hours each week caregiving in addition to their schoolwork.
Unlike the UK, the US government has yet to provide needed recognition and support for this growing population of children who are hidden active members of the healthcare team providing personal care, medications, translation, and assistance with medical equipment, cooking, and more.
One Zoom guest is Daniela Castro-Martinez who is now a freshman at Stanford University. For several years she provided care for her mother who had ALS. Another featured guest is Andy McGowan of the UK where he heads policy for Young and Young Adult Carers there through its Carers Trust and founded the Young Carers Alliance, a network of over 150 organizations and 300 individuals. Kaylin Jean-Louis, a teen caregiver of Tallahassee will also participate – she is an award-winning Caregiving Youth who has her own website and podcast.
The Zoom will conclude with several exciting announcements for future participation.
All Caregiving Youth are welcome to attend – you will learn you are not alone in your school, in your community, and in the world!
To register, email autumn@aacy.org for the Zoom link and access to resources. Among program guests are Andy McGowan of the Carers Trust in the U.K.; Daniela Andrea Castro-Martinez, a former Caregiving Youth now a freshman at Stanford University; and Kaylin Jean-Louis, who has her own website and podcast.
AACY supports middle and high school young people who have the responsibility of providing care for chronically ill, injured, disabled, and/or elderly family members, all while balancing their caregiving with school, time to be a kid, and often with work outside the home. AACY’s full program is in 35 public and charter schools in Palm Beach and Broward counties, FL., to identify Caregiving Youth and provide them and their families with services and resources so they can have academic and personal success. No Caregiving Youth in the US should feel alone and/or must drop out of school because of caregiving responsibilities.
Other U.S. partners who support Caregiving Youth include Hidden Helpers, Hope Love Company, Kaylin’s Caring Connection, Kids are Caregivers Too, Lorenzo’s House and The Caregivers Guardian.
AACY
The American Association of Caregiving Youth® (AACY) is a nonprofit organization based in Boca Raton with a national reach. Dr. Connie Siskowski, its President and Founder, was among the 2012 Top Ten CNN Heroes. In partnership with The School District of Palm Beach County, AACY supports middle and high school young people who have the responsibility of providing care for chronically ill, injured, disabled, and/or elderly family members, all while balancing their caregiving with school, time to be a kid, and often with work outside the home. Its full program is in 35 public and charter schools to identify Caregiving Youth and provide them and their families with services and resources so they can have academic and personal success. Under its umbrella AACY hosts the Caregiving Youth Institute, a growing affiliate network, and national partnerships. https://aacy.org/