Young Scot has been praised by its European partners for connecting with young carers during lockdown
A Scottish charity has received international recognition for its work with young people.
Young Scot, the national youth information and citizenship charity, has been awarded the Best Knowledge of Young People Award at the European Youth Card Association’s (EYCA) Excellence Awards 2020.
The awards celebrate the best youth projects across Europe. Young Scot was recognised for its Do I Look Like I Care? campaign that launched earlier this year during Carers Week 2020. The campaign was designed to promote the new digital entitlements on offer to young carers across Scotland as part of the Young Carers Package #YSCarers.
The free entitlement package is available to anyone aged 11-18-years-old who regularly cares for a family member, friend, or member of their community on a long-term and unpaid basis. Young people access the package using their Young Scot National Entitlement Card.
When lockdown began, Young Scot quickly redesigned the Young Carers Package #YSCarers, taking into account government guidelines and restrictions. The package was adapted to the changing world, providing young carers with online opportunities for self-care and help to stay connected with others. It included access to mindfulness apps, mobile data, period product vouchers and online retailer vouchers.
With the support of the Scottish Government, Young Scot launched a national social media campaign using the tag line Do I Look Like I Care? encouraging young people to self-identify as a carer. The campaign featured crowd-sourced content of young carers as well as a video from the First Minister thanking young carers and encouraging them to take advantage of offer. The creative direction of the campaign was developed in partnership with the Emperor agency in Edinburgh.
The campaign gained impressive reach on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook and has now been seen by over one million people on social media alone. As a result, applications for the Young Carers Package #YSCarers have doubled.
Louise Macdonald OBE, chief executive of Young Scot, said: “A lot of the time young people don’t see themselves as a young carer. Our aim is to support them in their caring role by raising awareness of the resources and services on offer to them. We’re thrilled to have been awarded the ‘Best Knowledge of Young People’ Award and that our Do I Look Like I Care? campaign was has been recognised in this way by our European peers.”
For more information visit young.scot/campaigns/national/young-carers
