Young Caregiver's Week: don't miss...
Children and youth who grow up with a sick, limited or addicted family member are called young family caregivers. These young family caregivers often have extraHealth) tasks, worry regularly and sometimes have to miss Health and attention. More than their peers without a care situation at home. To support them and make them visible, it is the annual National Week of the Young Informal Caregiver from June 1 to 7. Activities are also organized in Kerkrade especially for young family caregivers.
About a quarter of children and adolescents in the Netherlands are young caregivers. They grow up with someone in their immediate environment with a chronic illness, disability, mental vulnerability and/or addiction. This can be a parent, a brother or sister, but also a grandparent or good neighbor. Often young family caregivers and those around them do not realize that they are growing up in a situation that is different from that of most peers.
Not to be missed
Even though these young people do not see themselves as young caregivers, they do experience the effects of the caregiving situation at an early age. Can you still concentrate well enough at school when your sister is in the hospital? Or do you sometimes have to cancel appointments with friends because your mother cannot be home alone? To draw attention to this, there is the Week of the Young Informal Caregiver with all kinds of fun activities to put young informal caregivers in the spotlight. The theme is Not to be missed, as a clear signal that young family caregivers are not to be missed.
Activities
Below you can see an overview of all activities in Kerkrade. Want to know more or sign up for one (or more) activities? Then mail to: dverbocht@impulskerkrade.nl.
- Family bingo with photo contest: Friday, June 2, 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. Shevemethoes
- Barefoot Trail: Saturday, June 3, 12:00 - 15:00 Boarding location: Rodahal
- Ludicrous Care Moment: Tuesday, June 6, 12:00 - 12:45 Vmbo Holz
- Graffiti workshop: Wednesday, June 7, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Youth Center The Mix, Ursula Street 232
For more information on Young Caregiver Week and the Don't Miss Campaign, visit www.weekvandejongemantelzorger.nl.