Electric Storm Youth (ESY is delighted to have been awarded a grant of £2804 from the Kim Addison Fund via Sussex Community Foundation, to support the vital work it undertakes with young carers.

Commenting on being awarded the grant, Karen Jefford, ESY’s CEO said “On behalf of the charity and our young carers, we are absolutely delighted to receive this significant grant which recognises the vital work we undertake in supporting young carers in Lancing and Sompting.“

Karen continues, “Young carers have complex needs and often feel socially isolated from their peers. This leads to stress, anxiety and in some cases specific mental health issues which need to be urgently addressed. The grant will enable us to continue to provide much needed support and counselling services to more than 45 individual young carers. This will take place at the Sir Robert Woodard Academy and as part of our general youth sessions.”

In the words of one young carer “The young carers session provides me with help and support when I've had a bad week or month and want to talk about it but may not even know how to start. It is a safe space for a chat in a confidential, non-judgemental way.”

Karen concludes, “Our work with young carers is just one of many projects we run to support young people in Lancing and Sompting. Our youth team takes a holistic and non-judgemental approach to working with young people and understands the complex factors that affect their lives. In addition to our young carers programme we also run mental health counselling, general youth sessions, LGBTQ+ sessions, street-based (detached) youth work, mentoring and work-experience.”