From the age of 11, Little Dreamers has had a significant impact on my caring role, positively shaping me into the person I am today. My name is Alycia, and I am now 16 years old, living in Melbourne with my Mum, Sister, and two cats that I love more than anything in the world!
I care for my younger sister Sofie, who suffers from an acquired brain injury (ABI), Autism and hearing loss in her left ear. As part of my caring role, I assist Sofie with day-to-day tasks, such as cleaning, showering, and keeping her occupied, as well as providing assistance with physical and emotional regulation. I’m proud of caring for her, as it provides me with a purpose, allowing me to give to others, making them feel valued, appreciated, and deserving of love.
Although caring for my sister has enabled me to gain several lifelong skills and qualities, I heavily struggled with accepting the idea that doing nice things for myself was okay. I would isolate myself, adopting the mindset that doing anything other than being a shadow for the person I cared for was selfish and wrong.
That was until my mum introduced me to Little Dreamers, an organisation that supports Young Carers who provide unpaid care for a family member affected by a disability, illness or addiction. I instantly bonded with others who were in the same position as I was.
My first and most memorable event I attended was the Little Dreamers School Holiday Programs. In that moment, I was finally given the opportunity to be my own person without taking on the responsibility of my sister. The holiday programs provided me with the opportunity to make unbreakable friendships and connections with other Young Carers, which I am forever grateful for. What was great about these holiday programs is that there were often more than a few carers in the same age group, making it a lot more enjoyable and special. Through attending these holiday programs, I was blessed with the opportunity to enjoy experiences I typically hadn’t had time for due to my caring role. Some of these activities included movie sessions, craft workshops, laser tag, bowling and bounce!
Another impactful experience for me was Big Dreamers. This program provided me with guidance and support throughout the fortnightly sessions, assisting with my mental health, social health, schooling, and stress load. My favourite part of Big Dreamers was the respite camps, which provided me with a stress-free experience, allowing me to just be a kid.
As a Young Carer, being supported by Little Dreamers has opened my perspective, inspiring me to work towards my potential future occupation of becoming a disability support worker. 1 in 10 young people in Australia have a caring role in their family, meaning that if you or someone you know is likely a Young Carer, they are not alone in their potentially overwhelming experiences. With the immense effort Little Dreamers has put into making Young Carers’ shadowed support known, it has truly become a second home at heart.
Written by Alycia.
