The ArtRoom
In 2021 Daisi worked with Westbank Community Health and Care (who provide the Devon Young Carers service), engaging an artist to deliver participatory art sessions that explored with the young people their wants and needs.
The ArtRoom was developed from this pilot project and with a successful funding application to Arts Council England and additional funding support from the Northbrook Community Trust, started in Spring 2023. The partnership between Daisi and Westbank, and in collaboration with 4 Devon secondary schools, is providing space and time for a co-designed project with 3 local artists – Anna Boland, Kerrie Seymour and Peter Margerum and the young carers. It will provide a series of creative workshops over an 18-month period (finishing in July 2024). There will also be two outside sharing days, the final one being in July 2024 culminating in a celebratory exhibition.
This project addresses the lack of support and opportunities available to young carers. Young carers are ‘…under the age of 18 with caring responsibilities, whose lives are affected by looking after a relative with a disability, illness, mental health condition, drug or alcohol problem’ (NHS England). In the UK ‘an estimated 6 in every classroom’ are young carers (Children’s Soc. 2021) and this number is growing. The DfEE report ‘The Lives of Young Carers in England’ (2017) found ‘nearly 64% were not receiving any support at all.’ (DfEE)
“…we want to provide our young carers with different materials and help them see that art is not just drawing…working with Daisi artists has had an emotional impact on some of our young carers that they will carry with them forever.”
The project sets out to enable young carers to focus on themselves and their own creative journey, in a way they can access. The framework will explore how best to support and engage the young carers and their community, including:
