YCP Summer Newsletter

Livin’ it up Summer 2015

Welcome to the YCP Summer 2015 Newsletter!

It’s finally summer! It seems like forever since the sun was shining, we are so glad it’s here. We have already been up to lots of exciting activities and adventures, so take a peek inside for plenty of news, pics and updates. We’ve got so much going on in the next few months and can’t wait to get started!

Best wishes from the YCP Team!

Supported by...

Inside this issue: 

Teen Zone



News and Updates



Zany Zone

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YCP on Social Media!

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Recent Activities

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Contact Us!

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Parents’ Page

Kingston Carers’ Network, Noble Centre, 109a Blagdon Road, New Malden, KT3 4BD, 020 3031 2757 Registered Charity No. 1151456 Company No. 8376060

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Kingston Carers’ Network

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO! May Half Term Three Peaks Outdoor Pursuits We had an awesome time at Three Peaks Outdoor Activity Centre, zooming around on quad bikes and testing our fitness on the assault course.

Basil Brush We had a fantastic day at the Basil Brush Show, full of laughs, storytelling and songs. Thanks Basil! Well done to Dylan who was brave enough to get up on stage in front of everyone!

You did a great job of representing the YCP! Kingston Museum Ceramic Workshop We had a great time at Kingston Museum making some lovely things out of clay and exploring the museum on the treasure hunt! Afterwards, we enjoyed a delicious picnic and burnt off all our energy with fun & games in Fairfield Park.

Southfields Park Picnic and Play We had spades of fun at Southfields Park! We got soaked in the water play area and super sandy in the sandpit, all followed with a tasty picnic in the sunshine. We can’t wait to go back!

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YOUNG CARERS’ FESTIVAL WE HAD A FANTASTIC TIME AT THE YOUNG CARERS’ FESTIVAL AT THE END OF JUNE! We arrived on Friday afternoon at Fairthorne Manor in Southampton, quickly unpacked and got ready for the opening ceremony and silent disco.

We woke up early on Saturday to some brilliant sunny weather and made some fantastic headbands and bracelets in the chill out zone. We also flew across a river on a zip wire and got involved in abseiling and rock-climbing!

On Saturday evening we enjoyed the spinner fairground ride, which felt like you were in a washing machine! We then put on our best clothes and went to the disco for a boogie.

We were really sad to leave on Sunday, but made a brilliant sign for the closing ceremony parade!

Big thanks to the young carers who came along for making our time at the festival so much fun!

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Kingston Carers’ Network

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

Young Carers’ Summer Party!

We had a fantastic summer party as part of Carers’ Week! There were loads of fun and exciting things to do, as well as delicious treats to eat. We’d like to thank this lot, as none of it would have been possible without their help:

Zoe for the mosaic workshop

Heidi, Rosie and Amy for the nail painting station Party Bounce for the epic bouncy Liz for being the best chef ever! castle

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The highlight of the day was the huge bouncy castle and the inflatable slide assault course! It was a hit with everyone, especially the YCP staff!

There were also plenty of games to play outside, including space shoot out and flip a frog. Well done if you were successful!

We even had the chance to create some brilliant mosaic tiles with the help of local artist Zoe.

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Kingston Carers’ Network

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

We always have loads of fun at our Welcome Group. It’s a great way to start off in the YCP, to get to know the staff and meet new people in a small group!

We usually make delicious ice cream sundaes which everyone enjoys!

If you haven’t been invited to a Welcome Group yet you will get a letter in the post soon so keep your eyes peeled!

ART COMPETITION TIME! What do I need to do? Create a picture or design on a landscape design A4 size piece of paper. It should be Christmas themed and you can use any materials, create a collage, acrylic paints, oil pastels and more!

What will I win? There will be 3 winners who will receive a framed copy of their entry, a gift voucher for £25 and be invited to attend a presentation at the Carers Trust Network Conference on the 30th November 2015.

When is the closing date?

Friday 21st August 2015

Let us know if you would like to get involved and we will send you the entry form or you can download it from: www.carersenterprises.org

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Summer 2015

GET YOUR VOICE HEARD! Would you like to represent the views of young carers in Kingston and help guide the work we do at the YCP? Get in touch!

For our most recent Focus Group, the girls designed some fantastic posters advertising the YCP to other young carers and gave some valuable feedback to SWLSTG NHS Mental Health Trust about how to make hospital family visiting rooms more comfortable and child-friendly. We also enjoyed some yummy ice creams!

Well done to Abigail who won the poster competition...We hope you enjoyed your Smiggle voucher!

A HUGE thank-you to all the boys who took part in the consultation questionnaires. We really appreciate all your feedback!

WELL DONE to Jordan, Max and Lucas whose names came out of the hat! We hope you enjoy your Amazon vouchers!

The Jack Petchey Award We recently applied to be part of the Jack Petchey Achievement Awards Scheme and we have been successful!

This means 6 young carers will be selected each year to receive an award, including ÂŁ200 to spend on something that will benefit the YCP (e.g. a trip out or someone to come and run a session).

If you have any nominations for someone who deserves recognition, please let Kat know and we will start collecting votes in September.

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Kingston Carers’ Network

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

TEENS PAGE

A FILM REVIEW—JURASSIC WORLD (12A) After a long anticipated return, ‘Jurassic World’ is finally here and it’s more action-packed than ever!

Set on the site of the original park, the island is finally safe for tourists and everything seems to be going well... until a new genetically modified hybrid dinosaur escapes!

It’s up to park security guard Owen to save the day, but will he manage to get everyone out alive…….?

We can’t believe it’s finally summer! What are you looking forward to?

Take Control, Be Your Own Boss!

A drop-in service for young people in Kingston and Richmond where you can get confidential advice and support.

Monday [term time] 4:00pm to 6:00pm Are you worried about your own relationship or that your friend might be in an abusive relationship?

Are you feeling anxious or stressed?

Do you want some information about drink or drugs?

Do you need someone to talk to?

“The Basement”, Queen Elizabeth Road (opposite Tiffin Boys), Kingston, KT2 6RJ Contact Helen Terry T: 0208 547 6786 M: 07771 838341

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TEENS PAGE

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We can’t stop singing ’Worth it’ by Fifth Harmony and ‘Bills’ by LunchMoney Lewis.

We think they’re perfect upbeat songs just in time for summer!

What songs have you been humming, singing, or even dancing to?! Let us know!

DID YOU KNOW...?

Do you ever find yourself humming along the same song and just can’t get it out of your head?

Well there is an actual name for it! It’s called an earworm, sometimes known as a brainworm, and is defined as ‘a catchy piece of music that continually repeats through a person’s mind after it is no longer playing’.

Self-injury (also known as self-harm) affects 1 in 12 young people.

Below are some useful websites with lots of info about what selfinjury is, how to keep safe and how to access support.

Self harm UK: https://www.selfharm.co.uk/ YoungMinds: http://www.youngminds.org.uk/ for_children_young_people/worrying_you/self-harm TESS: http://www.selfinjurysupport.org.uk/tess-text-and-emailsupport-service

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Kingston Carers’ Network

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

ZANY ZONE SUMMER

Spot the summery difference!

WORDSEARCH

JOKE BOX Q. How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh?

A. Ten tickles!

Do you need to talk to somebody outside of your family? Come and have a chat with Young Carers’ Project staff if you are feeling sad or worried. Or if you would rather talk to someone else, call Childline on 0800 1111

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ZANY ZONE Get Creative!

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COLOUR BY NUMBERS: 1=BROWN 2=ORANGE 3=BLUE 4=YELLOW 5=GREEN

Heading to the beach this summer?

Why not collect some shells on the beach and create some fantastic designs? We love these shell bracelets and photo frames‌!

COLOUR ME IN! Homemade Ice Lolly Recipe!

Add strawberries, blueberries, coconut milk, water, apple juice and honey in a blender and carefully pour the mixture into small cups, filling 2/3 of the way. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, insert your wooden stick and then continue to freeze until the lollies are completely frozen!

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Kingston Carers’ Network

UNDER 12 DROP IN

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

The under 12s drop in is always lots of fun. We have a great time doing arts and crafts, playing games and just chilling out after school! Snacks and drinks are provided so all you need to bring is YOURSELF! We’re having a bit of a break for the summer hols but will be back on September 10th! We’re looking forward to seeing you then and hope you have a FANTASTIC summer!

WHEN? EVERY 2ND THURS OF THE MONTH WHERE?BARNFIELD YOUTH CENTRE WHO? YOUNG CARERS AGED 5-12 YEARS

(TERM TIME)

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12+ Youth Group

We have been up to lots of exciting things this term at youth group, we couldn't pick a favourite! We have also been out on loads of outings including a ghost tour at Ham House and swimming at Hampton Court Pool!

WHEN? EVERY WEDNESDAY (TERM TIME)

WHERE?BARNFIELD YOUTH CENTRE

WHO? YOUNG CARERS AGED

12+

YEARS

Check out what we made using some neon spray paints!

We will NOT be running the Youth Group during the summer months, but we look forward to seeing you all in September!

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Kingston Carers’ Network

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

NEWS AND UPDATES FROM THE YCP Contribution Corner Emma, our Young Adult Carers’ Support Worker, has been very busy supporting carers aged 1525. As well as offering a variety of social activities, Emma supports young adult carers on a one-to-one basis. She empowers them to deal with issues such as work and education, housing, personal development and provides much-needed emotional support. Sometimes, a bit of support around the transition into adulthood can go a long way!

If you are between the ages of 15-25 and think you’d like to meet Emma for some support or just a chat, give her a call or email: Emma Bell 020 3725 3050 yac@kingstoncarers.org.uk

Here’s a riddle for you… see if you can work it out!

WHAT INVENTION LETS YOU SEE THROUGH WALLS? (The answer is hiding on page 18—no peeking!)

Thanks to Patrick, aged 9 for the contribution!

We’ve entered into the ‘Young Carers’ Award’ category of the Children and Young People Now Awards..!

Keep your fingers crossed for us to make the shortlist!

We really depend on our brilliant bunch of volunteers who help us out at activities and in the office. We’d like to say a huge and heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you for all you do.

If you are interested in doing some volunteering or mentoring with the Young Carers’ Project, please don’t hesitate to contact Lyndsey on 020 3375 8226.

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Are you aged 14 to 25? Would you like some support around planning for your future? We’ve got a new project that can help!

If you are not studying, working or on a skills course OR you’re not sure what you want to do next, we can help. Our new project will offer 1:1 support to help you identify where you want to be, as well as things that might be stopping you getting there. Support will include advice, advocacy and skills training.

Our aim is to help you get on track for achieving your life and career goals.

If you are interested in this support please contact Kat on schoolslink@kingstoncarers.org.uk 020 3757 8430 or 07756 593 456

The Young Carers’ Project is GROWING! We are now supporting more young carers than ever in Kingston—a massive

438 children and young people aged 5-18! This means we have to work really hard to make sure we get enough funding to keep doing the work we’re doing!

Do you have any ideas for fundraising?

Do you live with someone who has a mental health issue?

Andora is running a project which aims to provide one -to-one support and age-appropriate information to children and young people about mental ill health.

If you would like some support around this, or know someone who would benefit, please get in touch by phone or email: 020 3031 2756 youngcarers4@kingstoncarers.org.uk

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Kingston Carers’ Network

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

NEWS AND UPDATES FROM THE YCP A VERY FOND FAREWELL! Hi Everyone!

Andora here. I’m just writing to let you all know that I will be leaving the Young Carers’ Project in August this year. I will be really sad to leave you all and have had some brilliant times since starting at the project.

I’m off to travel the world for a year or so but I’ll make sure I send regular updates and photos so you can see what I’ve been up to.

I’ll really miss you all and have had an ace time working with you!

Thank you so much for my wonderful Goodbye picture! I absolutely love it!! You guys are the best!

We’d like to say a HUMUNGOUS thank you to the pupils of Tolworth Junior School who raised a WHOPPING £77.84 for the Young Carers’ Project when they did a bake sale at school!

We just wish we’d been able to taste some of the delicious goodies!

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THE YCP ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Carers’ Week is an annual campaign that allows for a week of events and activities to celebrate carers of all ages. This year it ran from the 8th—14th June and we held our summer party during this time.

During the week, the team thought about the ways we could continue to support carers all year round. We made pledges and posted them on social media sites using the hashtag #CarersWeek

We got involved in tweeting about the Young Carers’ Festival using the hashtag #ycf2015

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for plenty more updates, info and support!

We’ve been writing a regular blog on our new website so check it out for loads more info, pics and updates from us!

www.facebook.com/Kingston.YCP @YCPKingston

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Kingston Carers’ Network

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

PARENTS’ PAGE Special Education and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service KIDS will be now delivering the new Special Education and Disability Information, Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS) for disabled children, young people and their families across Kingston and Richmond.

To get in contact with the service: Call: 0208 547 6200 or Email: RichmondKingston@kids.org.uk FAMILY FUN DAY

Are you looking after someone?

An event for children & young people with disabilities and their families

If you are an adult carer, Kingston Carers’ Network can support YOU!

Saturday 22nd August 1pm—4pm

Achieving for Children are running a fun-filled afternoon with indoor and outdoor activities including; colourscape, face-painting, bouncy castle and much more!

The Moor Lane Centre, Moor Lane, Chessington, Surrey KT 9 2AA To book your place and time slot for ‘Colourscape’ contact: David Arrow : 0208 547 6564 or Jodi Williams 0208 831 6357

The services provided by Kingston Carers’ Network aim to minimise the consequences of caring by offering practical and emotional support and opportunities to take regular breaks from the responsibilities of caring. Carers can also benefit from a range of complementary therapies and beauty treatments.

Call 020 3031 2751 for more info or check out the website: www.kingstoncarers.org.uk The answer to the riddle on page 14 is… A WINDOW (of course!)

Did you get it?

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PARENTS’ PAGE

Are you a parent with a mental health problem?

Would you like help and advice to work out how to find good solutions to day to day parenting challenges?

Families Connect is a new project. Its aim is to develop a service to assist parents reduce the impact of their mental health issues on their children.

WelCare aim to offer:

  

Organised workshops A wide range of advice, information and resources for parents to access Links to community mental health services so you can receive appropriate support

If you, or a parent you know, could use their help, contact WelCare on 0208 546 3258 or email familiesconnect@welcarekingston.org.uk

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Kingston Carers’ Network

www.kingstoncarers.org.uk

CONTACT US! Diane 07818 878 931 youngcarers1@kingstoncarers.org.uk

Chrissy 07565 540 676 youngcarers2@kingstoncarers.org.uk

Liz 07551 647 448 youngcarers3@kingstoncarers.org.uk

Andora 07824 781 705 youngcarers4@kingstoncarers.org.uk

Kat 07756 593 456 schoolslink@kingstoncarers.org.uk