Arts Volunteering

The Arts Society Maidenhead sponsored Activity Boxes for Young Carers which were distributed by Family Action Maidenhead to primary and secondary schools where they have already trained a Young Carer Champion from the academic year.  To enable wider participation, the Champions, who are members or staff,  arrange regular meetings to support identified young carers in each school with a range of fun and engaging activities to address their physical and mental well-being.  The young people work on activities including craftwork, painting, drawing and soil art, with a variety of themes designed to encourage discussion, including the sharing of problems they may be experiencing and looking for ideas from peers with similar issues.

In July, we were honoured to be invited to the annual Family Action Young Carers Appreciation and Award event at Berkshire Agricultural College in Maidenhead.  This is a significant event in the Family Action Young Carers calendar.   We had the opportunity to  meet a variety of stakeholders engaged with Young Carers in this area, for example School principals, College Champions and directors of Family Action but most of all we were delighted to meet some teenage young carers who not only spoke to the assembled audience, but who also took the time to speak to us personally to express their appreciation for how together with Family Action, the sponsors such as The Arts Society Maidenhead help them.  Their various personal journeys as carers through some troubled times and now as successful students, still caring but in a more structured, organised and fully supported manner, was humbling to hear, particularly at such a young age. 

We were delighted to welcome Sarah Collin, Young Careers Manager of Family Action in Maidenhead, to our meeting in September 2024.  She demonstrated clearly how our sponsorship of Activity Boxes being rolled out to local schools will be used to support young carers in the community with stimulating and thought provoking ideas and themes.  Regular sessions will be held in each school led by trained Young Carer Champions, usually a teacher.   This is such a vital service in our area that the Committee felt they were a deserving beneficiary of our Community Grant this summer. On behalf of the young carers, Sarah expressed their sincere appreciation of The Art Society Maidenhead grant and for our recognition of their outstanding work in the community.  

Ann Smith