Putting Young Carers on The Map

It was a dull wet day when Tom and Sara, Young Adult Carers, joined me at Manchester Metropolitan University to present at 2024 International Young Carers Conference – Eurocarers. It would take more than inclement weather to dampen our spirits after months of planning and preparing. Today was the day, our day, to present at the 4^th International Young Carers Conference.

Delayed trains, complicated directions and being soaked wasn’t the best start to the day! It could only get better. Together with Andrea and Alice – School Nurses and Queen’s Nurses from Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust – final preparations were completed to share their excellent QNI Innovation Project – My Young Carer Health Journal.

The adverse beginning to the day continued with IT issues, but was soon remedied. We eagerly prepared for the arrival of our audience. The room was soon full of delegates from around the world including a group of young carers. I wondered what they would think of our presentation: Improving the Health and Wellbeing of Young Carers through Coproduction.

The time flew by and before we knew it were receiving a rapturous round of applause! The delegates were smiling and so were we whilst breathing a huge sigh of relief. We received positive feedback and I’ll never forget the words: “that was phenomenal!” and “I wish I had had that when at school”. Our work was commended and had gained interest. We had achieved our aim.

Planning and evaluation

Planning had been key for the event in the months, weeks and days before:

My list:

• Agreeing presentation content
• Rehearsing our presentation
• Presentation skills session from QNI CEO Crystal Oldman
• Working with QNI comms team
• Book hotels, trains and taxis

But as Young Adult Carers Tom and Sara had an additional list:

• Dispense and package a couple of doses of medication
• Prepare food and drinks
• Empty, clean and prepare commode
• Catch up with Dad
• See Mum
• Plan time off work

This was a first experience for all of us presenting at an international conference. We were excited and nervous in equal measures, recognising the opportunity to share our work to raise awareness of Young Carers and shine a light on coproduction, community nursing and the QNI.

Evaluation of the day was as important as the planning and delivering of the presentation. Meeting up in our usual coffee shop recently, Tom and Sara shared their thoughts:

“Overall, it was a good experience presenting to people from across the world. The diversity of the people in the room was good. It helped us with our presenting skills, a different audience with global participants. It was memorable. An afternoon session would be better. The scale of the venue… wow! This type of experience doesn’t happen very often. Yes, we would like to do it again. Things take time but we have to start somewhere.”

On personal reflection, the experience was brilliant. The opportunity to network internationally, share practice and enable both Tom and Sara and fellow Queen’s Nurses Alice and Andrea the opportunity to present at an international conference and put Young Carers on the map was a proud moment. And yes, I too would like to do it again! Thank you @Saul Becker and @Crystal Oldman for the opportunity and your support.

Fiona Rogers QN