A GRANT of £129,036 is helping Swindon Carers Centre launch a new young carers project with the town’s schools and colleges.

The young carers awards scheme aims to be a benchmark for 47 education centres. It will acknowledge their capabilities in providing support for their pupils who look after a loved one.

The award will launch in February and the money from The Big Lottery Fund will allow it to run for three years.

Cath Johnston, chief executive of Swindon Carers Centre, said: “This came from our young carers asking for support and awareness from schools and colleges of their young carers’ roles.

“We have done a lot of pilot work in preparation for this and we are delighted to have got the grant.”

The award’s standards acknowledge schools’ and colleges’ leadership, their work identifying young carers, the support they provide and staff training.

Cath said: “This is not just reliant on one person at a school – everybody needs to take responsibility. It is about young people feeling confident and being able to make their schools and colleges aware that they are carers.

“We want to see them cater to their individual needs; whether that would be allowing them to have mobile phones or having deadlines extended.”

As part of the award, schools and colleges will be asked to carry out self-assessments and then work with Swindon Carers Centre, based in Sanford Street, to identify any areas that need improving.

The centre works to support Swindon’s 500 young carers.

Cath said: “One of the key things we are looking at is helping young people with the transition between schools and for them to be able to know that similar networks are in place across Swindon.

“Applying for funding was a very involved process and they are very stringent, as we had to go through two stages to be successful. We are delighted to be at this stage.”

For more information about the group’s work, visit www.swindoncarers.org.uk