A premiere of short videos created to improve mental health through movement for young carers has been described as “a fantastic event”.

MYTIME Young Carers, the Dorset-based charity supporting children and young people caring for family members, teamed up with national charity stormbreak for the premiere at Coast.Surf +Moto in Poole.

The stormbreak video series was led by MYTIME young adult carers aged 16 up to their mid 20s.

They worked with the stormbreak team to produce videos aimed at supporting young people with their mental health and wellbeing and reduce feelings of loneliness

Martin Yelling, stormbreak’s Founder, said: “In this project we really wanted to understand the issues and challenges that young carers face and work with them to produce some stormbreak activities they’d feel proud of but also that would really help other young carers, especially when they might be struggling.  

“Being able to get to know the young carers, to listen to them and hear their voices was a critical part of this project.

“Together we then produced stormbreak videos designed to support resilience, relationships, hope and optimism, self-care, and self-worth and aim to support wellbeing and reduce feelings of loneliness in younger carers which is so important.  

“We work with movement and encourage children to move too.

“Today’s children move less than ever before whilst mental health issues are sadly on the rise.

“This project is both timely and required.

“The young carers were totally amazing people and our team at stormbreak were dazzled by their commitment and humbled by their attitudes.

“We are thrilled to see the positive reactions after the premiere and we hope this project represents the start of many collaborative programmes in the future.”

The event was attended by community figures, supporters, funders, and those in the young carer field, including Professor Saul Becker, an internationally renowned children’s care and caring expert.

He described MYTIME’s work with young carers as “world leading” and stressed the need for such “amazing” videos for younger young carers with the largest emerging group in the five to seven year range.

Krista Sharp, MYTIME’s CEO, said: “It was a fantastic event, the young carers have worked so hard on this project and to see it premiered and received so well was brilliant.

“A real achievement they should all be very proud of.

“At MYTIME, we know that no one understands what young carers need better than young carers themselves.

“We work hard to place them at the centre of everything we do and to amplify their voices.

“We also recognise that young carers are incredibly capable young people and that, with the right support, they can achieve amazing things.” 

The stormbreak video series is available online and can be accessed free of charge here.