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Young Carers Festival

Every summer, we partner with YMCA Fairthorne Group to host the largest festival in the world for young people with a caring responsibility at home.

What does the young carers festival offer?

girls on a rollercoaster at the young carers festival

The Young Carers Festival (YCF) is the biggest gathering of young carers’ in the world. It is an annual must-attend event for young carers to have fun, unwind, make new friends and try new things. 

It's also a political platform for young carers to be heard and influence change. 

Event highlights include, fairground rides, live music, outdoor movies, fireworks and the legendary silent disco! 

The impact of young carers coming together in this way has created a powerful and united voice about the issues they face and has provided a political platform to influence and inform national and local policy. 

Young carers radio

YCFM Radio 

The festival's official radio station gives young carers the chance to share their views, talk about their lives and request their favourite tunes live on air.  

Tune in to listen from the comfort of your camping area. 

The Voice Zone

A hub for young carers' voices, thoughts and opinions. We run interactive and fun drop-in workshops that aim to improve awareness and support for young carers.

The voices of young carers in the Voice Zone have directly influenced changes in legislation and helped strengthen young carers rights. So, come and have your voices heard!

A quote from a young carer

It's allowed me to make a lot more friends

It's allowed me to make a lot more friends

Girl with face paint in the young carers festival crowd

young carers festival video

Young Carers Festival - Video

Areas and Activities

  • Fairground: go on rides including Twister and the Dodgems.
  • Planetarium: lie back and be dazzled by the galaxy.
  • Sports: try paddle boarding, climbing, obstacle courses, yoga, BMX, kayaking and football.
  • Crafts: drop in to an arts and crafts workshop. There'll be clay modelling, woodcraft and more.

The details

The 2024 Young Carers Festival will take place from 28th - 30th June.

For anyone who has not been to a festival before check out these videos and information. If you wish to attend the festival with your group, bookings can now be made here www.ymca-fg.org/ycf/.  Any queries on bookings, please contact YMCA directly ycf@ymca-fg.org

The early bird rate for the 2024 event is available until Thursday 28thMarch, so ensure you make your booking by this date to secure the best price.

Please also see the Young carers festival 2022 report that our team have produced from the consultations in the Voice Zone. The report captures what young carers said at the 2022 festival and draws out some of those key themes that we are seeing come through from their experiences. We use these to help us shape the festival as well as our work with governmental groups to help influence change all year round.

We look forward to welcoming you to YCF2024!

Crowd celebrating at the young carers festival at night

'You really do have the time of your life here.' 'You really dohave the time ofyour life here.'

Get in touch about the young carers festival

Get involved

If you want to support the young carers festival you can volunteer, support, donate or sponsor young carers to attend.  

For information on getting involved, please get in touch.

Girls at the young carers festival smiling with paint on them