Volunteer Spotlight: Rebekah Clark - The Dixon Community

womenpostissue 5Community

Apr 21

Written By Greater Govanhill

Rebekah has been caring her sister since she was very young and found that her school didn’t understand the challenges she faced. But she found support in the Dixon Community ‘Young Carers Group’, where she made lifelong friends. Now she volunteers with the group to give back to the community.

As told to Rhiannon J Davies | Photos by Eoin Carey

In a way, I’ve been a carer since the day I was born. My older sister is severely disabled and so I’ve always been caring for her. She lives in a supported living house now and I live in my own home. But I’m still one of her legal guardians.

Being a young carer made me mature at a very young age. When my friends at school were all acting up and causing havoc for their mums and dads, I was sitting there going ‘you shouldn’t be doing that’. I missed out on a lot of friends’ activities, like going to the cinema, on holiday or to parties because I was caring. It made some friendships quite challenging; they couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t just come out. But I don’t regret it at all.

School was difficult. It took them until I was in my sixth year for them to understand how involved I was. They’d be asking why I hadn’t done my homework. But I just didn’t have the time. I was never late, and I had 100% attendance, but studying and doing homework was a challenge. It was only after I left school and won the “Bighearted Carer of the Year” award that I think they realised what had been going on.

My mum, sister and me moved to Govanhill from Aberdeenshire when I was eight years old. We never had much support when we were living in the countryside. It only started when we moved and were able to get an accessible house suitable for my sister as a wheelchair user. I joined the Young Carers Group, and every Thursday, I’d get together with other young carers and we would just have some time to hang out and not worry about caring. I made lifelong friends.

The group helped me get through everything. They noticed my interest in media and got me some experience doing radio. It meant I went to uni and studied television. I’ve worked for the BBC, STV, Clyde 1 and others. But I work in property now though as I still support my sister, so I needed a nine-to-five; something with stability.

It was only when I bought my house that I realised I had free time on my hands. That’s when I got in touch with the Dixon Community and said I’d like to give back. I asked if I could help young carers to understand that with the right support you can achieve your dreams. You can get your house, get your qualifications and have a job that you love.

I volunteer at three different places, because volunteers helped me get to where I am. As well as the carers’ centre, I volunteer with the Sick Children’s Hospital radio station and the Buttercups group that supports young girls to make new connections and learn new skills.

So many young people don’t realise they are carers. They just think they help their mum out. But you don’t have to be supporting someone in a wheelchair to be a carer. It can be someone who needs help in a completely different way. Carers Centres throughout Glasgow go into schools now and are realising just how many young people have caring responsibilities. It’s totally different from when I was a kid.

It’s down to each individual whether they want to share their story or not. Some young people think that it’s no one else's business. However, some kids really need to talk about it, need to get off their chest, and they need to understand that there are other people in the same situation. Everyone, especially teachers, need to be aware that they have no idea how hard someone’s life is back home.

You can start volunteering with just even an hour a week. It doesn’t have to take up much time. You can do something so small, and it can help so much.

The Dixon Community was established in 1972, a multicultural organisation providing care and support to older people and carers in the South East of Glasgow, through two main projects: Day Opportunities; and Glasgow South East Carers Centre.

To volunteer or attend day opportunities, phone: 0141 423 2481.

Carers Support: If you care for a relative, partner or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has poor mental health or substance misuse problems you can refer yourself for support