2023 Young Carers Digital Art Competition

This drawing represents the fact that I am just a normal 18 year old girl and everyone sees me as just a normal 18 year old girl but what they don’t see is me caring for my mum. I am the young carer for my mum who has a mental health challenge and I try to help out and care for her as much as I can. Some of the things I do to help my mum out includes taking my sister to school in the morning and picking her up, feeding our dog, driving her to her appointments, when she’s having a tough day I always sit with her and listen to what she has to say and try to support her through what she is going through as much as I can.

Caring for someone we love and taking time out of our day to care for them and help them out as much as we can that’s what makes us young carers superheroes. “Being a young carer is like being a superhero.” We as young carers do more than others our age normally do to care for and look after a family member. We might cook, do housework and grocery shopping for our family member, to help them out in their time of need. No one knows the identity of superheroes and no stranger knows that I am a young carer.

I play Roblox with my sister which is a really fun and awesome way to connect and chill out together. I made this photo of us playing her favorite Roblox game and I included all her friends and family in the photo because we are all her super hero supporters.

Creating artwork is an interpretation which gives freedom to the pressures.

In some ways being a young carer is like being a superhero because at times you feel as if “the world is on your shoulders.”

This refers to the stress and hard-work we put in for our loved ones.

Even though being a carer is hard we always have that superhero strength to pull through.

My picture represents all the things I do to help my little brother who has Autism. Like playing Minecraft with him, because he loves Minecraft, or helping mum and dad with my brother. But the picture of me and my brother hugging is the most important thing. Because even though he his cheeky and sometimes thinks I’m his hero. I love him and he is my superhero.

How I look after Leo and what I do for him.

These are my favourite photos of my sister and I. It makes me feel good when people think that I must be a superhero to do all that I do for my little sister. Everyone compliments me on the way I look after my sister. I truly get embarrassed due to the attention as I’m doing what I need to do everyday. I overcome adversities everyday from onlookers and strangers whispering about my sister, whether in admiration or disgust – I have received both yet I go about my day feeling proud when I am able to explain my sister’s blindness so the community understands her a bit more or ignore the strangers that looks at my sister with disgust which is hurtful at the time yet it’s a fleeting moment and is forgotten once I look at my sister. So yes if I can deal with that everyday – then I can say I am a superhero. 🙂

This artwork was based off a childhood photo of me and my brother but I gave my younger self a cape and mask because even back then I was there looking after my family.

I am still a hero even if I don’t look like some comic book character.

My artwork is showing that even if you help or save someone, you can be weak physically or mentally, because even superheroes need help. Superheroes can feel overworked and tired and might need someone to help them.

This video is all about me and my favourite things to do. I also mention a little bit about how I help my sister out when she’s feeling overwhelmed. I love being me, and I loved making this video to share with everyone.

My photo adresses the theme that ‘being a young carer is like being a superhero,’ because like superheros, carers are brave, strong and talented. My passion is studying marine biology and in this picture, I am swimming towards a tiger shark in Coral Bay. I thought that this image fitted the theme, because not only does what I do in my everyday life take courage, but this took me a tremedous amount of courage and I could not be more proud of myself for swimming with sharks. I thought that my outstretched hand made me look like a superhero posing, but then I remembered that I don’t need to pose to be a superhero, because I’m already one! I believe that all young carers are superheros because they spend their time making sure others around them who need help are ok, and thats exactly what a superhero does! I think all young carers should feel proud of themselves and take pride in what they do.

I am the oldest of four kids. I live with ADHD myself but I also help care for my three younger siblings who have neurodiversity challenges of their own and are going through the process of being diagnosed. I wrote this book to help and encourage them (and other kids) going through the process of diagnosis, to embrace their unique challenges. My experiences living with ADHD have helped me realise that I have superhero strengths of my own that help me to care for and support my younger siblings. I hope that they will be able to see that they have superpowers too!

Being a young carer can sometimes be lonely, and you have to be strong and resilient, but it can also be beautiful and rewarding.

Using a comic theme, I have changed the superhero words like pow, bang and kaboom to words that portray a young carer, like brave, kind and reliable.

Behind the mask, young carers are superhero’s with big hearts.

I have coded an animation of some scenarios that can be helpful as a young carer to my sister. I think it’s important to acknowledge these situations, implement change and create awareness so that everyone can look out for each other and be a Super Hero!

My picture shows what I would do to keep my twin brother safe. He loves the city and to climb tall things that can be dangerous. He sometimes runs away without looking out for cars. I’m not a superhero but I do love my twin and I watch out for him.

My artwork shows me stopping a bully from ripping up Leo’s comics that he likes to draw.

When Leo is hurt I soothe his pain.

Being a young carer is like being a superhero because I have the powers of Respect, compassion, empathy & inclusion. I stand up for him, help when he needs assistance, asking him to help me too, speak to others or to be his voice, fun together and draw with him. That makes us both superheroes.

Not all superheroes wear capes. Not all superpowers are visible. It isn’t always obvious when you meet someone that they’re a young carer, that’s why no one in the drawing is wearing a superhero outfit.

But every superhero needs a team to help them, to give them advice and courage, or just to be there for them when they’re having a hard time. That’s what I wanted this artwork to portray. When being a superhero gets tricky, their team can help support them, such as in the artwork where the young carers are taking a break together at the beach.

While every young carer’s responsibilities will be different, no one should have to do it alone. After all, every superhero has a super sidekick. Thanks to those who care for us young carers. 🙂

Being a young carer is like being a superhero because it’s one of biggest jobs someone can do, putting all your time and energy into looking after a loved one. Being a carer is like being super hero because like super heroes they always put others before themselves just like carers.

It shows that I wear a cape like a superhero and the inclusion of the “list” means I always have so many things to do especially with helping my sister.

It shows me wearing a cape because every day I am like a superhero doing things to help and look after my sister.