A LIFE-changing project which gives young carers in the county a voice has won funding from BBC Children In Need.

The Worcestershire Young Carers Participation project, run by YSS Ltd, has been awarded a grant of £41,000 over three years from the charity.

The funding means a skilled participation worker can now be employed for one day a week by the group, which is already planning its first major event, a conference.

The money will help them reach out to young carers by establishing the group which will meet monthly and be led by skilled participation workers and volunteers.

Young carers will be encouraged to raise awareness of the issues they face as well as producing newsletters and social media updates to give them a collective voice.

Mary Lewis, team manager of Worcestershire Young Carers, said: “This grant will change the lives of so many young carers and give them the support they need to let their voices be heard so that they can inform and shape services to meet their needs.”