Experiences of young adult carers at Oxford

"I studied French and Linguistics at Somerville College, graduating in 2025. I had the best time and will always cherish the memories I made there! I came to Oxford extremely nervous, but the college environment really helped me to flourish.

The journey so far

I grew up living with my Mum and sister, who I helped to look after due to her disabilities. We have a very strong relationship which was strengthened by the caring aspect as well. I received excellent support from a local young carers service growing up, who I volunteered for throughout my time at Oxford.

What has your time at Oxford been like? 

Being at Oxford helped me to become more confident in advocating for young carers nationally, and I was very lucky to get involved in some parliamentary opportunities with Carers Trust and Be Free Young Carers.

I met more young carers than expected at Oxford, and whilst we are all lucky to have the opportunity to study here, we are very aware that many young carers across the country are not able to access higher education. The Crankstart Scholarship made an enormous difference to me during my time at Oxford, and I also received a travel grant to visit organisations supporting young carers in Canada.

Looking to the future

Looking ahead, I'm starting my first full-time job in the charity sector, and am looking forward to trying out a policy role within the charity sector!"