Young People's Stories
Never sunshine and rainbows
Writing under a pseudonym, teenager Mark tells his personal story about his father's mental illness and the challenges it meant for his family.
Life as a young carer – the importance of asking for help
Nothing prepares you for being a young carer of a parent with a mental illness. I grew up in a home where no-one ever explained to me what was going on.
Ambeya’s Sahara Trek for Our Time 2018
Our Time trustee, Ambeya, trekked the Sahara to raise funds for Our Time. She shared her experience with us.
How school supported me when my parent had a mental illness
I could tell that my year six teacher had guessed something was going on at home. She didn’t ask outright or probe me. She knew I wouldn’t spill.
Reasons why I stand up for the rights of children who have a parent with a mental illness
Life is tough for parents with a mental illness – but it’s also tough for their children. It is impossible to make this issue go away so I feel it’s my duty to raise awareness of it, so these children get the support they need to help them through.
I realised why Mum was different and that I had nothing to be ashamed of
Chineye speaks about her mother's postnatal depression and bipolar and the impact Our Time's support had on the family.
Ambeya on winning ‘Young Student Volunteer’ at the Westminster Community Awards
I do not do what I do for appreciation or recognition, but when I found myself being celebrated at an award ceremony, where the Lord Mayor of Westminster, the director of communities and chief executives, were congratulating me for the time and dedication I give to Our Time, it made me realise that it isn’t officials or leaders who create change.
A young carer’s experience of living with a parent with mental illness
My name is Matthew, I am 14 years old and I live with my mum, dad and little sister. I am in Year 10 and I like school, but I find it hard to make friends because I don’t have time to do things with them, and I don’t want to bring friends home because my house is very messy and my dad is a bit unpredictable.
The impact of ‘Who Cares?’ in schools
Through the ‘Who Cares?’ project in school, I now recognise myself as a young carer, and that there are others like me. My peers in class now understand what my life is like, and why I am sometimes worried. I used to think that I was nobody, but it’s like ‘Who Cares?’ has given me a voice.
Five reasons why learning about my dad’s mental illness really helped me
The nature of mental health problems are often that they are confusing and unpredictable and this is especially true for people with bipolar, like my dad. We never knew when his next low or (even more scary) high would be.
