A NEW programme is set to launch to help young carers in North Ayrshire.

The North Ayrshire Carers Centre, based in Irvine High Street, is looking to recruit volunteer befrienders to work on a one-to-one basis with young people aged between eight and 18.

The service, set to launch in September, aims to provide extra support for young carers over a period of 12 weeks. The program will seek to match befrienders with carers who have similar interests.

Karen Hughes, the support and development worker for organisers Unity Enterprise, said: “Each young carer will have different needs. It could be seeking help with homework or having a lack of confidence. Those needs may have been picked up in the carer’s group and they would then have been identified for befriending.

“Due to every carer’s needs being different, the goal’s will be different too and these will be discussed, with them receiving one-to-one attention.

“Many young carers can feel as though they are on the outskirts of everything that is happening around them. The befriender however can help them to cope with life. For the befriender, there is a real sense of achievement at having helped someone else.”