Of the 70 respondents to the evaluation, half (50%) were female, 46% were male and the remainder were non-binary. Almost half (48%) were aged 13-14. All had caring responsibilities in their home life. More than three quarters (76%) have never sailed before, making this a first-time opportunity for the majority.
Before setting off on the voyage, young carers were asked to identify which of the outcomes they hoped to achieve by taking part. Participants could select any of the identified outcomes that applied to them. What emerged was that the majority (86%) hoped to develop 'new skills'.
Around two-thirds declared that they hoped to 'make new friends' (67%); 'try new things' (66%) and gain 'more confidence' (64%). More than half (54%) also wanted to 'gain qualifications'.
There were lower levels of support for other outcomes, most surprisingly, around a third (37%) wanted 'respite from caring responsibilities' which suggests that prior to the voyage young carers give respite a lower priority than OYT Scotland and funders - who perceive this to be a high level need for young carers.
The evaluation therefore sought to determine how much the sailing adventure succeeded in helping young carers achieve their desired outcomes.
The findings which follow highlight that respite from caring responsibilities rose in prominence as a direct result of the Ocean Youth Trust Scotland experience.
RESULTS