The project consortium is structured around the Eurocarers network and brings together a diverse range of complementary expertise, competencies, and geographic coverage to effectively support the achievement of the project’s objectives. It brings together:
- organisations that work directly with Young Carers (YCs),
- academic institutions conducting research on the topic, and
- a well-established EU-level network with the capacity to influence policy.
Together, these partners form a cohesive alliance capable of driving meaningful change both on the ground and at the systemic level.
Eurocarers brings together carers’ organisations as well as relevant universities & research institutes – a unique combination that enables evidence-based advocacy. Our network works to ensure that care is valued and unpaid care is recognised as central to the sustainability of health and long-term care systems. We believe that carers’ know-how and needs are worth listening to and people should have the right to choose freely whether they want to be a carer, and to what extent they want to be involved in caring. Our aim is therefore to act as a voice for informal carers, irrespective of their age or the particular health need of the person they are caring for by:
- Documenting and raising awareness about the significant contribution made by carers to health and social care systems and the economy as a whole, and of the need to safeguard this contribution;
- Ensuring that EU and national policies take account of carers, i.e. promote their social inclusion, the development of support services, enable them to remain active in paid employment and maintain a social life.
Anziani e Non Solo is a non-profit organization working since 2004 in the field of social innovation, with a specific focus on management of projects and realization of services and products in the field of welfare and social inclusion. The activities carried out by ANS concern: – Training and support to family carers, informal and formal carers – Active ageing, intergenerational activities and support to frail and dependent elderly – Prevention of gender based violence, elder abuse and discrimination – Fight against poverty, support to employability and to social inclusion of disadvantaged groups ANS is member of the European network on informal carers Eurocarers, as well as of the European Network of organizations working with families COFACE.
Linnaeus University is one of Sweden’s newest higher education institutions, with around 40.000 students in 200 degree programmes. The University was formed when the University of Kalmar and Växjö merged in 2010. Professor Elizabeth Hanson at the Department of Health and Caring Sciences leads a research group in the area of informal care, care and caring across the life course. A key focus of the Group is young carers, their situation and evidence-based and innovative ways to help support and empower young carers in their current and future lives. The Group has made a direct impact with its research findings by influencing policies in the area of informal care and caring, not least with the first national carers strategy in Sweden that was launched by the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in 2022. The Group acts as the research arm for the Swedish Family Care Competence Centre, a national centre of excellence in the area of informal care (Nka for short). Nka has a solid expertise in the area of knowledge translation and dissemination methods in partnership with key stakeholder groups: people with health and/or care needs and their informal carers, together with practitioners, decision makers, policy makers and researchers.
ZoJong! is a Flemish organization and the only initiative in Flanders fully dedicated to young carers. As both an online and offline platform, we work with, by, and for young carers, placing their voices and experiences at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is to foster recognition, visibility, and support for young carers at all levels of society.
Our work spans three levels:
At the micro level, we provide individual support in combination with storytelling, digital outreach, and in-person group initiatives such as Stekjesdagen, which encourageall aimed at fostering connection, resilience, and recognition among young carers.
At the meso level, we engage with schools across all education levels and organisations to raise awareness and share expertise through workshops, lectures, and knowledge exchange.
At the macro level, we advocate for better policies by amplifying signals from young carers and positioning their needs in public debate.
ZoJong! acts as a bridge between young carers, education, and policy.
Social Network VESTA, based in Bulgaria, is an inclusive initiative helping people across all life stages—particularly those experiencing disability, aging, or crisis.
A core focus is on informal carers, especially young carers, who provide vital yet often overlooked care to family members.
We strive to create a nurturing environment for carers in Bulgaria, laying the groundwork for a national carers’ movementthat advances their rights, visibility, and well-being.
Our services connect carers and vulnerable individuals with tailored assistance, social services, and essential resources that enhance daily life.
We promote health, education, employment, and emotional resilience as key pillars of social inclusion and personal growth.
SN VESTA champions social innovation, partnering with care providers and community organisations to co-create effective, people-centred solutions.
Through advocacy, collaboration, and knowledge exchange, we are working toward a society that acknowledges, respects, and empowers informal carers of all ages.
University of Ljubljana is the oldest, largest and internationally best ranked university in Slovenia, being among the top 500 universities according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities Shanghai ranking (ARWU). The university was founded in 1919 and encompasses 23 faculties, 3 art academies and 3 associated members. The Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS), established in 1961, is one of the largest members of the University of Ljubljana. FSS provides educational and research activities in the fields of sociology, political sciences, communications, journalism, cultural sciences, international relations, European studies, defence studies and numerous other disciplines of social sciences. FSS has its own research unit – the Institute of Social Sciences (ISS), which is composed of 20 active research centres and Social Sciences Data Archives that conduct basic and applied research in social sciences. Research outcomes of ISS researchers have been published by many renowned publishing houses, such as Cambridge University Press, Palgrave Macmillan, Routledge, Blackwell, Ashgate, Greenwood Press and many others.