We Care Too is a multi-platform campaign created with Young Adult Carers. Our design solution was built on the raw, honest testimony of young people sacrificing their formative years to care for others. Through the co-creation process we pride ourselves on; we worked closely with 20 Young Adult Carers and discovered that a common theme was they often feel their identity is consumed by their caring responsibilities.

Square black image with the words

Their uniqueness, passions and interests are overshadowed by their role as carers. We wanted to capture this within the campaign; to raise awareness of the breadth of the role, and to be relevant and relatable to the target audience. We worked closely with the group who made the key decisions, created the scripts, and worked with us to design storyboards; all of which, helped the group to explore their feelings and test how they could be articulated through a range of design concepts.

Key achievements:

  • Co-created a design solution with 20 young carers
  • Increased referrals to Newcastle Carers by 73%
  • 1,857,283 views of digital and printed billboards
  • Coverage on BBC and ITV local news
  • Strengthened partnerships with Newcastle University, Northumbria University and Newcastle City Council by sharing campaign collateral and promotional space
  • Further funding secured from the NHS to extend the campaign
  • Campaign used to secure funding from Children In Need that enabled Newcastle Carers to provide three additional years of support to young adult carers
  • Influenced local changes that expanded support for young adult carers and put carers at the heart of local decision making about service delivery

Co-creation is an incredibly powerful design tool; it’s everything we stand for. This project and this award has validated the effectiveness of working not for, but with clients and communities. The value of this process can’t be underestimated. Not only does it help us to develop design solutions that actually work, it gives communities a chance to share their experiences and take real ownership. This, alongside strategic, honest and rooted insight brings real-world and commercial impact for organisations.

Large Newcastle Carers billboard with a group of people stood beneath
Newcastle Carers bus stop billboard situated next to a tree with two people blurred as they cross the road

First image - Large Newcastle Carers billboard with a group of people stood beneath. Second image - Newcastle Carers bus stop billboard situated next to a tree with two people blurred as they cross the road

Purple and orange Newcastle Carers posters with images of people on the front

First image - Purple and orange Newcastle Carers posters with images of people on the front