To celebrate Carers Week this year, the Young Carer Team within Carer Gateway hosted a fun and heart-warming engagement activity for the young carers (aged 5-25) in their program.
We invited the carers to participate in an art competition themed ‘What or who inspires me?’, where we encouraged them to create artwork and tell us in a few words why they made the art, and why this person or thing featured in their art inspires them.
The competition was split into two age groups of 5-12 year-olds, and 13-25 year-olds, and prizes were awarded to first, second and third-placed entries. There was also an additional prize for best the submission from a Victorian regional entry.
Winners and their artworks
A big thank you to everyone who participated in this competition and took the time to create these pieces, and congratulations to the winners! We were so amazed and proud of all the submissions that came in, and wished we could have made everyone winners.
Here are the winners of the competition, along with their incredible artworks and inspiring blurbs.
5-12 year-old winners:
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First place: Kayla, 12 years old “What inspires me? Nature! I’ve made a wreath out of vines and decorated it with colourful flowers. “The beauty of nature makes me feel so happy, free and inspired. “I love seeing the beautiful flowers, the majestic gums, gorgeous sunsets and the peaceful feeling I get walking in the forest. “You can’t beat nature, and nature is everywhere.” |
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Second place: Xavier, 9 years old
“My inspiration for this piece of artwork was our poor animals affected by pollution. “Those animals inspired me to be more conscious of my waste to help save the environment (especially animals). “I make sure that I put all my waste in the correct bins and reuse everything that I can, like reusable shopping bags. “I also make waste-free lunches for school and use second-hand items such as books and clothing”. |
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Third place: Hayden, 6 years old
Hayden chose to paint Samson from the Bible. “I like Samson. I want to be strong by like Samson. “I want to use the things God has made me good at (my strengths) to help others.” |
13-25 year old winners:
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First place: Kiara, 14 years old “My name is Kiara, and I am 14 years old. “I created this painting because lions have a close connection to my heart. “This is because my dad passed away when I was 4 and he loved lions. “What inspires me is the Lion of Judah from the bible. The Lion of Judah is a symbol of nobility, strength, and bravery. I have tried to replicate many images of the Lion of Judah and I now hang this in my room to remind myself to stay strong and always be brave, giving anything a go.” |
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Second place: Chantelle, 19 years old
“The drawing is of Frida Kahlo. “She is one of Mexico’s greatest artists and was born in 1907. She is well known for standing up for her rights and going against social norms. “Frida was alive during a difficult time and succeeded through her life through her art even though people doubted her. “As I love doing art, Frida inspires me.” |
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Third place: Bella, 15 years old
“I am inspired by a lot of things. One of the things I am inspired by the most is the arts. Theatre, dance, music, I love it all. “Performing is my home. It is what makes me feel free. It is what keeps me going. I also love drawing, and painting, and reading, and writing. “Through my art, I write my own stories. I march to the beat of my drum. I dance to the rhythm of my heart. “All these things are what inspire me to live, but I wouldn’t be able to do it without two people. My wonderful, beautiful parents. They are behind it all. They are the ones who help me get to where I want to be. “That’s what this picture represents. With my painting and my performing, I write my own story, but behind the story, are my parents because they are the ones who truly inspire me.” |
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Regional winner: Sahnae, 14 years old
“I have created this piece on behalf of my brother with autism. “I drew Mario Kart and safari animals because my brother loves Mario Kart and animals. “I also drew a dog because I love to train my dogs. “And lastly, I drew a fry pan of me cooking because I love to cook for my brother! “My brother inspires me that no matter what happens just keep pushing through and don’t let anyone or anything stop you.” |
Carer Gateway is a program funded by the Australian Government that offers a free and diverse range of short-term services to help young carers improve their wellbeing and manage their caring role with their social life, work life or study.
Learn more at Carer Gateway – Young Carers or call us on 1800 422 737.
