Dorset Businesses Invited to MYTIME Young Carers Employability Summit

MYTIME Young Carers is calling on Dorset businesses to help unlock career opportunities for young carers.

Businesses across Dorset are being invited to play a direct role in helping young carers access future career opportunities as MYTIME Young Carers launches its annual Summit. This year's theme is focused on Employability.

Taking place at Bournemouth University on 4 November 2026, the MYTIME Employability Summit: Unlocking Potential will bring together young carers and employers to explore work experience, mentoring, workplace insight and career pathways.

The event is being delivered in partnership with Bournemouth University and has already secured support from AW Social Value Consultancy, HGW Solicitors, Streetwise HR and the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM). MYTIME is now encouraging more employers from across Dorset to get involved.

The Summit comes at a significant moment nationally. The Government's recent Young People and Work report identified these carers as one of the groups most at risk of becoming not in education, employment or training (NEET), with a rate of 23.1 per cent – more than four times the national average.

The Summit is the latest initiative within MYTIME Young Carers' Employability Programme, which supports young carers to explore career pathways, build confidence and develop the skills needed for future education, training and employment. An estimated one million young carers live in the UK, yet many face additional barriers when taking their first steps into the world of work despite developing valuable skills including resilience, adaptability, responsibility and problem-solving.

Earlier this year, MYTIME Young Carers surveyed young people supported by the charity to better understand their career ambitions and experiences of preparing for employment. Young carers spoke of aspirations to work for organisations including JP Morgan, Sunseeker, the RNLI and the NHS, highlighting the breadth of their ambitions and future potential.

Krista Cartlidge, Chief Executive of MYTIME Young Carers, said:

"Young carers are already developing many of the skills employers value most. The challenge isn't talent. The challenge is opportunity. That's why, through this year's Employability Summit, we're bringing these incredible young people together with organisations that are ready to make meaningful change. We want to help both young carers and employers take their next steps with confidence.

"We're delighted to already have the support of Bournemouth University and a number of fantastic local organisations, and we'd love to hear from other businesses that would like to get involved."

Businesses attending the Summit will have the opportunity to hear guest talks and participate in employer workshops. They will meet young carers from across Dorset, gain a greater understanding of the realities they face, and explore practical ways to support them through mentoring, workplace visits, work experience placements and future opportunities.

Businesses interested in attending the Summit or finding out more are encouraged to register their interest here: https://mytimeyoungcarers.beaconforms.com/form/32130a40