Charlize Pitkin embracing young carers support from Carers NT

17-year-old Charlize Pitkin is juggling the final years of schooling with providing care for brothers. Read how she is embracing her unexpected role.

17 year old Charlize Pitkin is a carer for her younger brothers who were born with learning difficulties and autism. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Charlize Pitkin has embraced her role as a carer, but she doesn’t acknowledge herself as one.

The 17-year-old cares for her two younger brothers, Calum and Casey who were born with learning difficulties and autism.

The Palmerston-based family juggle busy schedules and commitments around the 13 and 15-year-old boys.

Charlize takes on half of the load with her Dad.

Although she is technically classified as a carer, Charlize said she only identified as one in formal situations.

‘’I’m just a sister looking after her brothers’’ said Charlize.

On an average day in the Pitkin household, Charlize tidies the house first thing every morning.

Charlize Pitkin and her brothers Calum and Casey. Picture: Supplied

“I check the dishes are clean so the morning rush can happen easily,” she said.

“If it’s a school term, I help them both with schoolwork, if it’s holidays, it’s more about entertaining them whenever I need to.”

Charlize has welcomed support through the Young Carers Bursary Program, which provides unpaid carers who are also studying with $3000 to help with their learning.

The support-based service was designed after studies showed one in nine Australians is an unpaid carer.

Charlize’s coordinator suggested looking into the government-led program, Carer Gateway.

The program offers support like counselling and online peer support groups.

“I’ll look at Carer Gateway for any events or opportunities that I could take part in,’’ said Charlize.

Recently the free service organised bowling and ice-skating for young carers around the Palmerston community for a ‘retreat day’ away from families.

Charlize said she enjoyed the time away mingling with other young carers.

“Something I’ve learnt from talking with other carers, is we believe our purpose is to help others,” she said.

“If you are supporting someone who has an addiction, mental health issues or a disability … [you] have a lot more support to access.’’

Charlize said she believed the carer category was actually quite large.