Giving Young Carers the Confidence to Save a Life

Community CPR & AED Workshop | Marsden Road Community Centre | South Shields

Supporting Those Who Spend Their Time Caring for Others

Young carers do something truly remarkable every single day.

While many children and teenagers are thinking about school, hobbies and spending time with friends, young carers often have additional responsibilities at home, helping to care for a parent, sibling or another family member living with illness, disability or additional needs.

These responsibilities can sometimes place them in situations where they may be the first person available if someone becomes seriously unwell.

That’s why First Aid Saves Lives CIC was delighted to deliver a free CPR and AED Awareness Workshop for young carers at Marsden Road Community Centre in South Shields.

The workshop provided practical, hands-on training designed to give these incredible young people the confidence to recognise an emergency, call for help and begin life-saving CPR until professional help arrives.

Recognising the Incredible Role of Young Carers

Young carers often develop maturity, resilience and compassion far beyond their years.

Although many already help care for loved ones, very few have ever been given the opportunity to learn the first aid skills that could one day make a real difference during a medical emergency.

Our aim wasn’t to turn them into healthcare professionals.

It was to remove fear.

To build confidence.

And to show them that they already possess one of the most important qualities needed during an emergency — the willingness to help.

Learning Skills That Could Last a Lifetime

Throughout the workshop, learners explored what happens when somebody suffers a cardiac arrest and why immediate action is so important.

Using simple language, demonstrations and plenty of practical activities, participants learned how every minute matters.

The session covered:

✅ Recognising when someone is unconscious

✅ Checking for normal breathing

✅ Calling 999 and speaking confidently with the emergency operator

✅ Performing effective CPR

✅ Working together with other people nearby

✅ Using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

✅ Understanding why early CPR saves lives

Everything was delivered at a pace that encouraged questions, discussion and practical participation.

Hands-On Learning Builds Real Confidence

One of the biggest strengths of community workshops is allowing people to practise the skills themselves.

Each young person had the opportunity to perform CPR on professional training manikins while learning the correct hand position, compression depth and rhythm.

For many, it was the first time they had ever considered what they would do if someone suddenly collapsed.

As the session progressed, nervousness quickly turned into curiosity.

Questions flowed naturally.

Learners encouraged one another.

Confidence grew with every practical exercise.

Watching that transformation is exactly why we love delivering community workshops.

Breaking Down the Fear of Defibrillators

Many participants admitted they had seen public defibrillators but had never really understood what they did.

Some believed only doctors or paramedics were allowed to use them.

One of the highlights of the workshop was showing just how simple modern AEDs are.

Participants discovered that:

• The machine gives clear spoken instructions.
• It tells you exactly what to do.
• It checks the casualty’s heart rhythm automatically.
• It will only advise a shock if one is needed.
• You cannot accidentally shock somebody unless the AED determines it is safe to do so.

For many, simply seeing the equipment and using a training device removed years of uncertainty.

More Than Learning CPR

Although CPR was the focus of the workshop, the biggest outcome was confidence.

By the end of the session, learners understood that they don’t have to know everything.

They simply need to recognise an emergency, call for help and start doing something.

Those first few minutes can make an enormous difference.

Sometimes, confidence is the most important skill we can teach.

Why We Love Working With Young People

Young people are often incredibly enthusiastic learners.

They ask fantastic questions, support one another and embrace practical learning.

By teaching life-saving skills at a younger age, we aren’t just preparing individuals.

We’re helping create future generations who feel confident stepping forward instead of standing back.

That confidence doesn’t just stay with them.

It spreads to their families, friends and wider communities.

Building Safer Communities Together

Every community workshop delivered by First Aid Saves Lives CIC helps create a safer, more resilient community.

Whether we’re working with young carers, schools, charities or community organisations, our mission remains the same:

To make life-saving education accessible to everyone.

Because everyone deserves the opportunity to learn skills that could one day save a life.

A Huge Thank You

We’d like to thank everyone who attended the workshop and the team at Marsden Road Community Centre for providing such a welcoming venue.

Most importantly, we’d like to recognise the incredible young carers who gave up their time to learn these life-saving skills.

Your compassion, enthusiasm and willingness to help others were inspiring, and we hope you left feeling proud of what you achieved.

Could Your Organisation Benefit from a Community Workshop?

Whether you’re supporting:

• Young carers
• Children and young people
• Community groups
• Schools
• Youth organisations
• Charities
• Volunteer groups
• Families

We can tailor engaging, practical first aid workshops to suit your group’s needs.

Every session is designed to build confidence, encourage participation and provide learners with skills they could use for the rest of their lives.

We’re proud of the positive feedback we receive from organisations and learners across the North East. You can read some of our latest Google reviews here:

First Aid Saves Lives CIC

If you’d like to arrange a workshop for your organisation, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch through our Contact page or call 0191 716 6601 for an informal chat about how we can help.

About First Aid Saves Lives CIC

First Aid Saves Lives CIC is a Community Interest Company dedicated to improving access to life-saving education throughout the North East.

Working alongside charities, schools, community groups and employers, we deliver engaging, practical and inclusive workshops that empower people with the confidence to respond in an emergency.

Our workshops are tailored to the needs of each organisation, ensuring every learner has the opportunity to take part, ask questions and develop practical life-saving skills in a relaxed and supportive environment.

Whether you’re looking to organise a workshop for your community group, charity, school or organisation, we’d love to hear from you. You can contact us through our Contact page or call 0191 716 6601 to discuss your requirements.

Because knowing what to do shouldn’t depend on your background, your income or your previous experience.

Everyone deserves the chance to learn skills that could one day save a life.

❤️ Community Impact

CPR & AED Workshop for Young Carers

📍 Location: Marsden Road Community Centre, South Shields

👥 Audience: Young Carers

🤝 Partner Organisation: Marsden Road Community Centre

❤️ Workshop Focus: CPR, Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Awareness and Emergency Actions

🎯 Workshop Outcome: Young carers developed the confidence to recognise a cardiac arrest, call 999, begin CPR and understand how a public defibrillator could help save a life.

🌱 Long-Term Impact: By equipping young carers with life-saving skills, we’re helping to build resilience, confidence and preparedness in young people who often play an important caring role within their families.

💙 Our Mission: Making life-saving education accessible to everyone, regardless of age, background or circumstances.

⭐ Interested in bringing this workshop to your organisation?
We deliver engaging community first aid workshops throughout the North East. Contact us through our website or call 0191 716 6601 to discuss how we can support your organisation.