Port Lincoln’s Madison Star Gotch won the Carers SA Young Carer Award at the 2023 South Australian Community Achievement Awards for the care she has given her mother and brother.
Madison has actively engaged with Carers SA for nearly three years, utilising the support of, and advocating for, fellow young carers.
“I haven’t gone to many of the events they’ve held, but this one I got to go to,” she said.
“Young Carers take me out on what they call carer breaks where we can do fun activities and we get to hang out with other young carers.
“I have found two good friends in that group.”
After her mother suffered an injury in 2019, Madison found herself stepping into the role of carer around the home – cooking, cleaning and relieving pressure from the day-to-day activities for her mum.
“We used to live in a bigger house, if we had been living there now, phew, thank God,” Madison joked.
“My brother and I get along much better, going through all of that, we are better than we were.”
Madison is in year 9 and currently volunteers in a curtain store on Thursdays, while she hopes to eventually get her own job and buy a car one day.
As the award winner, Madison will receive a prize package worth more than $1500, including a $500 Woolworths Gift Card, a complimentary membership to The Career College valued at $594 and a $500 travel voucher, plus a certificate and trophy.
