From 1 to 6 June 2021, it was young carer's week. Surplus Welfare launched a campaign called ‘Co-Mogelijkmakers’ during this week. The campaign focuses on young people who are Co-Mogelijkmaker of the life of someone in their family or household.

Awareness
A huge number of young people in the Netherlands can be considered young carers. These are young people who grow up with a family member who is chronically ill, disabled or has a mental illness and whom they care for in some way. For young carers, help can often be found within the municipality where they live. In the form of appreciation, a listening ear or a helping hand. Unfortunately, very many young people are unaware of the fact that they are informal carers, or find the term too negative to feel comfortable and identify with. To make young people aware of what an informal carer actually is and that they might even be one themselves, Surplus is launching the ‘Co-empowerment’ campaign.

Co-makers
Five young family carers were portrayed for the campaign, Surplus prefers to call them Co-Makers. They are the ones who help their family member have a better and nicer life, by making the great or (mostly) the small things of life possible. Each day, a young person whose situations are explained on social media takes centre stage. Everyday situations in which caring for the other is central and what the Fellow Enabler has to deal with. In this way, the campaign makes young people aware of what young carers do and whether they might also care for a family member in such a way.

Youth work and informal care Surplus 
Surplus youth work and Just Take Care support young people with everything that affects them. Social worker Leonie Willems says: “If there is care at home, it can be nice to be able to talk to someone, to be heard and to ask questions. Informal care is sometimes practical caring. But providing emotional support is also informal care, for example for a family member who has mental health problems. Many young people do not recognise themselves as young informal carers, do not know that there is support for them and that they can turn to Surplus. That is why we believe in this campaign that shows what young people can do at home.”

Campaign
The campaign goes live during young carer's week and can be seen on social media and through posters in various places in the municipalities where youth work Surplus and Just take care operate. The campaign was created by Goedzooi.