In Australia 2.6 million people wake up each day to  care for their mothers, fathers, siblings and other family members. They also do all the cooking, cleaning and running of the household. This situation occurs daily for many children, young people and adults who care for others because of disability, mental illness, chronic conditions, terminal illness or frailty due to age. 

The Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) is seeking carers groups, media organisations, event management companies or interested companies to apply for over $2 million in funding to run either a national campaign to raise the profile of caring, or a series of festivals for young carers in every state and territory, or both. 

Applications opened on Friday, 14 October and will run until Friday, 11 November 2011. Documentation and details on how to apply are available on the FaHCSIA website at www.fahcsia.gov.au/