A workshop to creatively explore stories of young caregiving

Did you feel like you were a parent to your parents, growing up? Did you take on providing medical care, explaining their diagnosis, translating medical info, or did you have extra responsibilities when it came to groceries, or supporting your siblings? We want to create a space to share in common experiences like this and foster conversations about how these experiences affect us, how they can change the childhood experience, and how caregiving at a young age may strengthen resilience.

Over a million children and youth in Canada are young carers. And yet, many feel alone, and feel they have to keep the help they provide to their families a secret. This workshop will create a safe space for participants to express themselves creatively, in order to find meaning in those experiences.

We will provide materials for collage, colouring, painting, and writing. During the session, you’ll be guided in making a booklet or collage on the theme “Dear young carer,” addressed to yourself, your younger self, or to young people in this situation. No prior art or writing experience is required!

At the end of the session, if you would like, your creation can be added to our Young Carers’ Library, so that other young carers can learn from you and see more representations of families like theirs.

Open to people 18 and over who were affected by a friend or family member’s health or mental health when they were young (under 25).