Art Contest

Theme: What it is like to be a Young Carer

In April, 2005, the YCIN held an art contest, inviting young carers in the Niagara Region to submit pictures depicting what it was like for them to be in a caregiving role. There were 11 entries altogether, all of them different, but nonetheless a common theme emerged, that young caring is a "labour of love." All of the entries had an optimistic, up-beat note. In the above picture, for example, eight-year-old Corey has splashed his canvas with a kaleidoscope of colour through which three smiling faces peek, the design akin to a stained glass window. Corey helps to look after a grandparent with dementia.

The pictures as a whole give us a colourful window into a young carer's world, and tell us much about the 'lived experience' of young caring. Many of the pictures show young carers engaged in their daily tasks of providing care, but give us an even more valuable insight into the emotional component. We invite you to take a stroll through our young carers' art gallery, and experience with them the meaning of being a caregiver in your growing up years.

The art work has been used in the YCIN brochure and other printed materials, proving the old adage that "A picture is worth a thousand words."