Grant: Café Scientifique Program-Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health

An estimated 1.25 million young Canadians are currently providing care to their loved one(s) living with a physical/mental health condition, disorder, disability, or injury. Young caregivers, those under the age of 25 who provide care to a family member/friend, must go to school, extracurriculars, and/or jobs on top of their caregiving obligations. They are a very unique demographic in Canada who are invisible to most organizations and non-existent within policies/legislation. Accordingly, almost no direct services and/or agency assistance exists within Canada to support his population. Compared to other countries, such as the UK or Australia, Canada is behind in its research and supports for younger caregivers. To advocate for Canadian young caregivers, our proposed initiative aims to organize a café scientifique to disseminate evidence-based information to improve the health and wellbeing of Canadian young caregivers. The café will be an opportunity to recognize young caregivers' contributions and celebrate their achievements. We will share our research findings via a virtual simulation, followed by a critical commentary by panelists with research and professional experience on issues related to young caregivers in Canada. The café will bring together researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, young caregivers, community representatives, students, and the general public to engage in open dialogue about young caregivers. Following the café, we will create a YouTube series to disseminate useful information to the public and interested parties using recordings from the café. Furthermore, we will work towards the development of a formal national network that supports young caregivers by connecting researchers, community agencies, healthcare professionals, students, young caregivers, and members of the public across Canada.