Empowering youth caregivers through the study and practice of the arts.
Approximately 5.4 million youth caregivers in the United States assist a sick, elderly, or disabled loved one with meals, medical care, personal care, and often, transportation. Our work is dedicated to serving these young people, providing material support, community, and arts immersion to caregiving youth.
Supporting the youngest on the front lines of healthcare.
Data from AARP-NAC Report (2020). See Research page for more.
Photograph by Ally Caple, Manipura at Recess (2021).
The MCN Summer Fellowship
Our flagship summer program provides youth caregivers with 6 weeks of multimedia arts classes rooted in self-reflection, community-building, and empowerment.
Photograph of instructor, Corinne Bernard, and MCN Summer Fellows at the Fairchild Botanic Gardens (2023).
MCN Summer Fellow works on a sculpture during a field trip to the Norton Museum (2023).
Research compiled by the World Health Organization has found that the arts consistently offer catharsis, ease anxiety, and promote self-acceptance for caregivers and care recipients.
Knowing the transformative impact of arts education on those navigating illness, we have developed holistic arts education programs rooted in self-reflection and community-building for caregiving youth.
Empowerment & The Arts
Mission
We aim to to create avenues for educational access and to improve the quality of life for youth caregivers through the study and practice of the arts.
Research & Impact
The Gates Foundation found that, in the United States, 22% of all students who drop out of high school do so to care for a family member. Another study found that youth caregivers consistently score lower on measures of health and well-being compared to their non-caregiving peers.
As educators, we find ourselves asking: How can we alleviate the pressures experienced by caregiving youth? Read our Needs Assessment to learn more about youth caregivers in the United States, the work that they do, and the steps we can take to create a system of care that is more supportive for all.
See Research page for citations.
What began in 2018 as an art book and sculpture series dedicated to caregivers grew to become a series of public art installations and workshops serving hundreds of visitors in honoring caregivers and understanding the nature of care.
Now, with support from Recess, our work has expanded into the Manipura Care Network — an arts organization serving caregiving youth.
Our Journey
Photograph of Manipura at the Bard College Disturbance Lab (2018).
Photography by Rahul Sharma.
@manipura_care_network
Follow Along
Our Partners
Our community makes the work we do possible.
Donate to the Manipura Care Network to support our programs. Sign up to join our mailing list.
