YCare is GNYC’s flagship program—a day-long, interactive workshop co-designed with caregiving youth and families. The first and only multidisciplinary skill, support, and education-based program for children & youth caregivers.
What is YCare?
YCare is a hands-on workshop that equips young caregivers with the skills, support, and community they need to thrive.
Young caregivers are at greater risk of anxiety, depression, and missing school—but it’s not because they’re doing something wrong. It’s because no one has supported them—until now.
Participants leave YCare feeling seen, capable, and connected.
YCare is already making a difference for diverse families around the world. Our program has been successfully adapted for a wide range of conditions and caregiving situations—and we’re just getting started.
Inclusive by Design
Every caregiving story is different. That’s why YCare is built to adapt. Our modular design allows us to tailor each workshop to the specific needs of the youth and families we serve—whether they’re supporting a parent with ALS, a sibling with autism, or a grandparent living with Alzheimer's.
We adapt every element of the program to reflect:
- Condition-specific care – from feeding techniques to communication strategies, content is customized for the health conditions families are managing.
- Cultural relevance – we honor caregiving practices across diverse traditions and communities, adjusting our examples, language, and teaching methods to resonate locally.
- Language access – we make our programs accessible in the languages, youth and families need to feel most empowered.
From the foods we demonstrate with to the way we form peer groups, every detail is thoughtfully considered. A session in a rural North Carolina school might look different from one with refugee families in New York City—and that’s by design.
This is what inclusion looks like in action. When young caregivers see their lived experiences reflected in the content so they can engage, learn, and feel valued.
Health Conditions We’ve Addressed:
- ALS/MND
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Cancer
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Traumatic Brain Injury
Communities We’ve Reached:
- Spanish-speaking families
- Military & veteran connected youth in the US
- Youth in rural & under-resourced areas
- Caregivers in South Africa, including translating materials into Sesotho & Zulu
Frequently Asked Questions
Wherever is convenient for the children and their families. We have conducted YCare in churches, community centers, clinics, and hotels.
Not at all. We have adapted the entire program for the South African context, and translated all materials into 4 South African Languages!
A multidisciplinary team of health care professionals, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, social work, respiratory therapy, speech therapy and neurology.
Yes they do. Providers receive a professional training and a professional guide in the program.
Aside from new friends and skills?? Yes they do. They also get a handbook that follows the full YCare program.
Absolutely. We have several papers supporting the need for YCare, as well as tests of the YCare programs.
Send us an email at
lukayouthfoundation@gmail.com
and we will be happy to connect about bringing YCare to your community!