Educator Experience

Access to campaign info, resources, and everything you need to implement  #CreateConnectCare in your class or organization.

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Student Experience

Get straight to creating and sharing your creative voice with your peers about the importance of youth mental health and well-being.

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#create-connect-care A Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing Campaign

About Us

Introduction to #CreateConnectCare

Launched by Creative Visions in 2023, #CreateConnectCare is a year-long youth mental health and well-being initiative that empowers youth ages 11-18 to share their stories, build empathy, and spark change through creative expression. By sharing their mental health experiences and perspectives, young people can raise awareness, foster empathy, and inspire action.

Creative Visions was founded to leverage the power of the arts, advocacy, and creative action to effect social change while supporting, nurturing, and amplifying the voices of artists, filmmakers, musicians, and young creative changemakers.

About #CreateConnectCare

How to participate

  • 1

    Select a Focus Area: Identify a specific area related to mental health, such as awareness, stigma, connection, or self-care.

  • 2

    Choose a Medium: Express your ideas through a creative medium such as literary arts, media arts, performance arts, visual arts, or STEM.

  • 3

    Share: Create your work and submit!

Recognition & Awards

Celebrate the creativity of young people passionate about mental health

Awards will be given in the age categories of 11-12, 13-15, and 16-18 across mediums such as Literary Arts, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Media Arts, and STEM.

Let your creativity shine, and be part of a movement that promotes well-being and positive change!

Creative Changemaker

$500 recognition

This award recognizes exceptional creativity, innovation, and a deep understanding of youth mental health and well-being.

Visionary Spark

$250 recognition

Celebrates work that offers a fresh and innovative perspective on youth mental health and well-being.

Imagination Catalyst

$150 recognition

Recognizes work demonstrating a creative and thoughtful approach to addressing youth mental health and well-being.

View 2024 Awards

Ready to participate?

Explore the Campaign

Partners

A community who cares

The meaningful work done by educators and students through #CreateConnectCare is supported by individuals and organizations helping young people make a difference in their generation and beyond.

Our types of partners:

  • Strategic Partners
  • Supporters
  • Youth-Led Organizations
  • Resource Partners
View Partners
Gallery

Get Inspired

Explore the CreateConnectCare Gallery, which showcases the creative works of young people who are passionate about improving mental health and well-being.

  • Lunch and Loneliness

    By Justin S.
    Media Arts

    Lunch and Loneliness

    Artist

    Justin S.

    Arts activity type

    Media Arts

    Reflection

    The symbolism of the burger shows a sense of isolationism and a sense of urgency and moral complexity.

  • Reminisce NLMG – Blackout Poem

    By Tristan K.
    Literary Arts

    Reminisce NLMG – Blackout Poem

    Artist

    Tristan K.

    Arts activity type

    Literary Arts

    Reflection

    My poem is from the perspective of a prisoner or an insititute, looking back on their days at the establishment. I hope that others will be able to relate to it in their own way.

  • Memories

    By Carlie S.
    Visual Arts

    Memories

    Artist

    Carlie S.

    Arts activity type

    Visual Arts

    Reflection

    I painted a heart, chains, lock, and key to symbolize not forgetting. The key is broken to say that no one else will be accepted into the heart. This person’s heart doesn’t want anyone else. I hope viewers feel empathy and know that they are not alone. Some people refuse to let go of memories they had with a person they used to love (orstilldo). To them, it helps them feel like they are still there, even though they are long gone.

  • The unspoken change.

    By Jiaming C.
    Literary Arts, Visual Arts

    The unspoken change.

    Artist

    Jiaming C.

    Arts activity type

    Literary Arts, Visual Arts

    Reflection

    My submission is a black out poem from chapter 2 of the novel Never Let Me Go, the main theme of the novel is about the change that people were forced to put under, and the truth that were hidden from the people around us, which is similar to the concept of social isolation. I hope others can feel the negative effects of isolation within society, and think in other people’s perspectives, when they were kept from learning the truth.

  • An Unforeseen Shift

    By Ingrid O.
    Literary Arts, Visual Arts

    An Unforeseen Shift

    Artist

    Ingrid O.

    Arts activity type

    Literary Arts, Visual Arts

    Reflection

    When others look at my drawing connected to the poem, I want them to feel the sense of urgency that society can make switches at any time. No one will always be able to make everyone happy, but being truthful to oneself is how we can live in peace.

  • The Eyes on The Other Side of The Screen

    By Delilah A.

    Your hate is strong

    But our similarities are inviolable.

    We do not share the same perception;

    Our eyes are different colors,

    They’re pulled in opposite ways,

    They’ve seen different sights.

     

    But, they’ve both shed tears

    They’ve winced at bright lights

    They’ve dilated in the dark

    They’ve widened in admiration,

    And they’ve squinted through wide-reaching smiles.

     

    Through your device, you see a million eyes.

    Exposed, open, and raw.

    They look unlike your own,

    An uncomfortable sight…

     

    Your fingers begin to fly without thought.

    Across a screen, their eyes cry,

    While yours stare blank

    with a subconscious kind of hate.

     

    Hate that was taught, through scrolls of normalization.

    You know that it is wrong,

    but each rowdy participant’s eyes

    are squinted in laughter,

    As the victims well with tears.

    You want to laugh

    You don’t ever want to be

    The eyes on the other side of the screen.

    Literary Arts

    Your hate is strong

    But our similarities are inviolable.

    We do not share the same perception;

    Our eyes are different colors,

    They’re pulled in opposite ways,

    They’ve seen different sights.

     

    But, they’ve both shed tears

    They’ve winced at bright lights

    They’ve dilated in the dark

    They’ve widened in admiration,

    And they’ve squinted through wide-reaching smiles.

     

    Through your device, you see a million eyes.

    Exposed, open, and raw.

    They look unlike your own,

    An uncomfortable sight…

     

    Your fingers begin to fly without thought.

    Across a screen, their eyes cry,

    While yours stare blank

    with a subconscious kind of hate.

     

    Hate that was taught, through scrolls of normalization.

    You know that it is wrong,

    but each rowdy participant’s eyes

    are squinted in laughter,

    As the victims well with tears.

    You want to laugh

    You don’t ever want to be

    The eyes on the other side of the screen.

    The Eyes on The Other Side of The Screen

    Artist

    Delilah A.

    Arts activity type

    Literary Arts

    Reflection

    The Eyes on the Other Side of the Screen is written to remind students to be conscious as they comment on hateful rhetoric online, despite its normalization. It reminds them that the eyes they watch on the other side of the screen belong to a fellow human being who has experienced the same feelings of highs and lows as they have. It aims to foster connection through those shared experiences, despite differences.

  • Alouette

    By Justine G.

    Alouette

     

    Alouette gentille alouette

    The lyrics transcending time and place

    Despite its undertones

    Alouette, je te plumerai

     

    A dismembering

    One by one

    Pluck

    Pluck

    Pluck

    Do you ever think of how the poor bird screamed?

     

    The rattle of a fence

    A chemical reaction

    The beautifully weaved rope

    Just like the feather

    Gone one by one

    Poof.

     

    Forever a song

    There’s power in the name

    it‘s a re-

    Membering

     

    Alouette, gentille alouette

    Lark, nice lark

    Lark, beautiful lark

    Lark, kind lark

    Lark, I’ll remember you lark

    Lark, I am here lark

     

    Alouette?

    Alouette.

    Literary Arts

    Alouette

     

    Alouette gentille alouette

    The lyrics transcending time and place

    Despite its undertones

    Alouette, je te plumerai

     

    A dismembering

    One by one

    Pluck

    Pluck

    Pluck

    Do you ever think of how the poor bird screamed?

     

    The rattle of a fence

    A chemical reaction

    The beautifully weaved rope

    Just like the feather

    Gone one by one

    Poof.

     

    Forever a song

    There’s power in the name

    it‘s a re-

    Membering

     

    Alouette, gentille alouette

    Lark, nice lark

    Lark, beautiful lark

    Lark, kind lark

    Lark, I’ll remember you lark

    Lark, I am here lark

     

    Alouette?

    Alouette.

    Alouette

    Artist

    Justine G.

    Arts activity type

    Literary Arts

    Reflection

    Connecting current mental health occurrences with an age old French nursery rhyme, this poem explores the ability to recongnize and change meanings and undertones. i want people to read this poem and see the ability to change how they experience their own lives and their mindsets.

  • Individualism

    By Isabella C.
    Literary Arts

    Individualism

    Artist

    Isabella C.

    Arts activity type

    Literary Arts

    Reflection

    My submission is a black out poetry and it portrays society as a whole and how individualism can effect it.

Our Resources

Get the Facts

Looking for more information about youth mental health and well-being? Creative Visions has joined forces with trusted organizations to share resources to help educate youth about mental health and inspire self-care and connection. Additional resources will be added throughout the campaign. 

View all resources
Wildfires Wellness

Through partnerships with local and national organizations, #CreateConnectCare’s Wildfires Wellness section offers a comprehensive collection of mental health resources for young people, educators, and parents. Explore tools, find support, and share your story through creative expression.

Read More