The project around the Digital Companion for Young Adult Caregivers is led by a team of researchers with backgrounds in psychology, healthcare and artificial intelligence. The foundation for the project was laid in Dang S.'s doctoral research at the University of Groningen. In this research, it became painfully clear how vulnerable young adult family caregivers are - a group that is barely visible within existing support structures.    

What does your project involve?  

The project focuses on developing an innovative digital tool, powered by large language models (LLMs), specifically designed for young adult caregivers between the ages of 18 and 25. These Young Adult Caregivers (YACs) care unpaid for a family member or friend with a chronic illness, disability or age-related care need.   

Although they make up 12-18% of all adult caregivers worldwide, these young people remain understudied in policymaking and support. They are at a crucial point in their lives: starting their studies or careers, building social relationships, and at the same time trying to combine intensive caregiving tasks with their personal development.    

The Digital Companion offers four core elements that address these unique challenges: 

• AI support: personalized emotional coaching  
• Resource Hub: a central place for educational materials and supporthelp addresses  
• Community Connection: contact with peers for mutual support  
• Life Balance Assistant: help with study and career planning  

The system is available 24/7, adapts to personal circumstances, and grows with the user. Thus, it provides a comprehensive safety net that traditional services often cannot offer to this specific target group.    

Why did you apply for the Impact Call?  

‘We ( co-applicant Jin Huang and  Siddharth Mehrotra ) submitted this application because we saw an urgent and largely unmet need,' explains Siddharth Mehrotra of the research team. 'Previous PhD research showed that there are hardly any specific services for young family caregivers in the Netherlands. At the same time, they experience a lot of psychological pressure and reduced quality of life, while making an indispensable contribution to our care system.'  

Thanks to Impact Call funding from the Amsterdam University Fund, the team can now take important steps:  

• The development of a specialized language module, trained on caregiving contexts and emotional support. The development of a specialized language module, trained on caregiving contexts and emotional support  
• A user-friendly interface designed in co-creation with young family caregivers themselves  
• A beta programme with more than 10ten YACs providing feedback during the testing phase 
• Stringent security and privacy protocols to protect sensitive data  
• A comprehensive evaluation framework to scientifically test the effectiveness of the tool  

'In addition to technical development, the grant also helps us bridge a societal gap. With this project, we not only acknowledge the existence of young family caregivers, but also offer them a concrete tool that really connects with their environment.'  

What do the researchers hope for their project?  

The ambitions for the future are clear. First of all, Mehrotra and Huang want to see a measurable improvement in the well-being of young family caregivers: less stress, better study results, and a healthier balance between care and their own lives.  

In addition, they aim to collaborate with educational institutions, caregivers and informal care organizations to integrate the tool into existing support networks. This will create a more cohesive safety net for this target group.