THE POWER OF YOUNG PEOPLE AS DRIVERS OF CHANGE
This month, we are excited to dedicate our newsletter to the activities of our Youth Network.
IDF Europe acknowledges young people as powerful drivers of change. All around the world today, young leaders are the catalysts of innovation and progress. Their creative thinking, will and unrelenting passion for justice is what will shape our common future. These qualities are what we want to channel into our youth programme. As highlighted in this newsletter, our Young Advocates have already proven themselves to be, and continue to act as, capable leaders standing up for equity in access to healthcare and positive change.
Their first-hand experience of living with diabetes is something that cannot, and should not, be overlooked, be it around the prioritisation of research needs, clinical trials design and/or new care policies, for example. The help that they wholeheartedly offer to those who are trying to navigate the waters of living with diabetes is also just as admirable. While advocacy work at European level is crucial, we must also celebrate their work at national level. By organising events, engaging in national policy-making with their diabetes association, and supporting those in need, they truly set an example to us all.
Not only does IDF Europe provide a unique platform for them to have their voice heard, but we also work and fight together with them for their rightful place at every table where a decision is made concerning them - as they say, “Nothing about us, without us!” Through programmes such as the IDF Europe Youth Leadership Lab, we empower young people living with diabetes and help them take their first steps in their advocacy journey. By creating a pan-European network of young advocates we encourage the sharing of experiences and practices, foster connections between leaders across Europe and provide opportunities for self-development.
Together, let's celebrate their spirit, dedication and potential through stories of empowerment and growth and the remarkable influence that young minds bring to our world.
IDF EUROPE YOUTH LEADERSHIP LAB
The IDF Europe Youth Leadership Camp (YLC) was launched in 2011 and has since been one of the pillars of IDF Europe activities.
With the aim of supporting the development of advocacy skills, encouraging the sharing of knowledge and the co-creation of successful activities, each year the camp contributes to nurturing a new generation of young diabetes advocates and creating a strong network of people willing to effect positive change within the diabetes community.
Reflecting the health situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, an online-based leadership training programme, the Youth Leadership Lab (YLL), was developed as an alternative to the physical YLC to provide a space for co-creation and collaborative thinking for young advocates.
The YLC returned after the pandemic in 2022, hosted by the Polish Diabetes Association. It has since moved to becoming a hybrid model.
Youth Leadership Camp 2023
This year, the on-site YLC was hosted by the Bulgarian Diabetes Association in Bankya, Bulgaria, from 9 to 15 July. The overarching theme “Health for all” was chosen to reflect on the differences and inequalities in access to diabetes care across Europe. Two sub-themes allowed participants to focus more specifically on the role of young people and that of technology to address these inequalities.
During the camp, participants had the chance to develop their advocacy skills under the guidance of former YLL participants serving as mentors and inspirational speakers who delivered interactive workshops, talks and presentations.
Throughout the week, participants worked on the project ideas that had been discussed during the online working group sessions and presented their final projects on the last day of the camp. One group pitched the idea of an IDF Europe Youth Podcast, aimed at young people living with diabetes and at people wishing to learn more about diabetes. The other group presented a social media campaign strategy based around the idea that #OneSizeDoesNotFitAll.
Participants' feedback highlighted the friendships developed, the new knowledge gained as well as the dedication and engagement of the speakers during the week. Participants left with high hopes and feeling highly motivated to advocate for their community.
’’The camp equipped us with practical tools to drive positive change and create impactful initiatives within our diabetes communities. From building awareness campaigns to organizing educational events, we are now confident in our abilities to lead effectively and inspire others to join the cause”
- camp participant
The role of mentors
A key feature of the IDF Europe Youth Leadership Programme is the near-peer mentoring approach. At IDF Europe we believe that the most effective mentors are those with the most relevant experience, not necessarily the most experienced. In the context of the youth programme, YLC/YLL alumni are best placed to play this role as they can empathise with the stage of their life that the YLL participants are at, while still being able to recall the specific actions that helped them with their own development.
For mentors, this brings the satisfaction to give back to their community, to gain new perspectives, to improve their communication and leadership skills and to boost interpersonal skills and self-confidence.
THE IDF EUROPE YOURAH NETWORK
In a constantly evolving world, IDF Europe strongly believes in the power of young individuals to drive meaningful change in society. That is why the YOURAH network, which consists of YLL alumni from the past 12 camps, is a cornerstone of our initiatives.
The YOURAH network comprises 76 members who engage in projects that are broad ranging, from raising awareness of diabetes, advocating for better prevention, care and access to creating a supportive community for young people living with diabetes (PwD) across Europe.
YOURAH members engage both at national and international level by contributing to the work of IDF Europe’s member associations and by collaborating more closely with some of our partners such as the European Patient Forum (EPF) and #dedoc°.
‘’The Youth Leadership Camp is invaluable experience for every person with diabetes. The level of empowerment and engagement you see and receive from organisers and peers makes you want to change the world!’’
- camp participant
So, let’s change the world together!
Alumni get-togethers
To strengthen the unique sense of community within YOURAH, alumni get-togethers were first launched last year. These events provide a platform for past members to reconnect, share their journeys and continue contributing to our advocacy efforts.
IDF Europe Hackathon 2022
As part of this, the first ever IDF Europe Hackathon was held in Brussels, Belgium from October 14-16, 2022. Twenty-five alumni from the YLC and YLL from 17 different countries travelled to Brussels to participate in the Hackathon for a weekend of collaboration and idea generation on the theme of the Blue Circle – the universal symbol for diabetes.
The Hackathon weekend’s main objective was to facilitate the sharing of expertise, build relationships and develop resources for the diabetes community. Participants worked on various projects centred around the Blue Circle theme. The event included workshops, team-building exercises and presentations by inspiring guest speakers.
IDF Europe YOURAH FORUM 2023
This year’s event will follow a new format. Starting in October in Lisbon, Portugal, future get-together events will be co-hosted by YLL/YLC Alumni themselves in collaboration with their national diabetes organisations and IDF Europe. This will contribute to developing a fully tailored programme from the perspective of young leaders.
In 2023, the goal of the YOURAH Forum will be to unite the voice of the young diabetes community and to identify advocacy strategies to keep diabetes high on the political agenda at national and European levels.
We wish to thank the Portuguese YLC Alumni and APDP – Diabetes Portugal for being the firsts to host this event!
Are you a YLC/YLL Alumni?
Apply before September 8 to join the YOURAH Forum in Portugal!
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT: ADVOCACY
IDF Europe believes that the voice of youth should be heard and should be instrumental in shaping the future of diabetes prevention, management and care. For that reason, we involve our YOURAH members in our advocacy campaigns and encourage them to share their perspectives, challenges and insights. Some of the most outstanding advocacy initiatives over the past year included:
World Health Day 2023
This year, to celebrate World Health Day and the 75th anniversary of WHO, we asked our community, including our YOURAH network, what ‘Health For All’ means to them.
European Mental Health Week 2023
On the occasion of European Mental Health Week 2023, we raised awareness of the impact of diabetes on mental health by asking members of our community how diabetes affects their mental health. Their insights and experiences are included in a booklet that contributes to highlight the importance of access to psychological support for PwD.
World Diabetes Day 2022
On World Diabetes Day 2022, our YOURAH advocates shared their thoughts on what changes they would like to see in their respective countries 100 years after the discovery of insulin.
Events at the EU institutions
During various events organised by IDF Europe at the EU institutions, YOURAH members were invited to share their perspectives on diabetes-related topics and to participate in panel discussions with other diabetes stakeholders.
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT: RESEARCH PROJECTS
Another type of engagement is participation in IDF Europe’s EU-funded research projects, leveraging resources and collaborating with other organisations to drive innovation and improve diabetes care across the European Union. These projects offer valuable opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing and developing new strategies to address the real needs of PwD.
Type 1 diabetes (T1D) affects 1.1 million children and adolescents including 296,500 in Europe. Each year, about 31,000 new cases are diagnosed in Europe. T1D is an autoimmune condition requiring daily insulin injections without which they would die.
IDF Europe is part of the EU-funded "Advancing Innovative Stem Cell-based Therapy for Diabetes in Europe" (ISLET) project. This five-year project aims to develop and market human pluripotent stem cell-derived therapy for T1D, enhancing treatment options for PwD.
Within this project, we initiated a dialogue between young scientists and young PwD to explore the best ways of broadening understanding of scientific research among the general public.
As part of this, members of our YOURAH network shared their stories, inspirations and experiences about living with diabetes in the video “It’s good to be connected”.
Additionally, in January 2023, IDF Europe published a blog post, which lists the main questions young PwD asked the scientists, both looking at the potential of the ISLET project as well as the scientists’ own interests and motivation when conducting research.
Some YOURAH members are also currently developing a series of blog entries to be launched next November on “The everyday life of a person living with T1D explained through science”.
"Sport&Diabetes", a project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union, aimed to promote participation in sport of youths living with T1D by educating sports coaches and teachers as well as addressing the key barriers to participation among children, adolescents and their parents.
Two of the project’s key outputs are a comprehensive handbook and a comic book providing easy-to-use information about the basics of doing sport when living with diabetes.
One of the project’s last activities was a children’s camp, held in Split, Croatia at the end of November 2022, with the participation of six young advocates living with T1D, members of the IDF Europe YOURAH network, acting as mentors. The Youth Mentor Team played a very important role, bringing in their own, distinct experiences of managing glycaemic control when practicing sport.
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY
Each year, August 12 marks International Youth Day (IYD). In 2023, with the theme “Green skills for youth: towards a sustainable world”, the day highlighted the importance of equipping young people with green skills to act as catalysts who can lead the transition to a greener future.
On this day, members of our YOURAH network shared their views on their role as advocates and drivers of change not only in diabetes but also in fighting for a more sustainable future.
|
Intergenerational Solidarity In 2022, members of the YOURAH network joined IYD with the aim of raising awareness about age stigmatisation associated with diabetes. On August 12, they shared their thoughts on diabetes care in their respective countries and how care differs by generation, what changes they hope to see for PwD and how their advocacy work can create a world for all ages. 
Youth Engagement for In 2020, our IYD campaign included several components such as an open letter from the YOURAH network to EU Leaders calling for a more youth-friendly EU, a webinar titled “Youth engagement in diabetes: what does it mean to you” and the introduction to the public of a series of profiles of young diabetes advocates who participated in the YLC. 
|
|
Transforming Food Systems IYD 2021 focused on the role of young people in transforming food systems for human and planetary health. To mark the day, IDF Europe in collaboration with several YOURAH members published an editorial on the relationship between food systems and diabetes. 
Youth Building Peace To mark IYD 2017, members of the YOURAH network organised a webinar which included a panel discussion in which they exchanged their perspectives on the topic of transitioning from paediatric to adult diabetes care and presentation on diabetes and heat. 
|
Do you want to know more about IDF Europe's news and events? Please confirm that you are still happy to hear from us!
