HAEi Youngsters’ Community at GLW!
The HAEi Youngsters’ Advisory Group (YAG) had the incredible opportunity to meet at the 2024 HAEi Global Leadership Workshop for a specific YAG-dedicated session to dive into current projects, brainstorm future ideas, and create tons of content for our socials. While Zoom has its perks, nothing beats the creativity and energy that sparks when we are face-to-face!
The HAEi YAG currently consists of 8 members: Jacob (Canada), Dominika (Poland), Eirini (Greece), Isabel (United States), Kamila (Peru), Jess (Australia), Winona (South Africa), and Ania (Poland).
Reuniting at GLW, YAG members interviewed youngsters from Member Organizations (MO) worldwide, snapped photos and videos, and set up a stand with our HAEi Youngsters’ Community postcards. Everyone could write messages to their younger selves or other youngsters, sum up the HAEi Youngsters’ Community in one word, or share dreams and hopes for the future.
We are truly grateful for every postcard we received during the Workshop!
On Saturday, Victoria Schultz-Boysen took to the stage to present some exciting projects within the HAEi Youngsters’ Community. The first, the HAEi Youngsters’ Community Social Media Internship Program, kicked off in January 2024, with the first round running from January to May. 4 amazing interns did a fantastic job creating engaging and exciting content for the Youngsters’ Community on Instagram.
This is what some of the interns said:
“It was a pleasure to be part of this program; I have learned a lot of things.”
“I could share my ideas on social media and increase my knowledge about it.”
The first round was such a success that a second round is now underway. This new round began in August and will continue through December. 5 incredible interns are taking charge of the Youngsters’ Instagram and working hard to keep the content engaging and creative.
>> See the interns in action by following the Youngsters’ Instagram
Another exciting project shared on stage was the HAE Let’s Talk podcast, which went live in mid-September. The podcast is one of the bigger projects within the HAEi Youngsters’ Community this year, and we are super excited to have it up and running! In the podcast, we chat about life, adventures, advocacy, and HAE. There’s a dedicated page on the Youngster’s website where you can read more and listen to the episodes.
>> Tune in and listen to HAE Let’s Talk!
On stage, Victoria Schultz-Boysen and Debs Corcoran shared some thrilling news: LEAP is back for 2025, and applications are open!
HAEi LEAP is an educational program developed by HAEi that allows young people to learn new skills and develop as individuals and advocates.
During the GLW presentation, Debs gave the audience a rundown of LEAP, sharing the key details. She also highlighted some fantastic projects from the LEAP Class of 2023, including resources like a caregiver’s guide, a youth advocacy guide, the first Youngsters’ Summer Camp for one country, and even a hike on hae day :-)! Plus, Victoria, one of the 2023 students, shared some of her own LEAP journey.
Many individuals have already completed LEAP, and we look forward to another wonderful class in 2025.
Still haven’t joined the HAEi Youngsters’ Community?
The HAEi Youngsters’ Community is free to join and is open to young people with HAE, family members, caregivers, and friends who are part of their country’s HAE MO and are between 12 and 25 years old.
>> Head over to our website, youngsters.haei.org, and join us ☺