Taking My Advocacy To The Next Level Ft InvisiYouth Charity
I am so so excited to announce that I am a Global Brand Leader for an amazing charity called InvisiYouth. InvisiYouth is a nonprofit organization founded by Dominique Viel, that helps teens and young adults around the world with various chronic illnesses and disabilities gain the right lifestyle programs empowerment tools and fun events to keep living life with health struggles. Their focus is on the age demographic, not a specific illness or disability. As well as on the non-medical side of the medical experience as there are so many parts of life outside of illness when you live with one.
HOW I DISCOVERED INVISIYOUTH
I first discovered InvisiYouth last year when I was going through a really rough patch with my health, all my hard work to get my life back disappeared literally overnight. I was feeling really down and scared for my future, as I had no idea how I would ever have a life let alone get a job someday if I didn’t get better. That’s when I came upon the InvisiYouth Chat Sessions (their video podcast series and the first podcast I had ever listened to) through a blogger I was following Ali Hemsley, as she had been interviewed for an episode. Within a few days, I had listened to all of the episodes, it was the first time I hadn’t felt so alone with my illness and it gave me more hope for my future. I could do whatever job I wanted I just need to learn to self-advocate and adapt it to work for me.
WHAT’S MY ROLE AS A GLOBAL BRAND LEADER?
My role as a Global Brand Leader is to spread the word about InvisiYouth. Online through sharing their empowering podcast episodes, tools and other events. And in person through running my own events which I am so so excited about doing! I will also be doing other fun things like social media takeovers and helping to create awesome advocacy campaigns for InvisiYouth.
WHAT BEING A GLOBAL BRAND LEADER MEANS TO ME
What I love about InvisiYouth and still resonates with me to this day is the why behind the charity.
“Due to the focus of the healthcare system on addressing medical needs of patients, there is inadequate support when it comes to helping older youth acclimate to life with illness or injury outside the medical environment”
“Many young people feel they are invisible or powerless when it comes to their health, as well as their academic, social and personal choices.”
“This is where InvisiYouth steps in, we help young people become empowered and resilient with our tools, tips and lifestyle hacks so they can live each day to the fullest”. – Dominique Viel, Founder Of InvisiYouth
When I first started sharing about my life with chronic illness on my blog I quickly realised it was something that I was really passionate about, but it was something I only ever really talked about online. It wasn’t until I pushed past my fears this year and started talking about it in person I realised how truly passionate I am about bringing awareness and supporting others with chronic illnesses and disabilities. And that’s when the opportunity to work with InvisiYouth opened up, which was the most amazing surprise because I had no idea they even knew I existed!
During that time my beautiful adopted Grandmother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and life as I knew it was turned upside down. I had been fortunate enough to have 9 months with her in Cairns but the thought of losing her devastated me. Nana Diane was a Mental Health worker and helped so many people in her local community. On the last day she could communicate properly I told her all about InvisiYouth and how they wanted to work with me. Seeing how excited and happy she was for me is something I will cherish forever. The day I got the email from Dominique about the Global Brand Leader Program was the day Nana Diane passed away. As silly as it may sound it felt like her last gift to me and a reminder that everything would still be ok. The email was a light within the darkness for me and I made a promise to myself that day that I would make a difference in the Cairns community as she did, but in my own way.
When my health severely declined 2 years ago it was honestly the scariest and loneliest time of my life, I never want anyone else to feel the way I did. My health experiences have given me a gift through my love for advocating, networking and connecting with others in the chronic illness and disability community. And I fully intend to use it!
Check out InvisiYouth at:
InvisiYouth Global Brand Leader Program
To follow along with everything the amazing InvisiYouth Team and Global Brand Leaders achieve this year!
– What are you passionate about and what does it mean to you? Comment down below, I’d love to know! xx
