Empowering Youth Voices

Join PPI Ignite Network @ University of Galway and D1 now in this online seminar on Friday 18^th October, at 2:30-4:00pm  showcasing international examples of PPI excellence in the realm of health research for young people and young adults. The event aims to demonstrate the impact of youth participation in research, sharing insights from young people's experiences of participation and exploring the challenges faced by researchers in managing long-term youth advisory boards.

Our goal is to inspire young people to get involved in research and to foster meaningful health research outcomes.

Speakers will include Aswathi Surendran, Programme Manager of D1Now and a member of the D1Now Young Adult Panel, Niyah Campbell, Public Involvement and Engagement Lead of the University of Birmingham Institute for Mental Health, and Assistant Prof Marleen Kunneman and Anka Van Gastel of the Leiden University Medical Centre. Presentations will be followed by a facilitated panel discussion and Q&A.

 This event is open to everyone, and we encourage young people interested in getting involved to join and hear about the difference they can make. 

Speakers: 

Aswathi Surendran, PhD, is a Research Associate at the University of Galway. She recently joined as the programme manager for the D1 Now Definitive Trial.  The D1Now programme focuses on enhancing engagement between young adults with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and their healthcare providers, with the ultimate goal of improving self-management and diabetes-related health outcomes. She also closely works with the D1 Now Young Adult Panel (YAP), a dedicated group of 18-25-year olds living with T1D, who are instrumental in shaping the study's design and direction. Their lived experiences and insights are invaluable in driving meaningful improvements in diabetes care services for their age group, ensuring that the programme truly meets their needs and aspirations.

Anka van Gastel, MSc, is a PhD candidate at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. Her research focuses on making care fit in the lives of young adults (18-30 years) with Type 1 diabetes. Currently, she is on a work visit at the Mayo Clinic (United States, MN) to continue building on what these young adults need to have better conversations with their health care professionals.

Marleen Kunneman, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Medicine at Leiden University Medical Center (NL) and Mayo Clinic (US). She is a researcher and university teacher with a focus on (how to improve) patient-clinician communication and collaboration to design care plans that fit each person. She is also Associate Editor at BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, where she collaborates with patients to share their care experiences in the ‘Patient Voice’ section.