For Immediate Release
Contact: Jerrica Thurman, Vice President, Strategy & Communications, jerrica@amputee-coalition.org
Washington, D.C. (January 17, 2023) – The Amputee Coalition is launching a new, year-round Youth Engagement Program (YEP) to support the estimated 25,000-70,000 people under 18 living with limb loss and limb difference. The new program will focus on providing support, resources, and creating a community for youth and teens ages 10-17.
As the leading resource for the limb loss and limb difference community, the Amputee Coalition recognized the need to create a targeted program supporting children, teens, and young adults. For youth and teens growing up with limb differences, finding access to resources and a community of their peers can be particularly challenging. That is why the Amputee Coalition is dedicated to expanding youth efforts through YEP. YEP will advance the organization’s youth outreach beyond the annual Youth Camp and find new ways to engage African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and LGBTQ youth and teens with limb loss or limb difference.
YEP will include a flagship app launching in early 2023 and will offer resources and programming in key areas of importance, including life skills resources, education and training, Youth Camp, workforce development, and mentorship. “We wanted to take a holistic approach to support young people under 18, and to create a space where they can be who they are and feel a sense of belonging,” said Dr. Alicia Straughter, vice president of human resources, D&I, and the Youth Engagement Program at the Amputee Coalition.
Each facet of YEP aims to create that sense of belonging and empowerment for participants. The life skills programming will foster everyday independence and help participants identify discrimination and speak up for themselves. Education and training resources will arm advocacy volunteers with targeted training about issues facing the limb loss and limb difference community, policy priorities, and skills to be effective advocates. And the workforce development program includes resources, webinars, and more to help teens with things like resume and cover letter writing and mock interviews, along with resources for employers on how to diversify their workplace.
Most importantly, YEP hopes to put the program’s young participants in the driver’s seat. “We are building this program for them as a place they know they can feel comfortable, and building everything around what they want, need, and with member involvement in the development of this from the ground up,” Dr. Straughter said. At launch, YEP will be targeted to youth from 10 to 17, with the goal of expanding to include young adults 18 to 25 in the near future.
Anyone who is interested in learning more about the Youth Engagement Program can visit the Amputee Coalition website. And to get information about the Amputee Coalition 2023 Youth Camp at the National Conference in Orlando, Florida, please email camp@amputeecoalition.org.
###
Amputee Coalition: The Leading Voice on Limb Loss and Limb Difference
The Amputee Coalition is the only national nonprofit that serves all individuals who experience limb loss or limb difference. We are dedicated to ensuring that no one faces limb loss alone. Our mission is to reach out and empower people affected by limb loss to achieve their full potential through support, education, advocacy, and prevention. We work to provide vital resources to people with limb loss and limb difference, as well as their families and caregivers. With these resources, they can recover, readjust, and live the life they most want to live. Learn more at www.amputee-coalition.org.