beat Ambassadors and Advisors

What is a beat Ambassador or Advisor?

This exciting scheme gives young people affected by eating disorders the opportunity of taking a more active part in the life of beat. 

We need your help in becoming the voice of young people, being heard in a range of settings including national conferences, in newspapers and on television and in major research and government consultations.

We hope that as an Ambassador or Advisor, you will help change the stereotypes of young people affected by eating disorders. To stand up as empowered and empowering young people who have had first hand experience of a terrible disorder and have unique insight into how services could better address and support their needs. We know many of you have already made us aware of the difficulties you faced along the way and the services you feel should be changed. This would be your chance to stand up and tell others how you feel about this.

We hope that our ambassadors will be able to share their experiences with other young people including talking in schools and colleges as part of our on-going education work. Advisors will help inform what we do and what others do outside beat.

Ambassadors and Advisors will receive monthly e-mails about what is happening at beat and updates from the other Ambassadors and Advisors. Should you not contact us for a while we will contact so that we know how you are.

If you would like more information about becoming a beat Young Ambassador e-mail Charlotte at ypf@b-eat.co.uk

British Red Cross Humanitarian Citizen Award for ambassadors!

beat Young Ambassadors won a British Red Cross Humanitarian Citizen Award for the work that they do!

Heather, one of our young ambassadors was there to recieve the award. Here is what happened in her words.

"I was honoured to attend the British Red Cross Humanitarian Citizen Awards 2009 at the Houses of Parliament with Susan Ringwood and Sam Thomas.

It makes all of the hard work that all of the Beat Ambassadors do seem so worthwhile, just to be nominated was such an achievement for us all and showed that what we are doing is making a difference…. people are finally listening to us.

I thought that when we didn’t get the runners up prize that there wasn’t much chance that we would actually win – the room was full of so many amazing people.  Then they announced that the Beat Ambassadors had won… I couldn’t believe it, I was shaking so much, I thought that I was going to drop the camera that we had won!!

It is very hard to speak out about your eating disorder, but we all do it to try and improve the lives of other sufferers, raise awareness so that care can be improved in the future, and to guide carers and sufferers in the right direction of help.  Things like this make all of the nerves that we all go through seem more bearable because it’s working… we can and are making a difference.  Well done everyone you’re all amazing."

Heather