D-CYPHR has been developed for and with families and young people from the start. We support research involving children aged 0-15 to help pioneer new treatments and create better care for children and the adults they become. The Young and Parent Ambassador programme is a network of young D-CYPHR volunteers and parents of volunteers who want to formally contribute to the development and promotion of D-CYPHR. It is delivered in partnership with Mental Health charity, Anna Freud.
After 1 year of the Ambassadors programme, we are so grateful to the 30 Young and Parent Ambassadors enrolled so far, and we're always looking to add more.
What does it mean to be an Ambassador?
Both young people and parents can join to help shape D-CYPHR. Becoming an Ambassador involves joining meetings to contribute to important decisions, attending school or community events, helping to design and distribute D-CYPHR materials, and much more. It is a voluntary programme and we are always keen to fit tasks and meetings around our Ambassadors schedules.
In return of their hard work, we provide them with participation letters to highlight their dedication and activity. Ambassadors are also given training and experience with our health research campaign. This can be added to CVs for personal development which looks fantastic when applying to colleges, university and jobs.
Watch the video to find out why getting involved in children's research is important to the Ambassadors:
Hear from a few of our Young Ambassadors:
Sophie:
Why did you become an Ambassador for the D-CYPHR project?
“I became an ambassador for two key reasons – firstly, I have a connective tissue disorder, and a chronic pain condition, both of which are significantly under researched, and need to be researched further in order to improve the process of diagnosis and treatment. There are many people nationwide who are in the exact same boat as me, or know someone that is. As this is often for a lot of conditions, we just don’t know enough about them. D-CYPHR is part of the solution to that.
“Secondly, I’m too old to take part in the D-CYPHR research, but would have jumped at the chance if it existed when I was younger, so I want to make sure that no one misses out on the opportunity to be a hero for childhood research.”
Michaela:
What does it mean to be a D-CYPHR Ambassador?
“For me, I am really excited to become an ambassador and help spread awareness of this project.
“Also, it is important for me that there is a diverse range of people in this project. I want to make sure that every ethnicity benefits from the findings of the project and for that to happen, we need everyone from all backgrounds to join in as we all have slight genetic variations. I want to do this for everyone but also, I want to represent people from my heritage and make sure that they benefit from this project too. If we don’t get representation from some ethnicities, we don’t unlock what is in their DNA and they won’t benefit from this amazing project.”
Scarlett:
Why did you personally want to become a D-CYPHR Ambassador?
“I have struggled with getting the balance right for screen time and have seen the effect it has on some people's mental health, so I am keen to help them when they need it.
“My cousin has a rare genetic condition called Sanfillippo. It means that at just 8 years old she has severe problems. Sugars build up in her cells which mean they don’t work as they should. This can damage organs, affect growth, mental development and behaviour. There is no cure. But I can potentially one day make a change to her life and others with rare illnesses, by simply spitting into a tube.”
How to join the D-CYPHR Ambassador team
If you’re interested in becoming a Young or Parent Ambassador, the group is open to families who have joined D-CYPHR to support as participants. Email the team for more details on how to get involved.
You can also take a look at our Ambassador booklet for more information.
Do your bit for health research today!
D-CYPHR (The DNA, Children + Young People’s Health Resource) supports children’s health research by pioneering new treatments and creating better care for children and the adults they will become.
We need to learn a lot more about childhood health. But we also need to understand how genetics and environmental factors affect children as they grow and develop.
Join D-CYPHR to be a part of the journey. Families with children aged 0-15 in the UK can join from home. All you have to do is spit in a tube.