American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad Inc

EMPOWER YOUTH TO SERVE AS AGENTS OF CHANGE IN DIABETES COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD.

AYUDA VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAMTHE PURPOSE OF THE AYUDA VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM (VTP) IS TO PREPARE AYUDA VOLUNTEERS TO SERVE AS AGENTS OF CHANGE IN THE DIABETES COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY WILL VOLUNTEER. PRE-PROGRAM TRAINING IS WELL ESTABLISHED AT AYUDA. IN 2020, AYUDA CONTINUED TO IMPROVE ITS VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROCESS TO DELIVER DYNAMIC ONLINE TRAINING SESSIONS (VTP E-COURSE) TO SUPPLEMENT IN-PERSON TRAINING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. (VTP SUMMIT). ADDITIONAL CULTURAL ORIENTATION TOOK PLACE IN-COUNTRY. THE AYUDA VTP OFFERED A COMPREHENSIVE, CULTURALLY AWARE, AND WELL-RECEIVED APPROACH TO DIABETES EDUCATION, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING. FOCUSING ON AYUDAS FOUNDING PRINCIPLE OF YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND EMPOWERMENT, AYUDA TRAINED AND PLACED VOLUNTEERS ABROAD IN 2020, TWO OF WHICH WERE CONSIDERED DUAL-PROGRAM, PARTICIPATING IN BOTH IN-COUNTRY PROGRAM OPTIONS. ONE OF THE TWO DUAL-PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE NEWLY DEVELOPED AYUDA INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. THIS YEAR ALSO SAW THE CONTINUATION OF AYUDAS LEADERSHIP TEAM TRAINING. VOLUNTEER MENTORS GATHERED ONLINE VIA THE E-COURSE GOTO MEETING PLATFORM FOR IN-DEPTH REINFORCEMENT SESSIONS ABOUT THEIR NEW ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES. THE LEADERSHIP TEAM TRAINING FURTHER CLARIFIED THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE MENTORS AND PROVIDED TRAINING ON NEW ROLES THEY TOOK ON AS LEADERS IN THE ORGANIZATION. THE TRAINING ALSO GAVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE MORE INVOLVED IN THE INNER WORKINGS OF AYUDA, GAINING INSIGHT INTO NON-PROFIT MANAGEMENT. MENTORS WERE MEMBERS OF THE RECRUITMENT & SELECTION AND VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM COMMITTEES TO REVIEW SPECIFIC STRATEGIES FOR VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, AND TRAINING LEADING UP TO THE PROGRAM START DATES. AFTER ACCEPTING NEW VOLUNTEERS, MENTORS PLAYED AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR PRE-PROGRAM TRAINING, HOLDING CALLS BIWEEKLY WITH ASSIGNED SUB-GROUPS OF THE NEW VOLUNTEERS. MENTORS PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN RECRUITMENT INITIATIVES, VOLUNTEER TRAINING PLANNING, VOLUNTEER SELECTION, AND VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT. ADDITIONALLY, MENTORS TOOK PART IN PROGRAM PLANNING AND VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT IN COUNTRY, AS A RESULT OF THEIR INCREASED TRAINING.DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (DR) VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS AYUDA CONTINUED ITS SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION WITH APRENDIENDO A VIVIR (AAV) IN THE DR IN 2020. AAV IS AYUDAS LOCAL PARTNER IN THE DR, AND AYUDA HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH THE ORGANIZATION SINCE 2009. AYUDA CONDUCTED TWO VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS. IN PREPARATION FOR THE SUMMER PROGRAMS, AYUDA STAFF MEMBERS CONDUCTED TWO SITE VISITS TO THE DR IN NOVEMBER 2018 AND MAY 2019 THAT FOCUSED ON PARTNERSHIP BUILDING, CAPACITY BUILDING FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A COMPREHENSIVE DIABETES OUTREACH STRATEGY, SITE VISITS TO OUTREACH LOCATIONS FOR THE EN EL CAMINO PROGRAM, AND COORDINATION OF THE IN-COUNTRY AYUDA VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS. AFTER UNDERGOING INTENSIVE PRE-PROGRAM TRAINING, AYUDA VOLUNTEERS ARRIVED IN SANTO DOMINGO TO PREPARE DIABETES EDUCATION OUTREACH PROGRAMS. THIS YEAR, 67% OF AYUDA VOLUNTEERS WERE LIVING WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES.DR CAMPO AMIGO PROGRAMAYUDA RECRUITED AND TRAINED A TEAM OF 11 TALENTED VOLUNTEERS TO WORK IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH AAV. TO BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH AAV AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LOCAL CONTEXT IN THE DR, VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS DIABETES OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING VISITING THE LOCAL PUBLIC CHILDRENS HOSPITAL AND ASSISTING WITH AN EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP AT AAVS OFFICE. THIS YEAR ALSO MARKED THE FOURTH YEAR THAT AYUDA VOLUNTEERS TOGETHER WITH VOLUNTEERS FROM AAV TRAVELED TO NEARBY PROVINCES, SAN PEDRO DE MACORS AND SAN CRISTBAL, TO PARTICIPATE IN HOME VISITS IN ORDER TO GAIN A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF SOME OF THE CHILDREN LIVING WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES IN THE DR. VOLUNTEERS SPENT THE REST OF THEIR TIME FOCUSING ON DA DE LA FAMILIA, A ONE-DAY FAMILY CAMP IN WHICH CHILDREN/YOUTH WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS LEARN TOGETHER ABOUT DIABETES MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, AND CAMPO AMIGO, A TWO-DAY CAMP IN WHICH CHILDREN/YOUTH WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES LEARN ABOUT DIABETES MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. FAMILY MEMBERS DURING CAMPO AMIGO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR OWN SESSION THAT FOCUSES MORE SPECIFICALLY ON PROVIDING SUPPORT TO SOMEONE LIVING WITH DIABETES. DA DE LA FAMILIA IS FOR FAMILIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ENGAGED WITH AAV; CAMPO AMIGO IS FOR FAMILIES THAT HAVE CHILDREN WHO WERE RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES IN THE PAST YEAR. THIS YEAR SAW THE 12TH ANNIVERSARY OF CAMPO AMIGO. THE CAMPS ARE EVIDENCE THAT CHILDREN CAN LIVE HAPPY AND HEALTHY LIVES WITH DIABETES. OVER 300 CHILDREN AND FAMILY MEMBERS ATTENDED THE CAMPS. DR EN EL CAMINO PROGRAMAYUDA RECRUITED AND TRAINED A TEAM OF THREE TALENTED VOLUNTEERS TO WORK IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH AAV. 2020 MARKED THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE EN EL CAMINO PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM WAS AIMED AT THOSE WHO WANTED TO COMBINE DIABETES OUTREACH WITH A LOVE OF TRAVEL AND EXPLORATION. SINCE AYUDAS HALLMARK PROGRAM, CAMPO AMIGO, IS BASED IN SANTO DOMINGO, IT CANNOT SERVE EVERYBODY AROUND THE COUNTRY. AAV AND AYUDA HAVE WORKED TO DESIGN A PROGRAM TO TAKE THE EDUCATIONAL AND EMPOWERMENT EXPERIENCE OF CAMP ON THE ROAD TO OTHER PROVINCES IN THE DR. VOLUNTEERS TRAVELED WITH LOCAL DOMINICAN YOUTH LEADERS, REPRESENTATIVES OF AAV, AND AYUDA STAFF MEMBERS TO THE FOLLOWING PROVINCES/CITIES IN THE DR TO RUN DAY-LONG EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH AND LOCAL CAPACITY-BUILDING PROGRAMS: SAN PEDRO DE MACORS, BOCA CHICA, AND TWO COMMUNITIES IN SAN CRISTBAL. TO BECOME FURTHER ACQUAINTED WITH AAV AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LOCAL CONTEXT IN THE DR, VOLUNTEERS ALSO VISITED THE LOCAL PUBLIC CHILDRENS HOSPITAL AND WERE INVITED INTO THE HOMES OF SOME OF THE FAMILIES BASED IN THE PROVINCES TO WHICH THE GROUP TRAVELED. VOLUNTEERS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH PEOPLE LIVING WITH TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 DIABETES AND HELP PROVIDE THEM WITH THE TOOLS THAT MOTIVATE THEM TO LIVE HAPPIER, HEALTHIER LIVES WITH THEIR CONDITION.DR INTERNSHIP PROGRAMTHE AYUDA INTERNSHIP WAS CREATED TO PROVIDE AYUDAS DUAL-PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO PURSUE THEIR ACADEMIC AND/OR PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS IN THE TIME BETWEEN THE TWO VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS IN THE DR. DURING THE SUMMER OF 2020, ONE VOLUNTEER COMPLETED THE AYUDA INTERNSHIP. THE INTERNSHIP CONSISTED OF TWO PARTS: (1) AN IN-PERSON INTERNSHIP TAILORED TO HER UNIQUE INTERESTS AND (2) THE RESEARCH PROJECT BASED UPON A QUESTION THE VOLUNTEER DEVELOPED THAT SHE HOPED TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THROUGH THE IN-PERSON INTERNSHIP. USING THE KNOWLEDGE SHE GAINED FROM THE IN-PERSON INTERNSHIP AND ADDITIONAL RESEARCH TO ANSWER HER RESEARCH QUESTION, THE VOLUNTEER PRESENTED HER FINDINGS IN A POWERPOINT PRESENTATION TO AYUDA AND AAV STAFF MEMBERS AT THE END OF THE INTERNSHIP WEEK. DURING THE 2020 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, THE VOLUNTEER SHADOWED THE HEAD OF THE ENDOCRINOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT THE LOCAL PEDIATRIC HOSPITAL IN SANTO DOMINGO AND PRODUCED A RESEARCH REPORT REGARDING NUTRITION AND DIABETES.ECUADOR OUTREACHAYUDA CONTINUED ITS SUPPORT OF ITS LONGEST RUNNING PROGRAM: CAMPO AMIGO ECUADOR BY PROVIDING OFFICE SPACE FOR THE JUVENILE DIABETES FOUNDATION OF ECUADOR (FDJE), OUR LOCAL PARTNER ORGANIZATION IN QUITO.