Junior Believe Ambassador
Empowering Youth Advocates
Dup15q Alliance Invites our community youth to use social media for good. Do you have a family member or someone you love with Dup15q Syndrome and think that only adults can get involved? Think again!
Kids who grow up with family members or friends with special health or developmental needs are more patient, kind and supportive. Our youth is vibrant and capable of making a positive impact and creating awareness in our community. There is a long history of youth-led movements that brought about change! Our Junior Believe Ambassadors (ages 13 -18) can teach compassion and understanding through their advocacy!
A JBA is a sibling, family member or friend of someone with Dup15q Syndrome who wants to raise awareness and educate others about kindness, compassion and understanding.
Here is what the Junior Believe Ambassadors are doing:
- Raising Awareness and educating others about kindness, compassion and understanding through the JBA Instagram and Dup15q TikTok.
- Creating Engagement Programs for youth ages 5 – 18.
- Rocking the 15th chromosome
- Compassion Experience
- Support for peers interested in doing school projects on genetics and Dup15q Syndrome.
Current Programs
Rockin the 15th Chromosome
Created by JBA member, Emma M.
“Since the age of 9 I have always had a connection with those with disabilities. Being able to do anything that brought those individuals joy was something I loved to do. Bringing awareness to those kids and adults going through hard times is something we all can do. Dup15q is a very rare syndrome, so with that I wanted a friendly way to bring awareness that would be able to spread joy along with reach people all over not just the US, but the world! These rocks are being hid all over the US at the moment. People who didn’t even know about Dup15q are learning and spreading awareness in just a few easy steps. This is something I have been working on for a while and seeing it in action is bringing so much happiness to me and my family.”
- Pick smooth, flat rocks. You can decorate any rock, but it’s harder to decorate ones with ridges.
- Wash and dry the rocks before decorating them. You want to remove dirt so that it doesn’t mess your design.
- Paint your design on top and use several coats (let dry between layers). Use an outdoor or multi-surface paint to help them hold up to the elements.
- Add the following to the back of your rock: “2021 Post a picture on facebook page Rockin the 15th Chromosome Keep or Rehide”
TIP: Use oil based paint pens and Sharpies to write on your rocks.
TIP: Finish off your rocks with a coat of Mod Podge Outdoor. This will help protect your painted rocks from the elements.
Compassion Experience
The Compassion Experience was created to develop a sense of understanding and compassion among grade school-age peers. Because every child is unique, feel free to customize the experience to better fit your child.
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Chromosome Kids Like Me” book. A child-friendly rhyming story that compares genetic disorders to pairs of socks. It promotes inclusion and acceptance from other children and explains how children with a genetic condition may need a little extra help to play and get involved.- Compassion Experience Activity – Customize with your child’s name
- Printable Compassion Experience Activity
- Printable Socks for each child to color
Amazing Things Happen: Introduction to autism that aims to raise awareness among young non-autistic audiences, to stimulate understanding and acceptance in future generations. Available in multiple languages. https://youtu.be/Ezv85LMFx2E
Give us 15 for Dup15! (TikTok or Insta Reels)
Videos should fall within any of these Guidelines:
- Use “believe” moto
- With or without dup15q family members
- Informational
- With posters or signs
- With music
- Duets
Create your TikTok/Insta Reel Video.
– Save to your “Drafts Folder.”
– Download to your phone.
– Submit Here: https://dup15q.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/jba-give-up-15-and-show-the-love-submissions
– Dup15q Alliance will feature your videos on our website and social media platforms.
This past summer we asked our Junior Believe Ambassadors to submit on original T-Shirt design that represents what it means to be part of the Dup15q family.
All designs were voted on by the Dup15q Community and Thomas and Mary Claire won a $50 Amazon gift card with this design!
Congratulations Thomas and Mary Claire!
