Empowering the next generation 

Written by Aaron Dennis, June 21, 2023

We’re proud to announce the launch of our first Youth Board which will support, empower and mentor young people with a genetic bleeding disorder.

The Youth Board is made up of six senior Youth Ambassadors (YAs) aged between 25 and 27, who all have a bleeding disorder.

Chaired by Ross Bennett, who has severe haemophilia B, the Youth Board wants to bring a fresh perspective to the Haemophilia Society and will ensure that our strategies and initiatives are relevant, inclusive and responsive to the needs of young people within our community. 

The other Youth Board members are: Alex Taylor-Rose, vice-chair, who has severe haemophilia A, Josh Taylor-Rose, who has severe haemophilia A, Jess Page, who has mild haemophilia and von Willebrand disorder (VWD), Hannah Yarnall, who has VWD and Josh Crombie, who has severe haemophilia A with inhibitors. 

The main objectives of the Youth Board include:

  • Advocating for the rights and needs of young people affected by a genetic bleeding disorder
  • Raising awareness about living with a bleeding disorder
  • Supporting younger members in dealing with the challenges faced by their bleeding disorder
  • Mentoring young people to become future leaders and advocates for our community.

The Youth Board is currently working on a project to support young people making the transition from paediatric to adult services. Kate Burt, Chief Executive of the Haemophilia Society, said: ‘The Youth Board will strengthen our existing work with YAs to ensure the voices and experiences of young people are reflected in the work of our charity. We are looking forward to seeing the positive impact the Youth Board has on our organisation and in engaging our younger members.’