Welcome to YAP 2017!
January 4th 2017
As the Chair of the panel, my responsibilities include being a spokesperson for the group, organising meetings with the panel and building relationships with stakeholders. However, I feel that I am bound by duty to do and be so much more; a voice for the people who are kept under a banner of silence and shame, a beacon of hope for those who feel helpless and a symbol of resistance in the face of OCD and the despair it can lay at your doorstep. I know first hand how tough life can be when you live with OCD. I was diagnosed at 15 but have lived with this illness for most of my life. I’ve been housebound, bedbound, unable to eat and drink and have also existed in a state of mind where I couldn’t see a way out. But there is always hope. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Where there is a will, there is a way.
I wouldn’t be able to set the YAP’s standards as high as I have without the backing and support of an incredible team. The panel is filled with inspirational and highly motivated young people who are determined to alter the way OCD is perceived and help vulnerable people get better access to the right support and guidance. You can head over to the ‘About Us’ section to learn more about individual members and read more about their story and why they’re involved in the YAP.
I want to end by again making it clear that the Youth Advisory Panel will endeavour to work as hard as we can for everyone who lives with and is affected by OCD, especially the young and vulnerable. Education is key and informing people about OCD and the seriousness of the condition is half the battle. I am sure that big things will happen this year and I know that with such a fantastic team behind me, we can get to work and hit the ground running.
Thanks for reading and stay tuned!
Rich
