We have an incredible team of passionate and dedicated mentors for our popular Allergy Pals/Allies online mentorship program for kids. All of our mentors have food allergy, are part of our Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), and know what it’s like to live with severe allergies. They receive mentorship training from the program coordinator, and encourage positive conversations among group members. They never give out medical advice and will curb conversations that may be scary to some children (like details of reaction severity).
In fact, some mentors have been with us since the inception of the program and many of our mentors have also participated in and completed the Allergy Pals/Allies program themselves. They share how transformative the program is for both them and their mentees. This month we feature mentors Alyssa, Ashlee, and Lauren. Check out their testimonials and learn why they like being an Allergy Pals mentor below.
Alyssa Burrows
“I enjoy being an Allergy Pals mentor because I get to help kids connect across the country and provide a safe space for them to share experiences, thoughts and feelings about their allergies. Being an Allergy Pals mentor is incredibly rewarding because you get to hear about how each Allergy Pal participant develops more confidence in managing their allergies week-to-week.”
Ashlee McGrath
“I like being an Allergy Pals mentor because I love helping people with allergies and learning from them! It makes me happy to share my advice with others, and our mentees inspire me to be a better food allergy advocate every session!”
Lauren Aitchison
“I have lived with food allergies for 27 years, since I was born. I love being an Allergy Pals mentor because I can not only share my best practices but also be an example of someone who hasn’t let allergies get in the way of living their life.”
Thank you to our mentors for their hard work and dedication to mentoring kids with food allergy!
The 8-week online winter session begins January 25th! Sign up your child now so they don’t miss out on this amazing experience of connecting with other children, ages 7-15, living with food allergy. Learn about the benefits of the program in the videos below and register now!
Watch how this program has impacted Benjamin’s life.
Benjamin is a past participant of Allergy Pals. He shares how role-playing during weekly sessions has taught him how to deal with tough situations like feeling left out at birthday parties and dealing with food allergy bullying.
“Allergy Pals has totally made me feel better about my allergies,” says Benjamin. By participating in the program, Benjamin has learned to not only protect himself, but also to become a successful self-advocate. In the video, you’ll hear from his mom about the impact the program has made on her son.
You’ll also learn how the online support sessions work and how participants can connect with other kids with food allergy in a fun way, including answer/discussion questions and playing games/activities. Plus, hear from one of our mentors Giulia on what the program entails. As Giulia states, “It’s a very small commitment for huge benefit.”
Overview of the Allergy Pals/Allies program
Learn how to become an Allergy Pals/Allies mentor
You must become a YAP member to become a mentor. Learn about YAP and apply here. After joining YAP, you can express you interest in the program and become a junior mentor.
Tags: Allergy Pals, from the community, Online mentorship, webinars for kids, Youth Advisory Panel