October 4, 2022
Australia – IDFA’s National Young Adult Conference 2022
In July, IDFA held its first Conference in more than two years. IDFA’s members’ safety was a priority and to reduce risks, our plans evolved from a hybrid format to virtual only. The look and feel of the conference were inspired by the movie The Greatest Showman and the phrase “This is me”. It was great to have representation from attendees from most Australian states and territories.
The key objectives of the Conference were:
- Increase young adult member engagement (15-30 years) with IDFA.
- Increase awareness of IDFA amongst 15-30 years who have an immunodeficiency and encourage new member sign-ups.
- Provide education, resources and ways for our younger members to connect.
- Improve patient care and quality of life for young people who are affected by immunodeficiencies.
To kick off the day, three members from Western Australia, Australian Capital Territory and Victoria shared their stories with attendees. They talked about the importance of holistic health factors, communication, advocating for yourself, managing different stages of life and not letting your condition define you. We provided members with the opportunity to get to know each other during some icebreaker activities.
Guest speaker Christina Irene joined the Conference from the United States. Christina spoke about the importance of communicating our needs with ourselves and those around us and shared the tools she uses to manage daily life.
The Conference also had some health professionals who assist young people speak about the transition from child to adult patients in the health system. This was followed by dietitian Amanda Jackson who brought us into her kitchen and conducted a live smoothy demonstration. Members then broke for afternoon tea and had the opportunity to make their own smoothies. Amanda spoke about the role diet plays in supporting your health and immunodeficiency and where to go if you need support.
Overall, the event received fantastic engagement with young adults between the ages of 15-30 with engaging speakers providing information and education on relevant topics. The event offered a great opportunity for young members to develop relationships and network. Allowing members to share their stories made other members feel as though they weren’t alone in their journey with immune deficiency.We were so pleased to be able to engage with our young adult members at the Conference and we look forward to bringing our members more young adult events. You can view some of the recorded sessions from the Conference online here:
