EMPATHY Seminar 8-11 July 2013

The purpose of EMPATHY is to organise a four-day seminar on July 8-11 2013 in Brussels, where young people with chronic conditions will establish an active dialogue with EU-level policy makers, stakeholder groups, and patient organisations, in order to promote a more holistic approach to addressing young patients' needs in EU decision-making processes.
The seminar, which is funded with support from The Youth in Action Programme of the European Commission, will involve 30 young patients, more experienced patient leaders from EU-level patient organisations, EU-level decision makers and senior-level representatives of stakeholder organisations from the health, education, social and youth policy areas.
Through activities like “a day in a young patient’s shoes”, stakeholders, policy makers, and senior patients will be able to improve their understanding of young patients' needs and challenges they face in their daily lives. Likewise, through a set of policy discussions and “policy-making role-plays” young patients will be able to understand the dynamics of decision-making processes having impact on their life, and they will be able to influence decisions to be taken in the future through commonly agreed recommendations. The Seminar also involves a press conference simulation where young patients will interview senior patient and stakeholders leaders on how they plan to involve young patients in their organisations. Social activities and visits to the European Institutions will also be organised.
Participation is free of charge and travel and accommodation costs will be covered by the project. For further details about EMPATHY please click here.
The Seminar is organised by the European Patients’ Forum (EPF) with the support of 10 patient organisations: Estonian Multiple Sclerosis Society (EMSS), European Federation Crohn's & Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA), European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP), Federation of Polish Patients (FPP), International Diabetes Federation – Europe (IDF Europe), Lietuvos asociacija "Gyvastis" (GYVASTIS), Malta Health Network (MHN), National Patients' Organisation - Bulgaria (NPO) Verenigde Ouderen en Patienten Organisaties (VSOP).
To be eligible to participate in the EMPATHY Seminar you must fulfil all requirements listed below:
• Be a citizen of either one of the 27 European Union Member States, or one of the following European countries participating in the Youth in Action Programme: Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, Croatia and Turkey.
• Be a patient with a chronic or life-long condition
• Have between 15 and 25 years of age
• Be able to speak English well enough to contribute actively to Seminar’s discussions
• Be available to attend the full Seminar (8-11 July)
• Have a sound motivation to participate in this Seminar
• Have an interest in becoming a patient advocate
Interested in participating?
Please fill out the expression of interest form.

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* 1. Name

Name:

Date of birth

Address :

City/Town:

ZIP/Postal Code:

Country:

Email Address:

Phone Number:

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* 2. Gender

Male

Female

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* 3. Do you have a chronic disease or long-term condition?

Yes

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* 4. If yes, which one? (optional)

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* 5. You are

Studying at High-school

Studying at University

Working

Neither Studying nor working

Other (please specify)

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* 6. How did you learn about the EMPATHY Seminar?

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* 7. Are you affiliated with a patient organisation?

Yes

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* 8. If yes which one?

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* 9. Are you member of a youth group of patients?

Yes

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* 10. If yes which one?

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* 11. Have you ever participated in activities/events involving young people from different countries?

Yes

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* 12. Which is your level of English? (Tick the box next to the level which best corresponds to your level of English. Please refer to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages of the European Council).

Beginner Level

Elementary Level – A1

Upper Elementary Level – Between A1 and A2

Lower Intermediate Level – A2

Intermediate Level – Between A2 and B1

Upper Intermediate Level – B1

Advanced Level – B2

Proficiency Level – C1

Mastery (Near Native Level) – C2

Native speaker

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* 13. Are you available to attend the seminar all Seminar days (8 July – 11 July)?

Yes

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* 14. What is/are your main reason/s for participating in the EMPATHY Seminar?

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* 15. Which of the following are you mostly interested in (5= very much, 1= very little)?

	1	2	3	4	5
Meeting other young people with chronic conditions	Meeting other young people with chronic conditions 1	Meeting other young people with chronic conditions 2	Meeting other young people with chronic conditions 3	Meeting other young people with chronic conditions 4	Meeting other young people with chronic conditions 5
Learning about EU-policy making and how decisions made at the EU-level you level can affect my life	Learning about EU-policy making and how decisions made at the EU-level you level can affect my life 1	Learning about EU-policy making and how decisions made at the EU-level you level can affect my life 2	Learning about EU-policy making and how decisions made at the EU-level you level can affect my life 3	Learning about EU-policy making and how decisions made at the EU-level you level can affect my life 4	Learning about EU-policy making and how decisions made at the EU-level you level can affect my life 5
Learning about how to become a patient advocate	Learning about how to become a patient advocate 1	Learning about how to become a patient advocate 2	Learning about how to become a patient advocate 3	Learning about how to become a patient advocate 4	Learning about how to become a patient advocate 5
Contributing to raising awareness about young patients needs among European stakeholders and policy makers	Contributing to raising awareness about young patients needs among European stakeholders and policy makers 1	Contributing to raising awareness about young patients needs among European stakeholders and policy makers 2	Contributing to raising awareness about young patients needs among European stakeholders and policy makers 3	Contributing to raising awareness about young patients needs among European stakeholders and policy makers 4	Contributing to raising awareness about young patients needs among European stakeholders and policy makers 5
Other	Other 1	Other 2	Other 3	Other 4	Other 5

(please specify)

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* 16. Which of the following policy areas are you mostly interested in (5= very much, 1= very little)?

	1	2	3	4	5
Health	Health 1	Health 2	Health 3	Health 4	Health 5
Education	Education 1	Education 2	Education 3	Education 4	Education 5
Employment	Employment 1	Employment 2	Employment 3	Employment 4	Employment 5
Youth	Youth 1	Youth 2	Youth 3	Youth 4	Youth 5
Other	Other 1	Other 2	Other 3	Other 4	Other 5

(please specify)

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* 17. In order to shape the activities of the Seminar and identify the topics to be discussed we are collecting stories and experiences of challenges, issues young people with chronic condition faces in their daily life. Can you share one or a few issues/challenges you faced/have been facing as a young person with a chronic condition?