There is a specific moment that almost every KFD Youth Ambassador remembers: the moment they realized they could help.
Maybe it was a younger student at their school who had just been diagnosed and was terrified. Maybe it was a parent who pulled them aside after a presentation and said their daughter needed to hear that. Maybe it was the first time they stood in front of a classroom and realized they knew something those people needed to know.
That moment is the beginning of a Youth Ambassador.
Who Are KFD Youth Ambassadors?
KFD Youth Ambassadors are young people, high school and college students, who have chosen to turn their personal experience with Type 1 Diabetes into a force for community change. Many have T1D themselves. Others have been profoundly affected by a friend, sibling, or family member’s diagnosis.
What unites them is not their medical history. It is their conviction that no young person should face T1D without support, and their willingness to do something about it.
What Ambassadors Actually Do
- Peer mentorship: Ambassadors are matched with newly diagnosed young people in their communities, providing one-on-one support during the most difficult early months of living with T1D
- School and community presentations: Ambassadors deliver T1D education sessions at schools, community centers, and youth organizations, teaching peers, teachers, and parents what T1D actually looks like day to day
- Health equity advocacy: Ambassadors advocate for insulin access, CGM coverage, and T1D awareness at the local, state, and national level
- Event leadership: Ambassadors organize and lead KFD events in their communities, from awareness walks to fundraising campaigns
- Research engagement: Senior ambassadors connect with KFD’s research innovation program, gaining exposure to biosensor technology, clinical trials, and health sciences careers
The Training
Becoming a KFD Youth Ambassador is not just a title. It involves real training in peer support techniques, T1D education, public speaking, and community organizing. KFD provides every ambassador with the knowledge and tools they need to be genuinely effective, not just well-meaning.
The Community
Perhaps the most powerful aspect of the Youth Ambassador Program is the community it creates among ambassadors themselves. Young people from across the country who share a deep commitment to T1D advocacy, who support each other, challenge each other, and grow together.
Many ambassadors describe it as the first place they felt truly understood, both as people managing T1D and as young leaders who want to change the world.
How to Apply
Applications for the KFD Youth Ambassador Program are open year-round. We welcome students from all backgrounds, with or without T1D, who are passionate about health equity and youth leadership.
Visit koppfoundation.org/get-involved to learn more and apply.
