About Us
Young Ambassadors
All people deserve a death with dignity. This includes having quality end-of-life care choices that meet your needs, values and preferences.
The Young Ambassadors, part of Dying With Dignity Victoria, are young people from across Australia who are passionate about improving access and quality of end-of-life choices, including VAD
Who we are
Young Ambassadors
What we are fighting for
We want young people and their loved ones to be considered key stake holders when developing end-of-life care policy.
- We want quality end-of-life care choices that meet our needs, values and preferences, including age appropriate end-of-life care for young people.
- We want equity and accessibility of VAD to improve. This would include,removal of the time prognosis requirement, allowing people with cognitive impairment to consent to VAD using an Advance Care Directive and allowing VAD consultations through telehealth.
- We want Australia to adopt a holistic and patient-centred approach to end-of-life care that supports personal and cultural values and practices.
- People should have access to clear, comprehensive and non-stigmatising information about end-of-life options, including VAD, and support to plan for end-of-life.
- This requires the removal of the “gag clause” that impedes conversations between patients and doctors, affirming messaging about the choice of VAD that does not refer to it as suicide, and removing barriers to completing an advance care directive.
How we will do it
- Create opportunities to understand the issues affecting young people accessing end-of-life care.
- Advocate to policy-makers and providers for improvements in end-of-life care services and choices for young people.
- Inform young people about end-of-life care choices available to them, including VAD.
- Connect young people navigating end-of-life care, their carers and families to relevant support and services.
- Encourage young people to have conversations with the important people in their lives regarding their end-of-life care directions, values and preferences and document their wishes in an advance care directive.
- Grow the number of young people advocating for end-of-life care issues.
For more information about why we started the Young Ambassadors, click here.
