EDV Ambassadors are volunteers who share their personal stories of recovery. Ambassadors can be those with personal lived experience of an eating disorder or someone who has supported a loved one with an eating disorder (e.g. a parent).
Speaking publicly about their experience provides the opportunity to raise awareness of eating disorders and to offer hope that recovery is possible.
It is a requirement of all speakers that they have lived experience as a person who has recovered from an eating disorder or cared for someone who has recovered. The lived experience must also be recent (within approximately five years).
We require our Ambassadors to align with the NEDC’s definition of recovery:
Consumer
- Has engaged in a recovery journey from an eating disorder and can manage their own wellbeing.
- Can reflect and learn from their experience and has achieved emotional distance from their experience.
- Is open to, and able to consider a wide range of different eating disorder experiences.
- Can manage their own mental health and can recognise and seek help when at risk.
Carer
Non-active carer: a person who has provided active care for an individual experiencing an eating disorder who now fits the ‘Recovered’ or ‘Recovering’ definitions, as above. They may still be involved in providing support and care, but not in the same active capacity for a period of two years.