Supporting Youth And Young Adults To Become Partners
www.raisecenter.org The National Resources for Access, Independence, Self-determination And Employment (RAISE) and 7 RSA-funded Parent Training And Information Centers are helping youth and young adults with disabilities to be real partners in attaining the education, supports and services they need to achieve competitive employment, independent living and empowerment.
Youth Engagement Continuum
T = Training and Activity TopicsO = Organizational ComponentsP = Programmatic ComponentsY = Youth Role
Connecting Leading Working Thriving Youth Development Learning • Youth development • A process which prepares young people to meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood through a coordinated, progressive series of activities and experiences which help them to become socially, morally, emotionally, physically, and cognitively competent.
Youth Development Programs
Leading Connecting Working Thriving Youth Leadership Learning Youth leadership includes intrinsic and extrinsic leadership skills
Youth Leadership Programs
Leadership • Who would you identify as a leader? Why? • How would you define leadership? • Leadership in youth? • Leadership for youth with disabilities? NCWD/Youth’s definition of youth leadership- (1) “The ability to guide or direct others on a course of action, influence the opinion and behavior of other people, and show the way by going in advance” (Wehmeyer, Agran, & Hughes, 1998); and (2) “the ability to analyze one's own strengths and weaknesses, set personal and vocational goals, and have the self-esteem to carry them out.
Identifying a Youth Leader • Attendance • Engagement (Willing to try things or answer questions) and Commitment • Passion • Volunteers • Interacts and willing to help
How do you get a youth to move from engagement to leadership?
Program Sustainability • Continuous feed of new youth • Ongoing leadership transition/training • Promote individual ownership of aspects of the program • Delegate tasks to as many people as you can handle • Don’t rely on one funder • Use resources wisely • Communicate
What was the time that you felt you did not fit in to a group or feel prepared to contribute?
Role of the Adult Allies
ADULT ALLIES – A CHANGE IN MINDSET
Adult Allies – Ideal Characteristics
Partnerships A young person should see an adult ally as a person who “always has their back”, but also knows when to “back off” so that the young person believes they can do anything!
Resources to Help Build Family & Youth Engagement
The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability (NCWD/Youth) http://www.ncwd-youth.infoThe 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities Center for Self Determination Literature & Resources Training Information http://www.centerforself-determination.com/
University of Oklahoma - Zarrow Center http://www.ou.edu/zarrow • AIR Self-Determination Assessments • ARC Self-Determination Scale • Choice Maker Self-Determination Assessment • Field and Hoffman Self-Determination Assessment Battery • Student led IEP- Instructional modules
PA’s Secondary Transition Website www.secondarytransition.org
www.imdetermined.org • Student Involvement in the IEP • Assessments & Checklists for students, parents, educators • Family Support • Videos, Literature & Resources
References Core Principles for Engaging: Young People in Community Change, Forum for Youth Investment, http://www.forumfyi.org/files/FINALYouth_Engagment_8.15pdf.pdf Edelman, A., Gill, P., Comerford, K., Larson, M., & Hare, R. (2004, June). Youth development and youth leadership: A background paper. Washington, DC: Institute for Educational Leadership, National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth. Ferber, T., Pittman, K., & Marshall, T. (2002). State youth policy: Helping all youth to grow up fully prepared and fully engaged. Washington, DC: The Forum for Youth Investment. Nishioka, V., & Bullis, M. (2002). Job-related social skills training. Vocational and Nurturing Youth Leadership In The Global South: A Mapping Of Strategies, Approaches, Challenges And Opportunities. (n.d.). Restless Development. http://restlessdevelopment.org/file/resdev-youth-leadership-mapping-pdf Wehmeyer, M. L., Agran, M., & Hughes, C. (1998). Teaching self-determination to students with disabilities: Basic skills for successful transition. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes. Wehmeyer, Michael L., and Palmer, Susan B. (2003). Adult Outcomes for Students with Cognitive Disabilities Three-Years After High School: The Impact of Self-Determination.Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities. 38(2), 131–144. Woyach, R. B. (1996, Spring). Five principles for effective youth leadership development programs. Retrieved May 25, 2005, from http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu/Publications/L_Link/LL_1996/spr_96.pdf
