N Y L N
National Youth Leadership Network
2005
FUTURE DIRECTIONS AGENDA
ã2005 NYLN
Institute Photo by Tom Olin
2005 NYLN Future Directionsã
National
Youth Leadership Network
1-866-480-6565
Providers
US Department of Education, Office of Special Education
Programs
US Department of Health and Human Services,
Administration
on Developmental Disabilities
US Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment
Policy
Social Security Administration, Office of Program
Development and Research
National Council on
Disability
2005
FUTURE DIRECTIONS AGENDA
The National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN) is an organization
that serves as a voice for young people with disabilities. We include young people with disabilities
across the
As young people with disabilities, we must set our own goals. We must take the lead in our lives. And that is what this document is all
about. Over the past three years, NYLN
has focused on a
few key areas for young adults with disabilities. We chose education, employment, health care
and disability awareness as areas that need additional emphasis and
advocacy. Now this year, we took those
four main areas and found specific suggestions to consider when working toward
your goals. These suggestions were made
by other young leaders – people who know what it’s like.
Welcome to the 2005 NYLN Future Directions Agenda.
Education
Growing up
and transitioning from a young person to an adult is a big step. It is one of the most important times in the
life of a young person with a disability.
For some young people, “transition” means going to college. For others, “transition” means getting ready
for employment. It is important that
families, teachers and service providers help make this process as smooth as
possible. Sometimes students feel lost
about what to do next.
Laws (like
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or the IDEA) require transition
plans to be written for a student to help them get ready for life after high
school. Teams of people get together to
write these transition plans as a part of the Individual Education Plan
(IEP). These teams include the student,
the parent(s), teachers and administrators at the school. You could also include representatives of
community agencies who can offer support to the student. The student could also ask other people to be
there – friends or mentors. Each student
who has an IEP should have a transition plan by the time he/she is 16 years
old. These plans include goals for education,
employment, independent living, adult services, and community participation. It helps to plan these goals at the youngest
age possible. It’s good to begin at a
younger age because students have more time to think about the goals. It also helps them prepare for the goals and
who might be able to help accomplish them.
A few sample questions would be the following:
·
What do I want to do after high school?
·
Which education or job training program is right for me?
·
How do I get disability services?
Here is a
checklist for your education goals:
Middle School:
·
Plan for IEP meetings. Talk to your teachers and your counselors
about what you want to do when you are done with high school. Make sure you attend these meetings. And speak out about your goals while you are
there. These meetings are about YOUR
future!
·
Speak up and share your interests with the
IEP team. People on this team could be
your parents, your teachers, community members, or friends. The decisions you make at this meeting will
be up to you! This could mean choosing
what you want to do after high school.
It could mean choosing where you want to live. The other people at the meeting should help
you know your options.
·
Have a guidance counselor help you
choose classes to get you ready for life after high school. You might need specific classes if you go to
college (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, etc.). And the required number of credits for these
classes may be different for each state.
They may also be different for each post-secondary school. So be sure to ask your counselors and your
post-secondary so you know the requirements.
·
Think about what school is best for you. Maybe your career goals
will suggest training at a four-year university, a community or junior college,
a vocational technology program, or an adult education program. Visit Choosing The Right Type of College for
Me at www.ccdanet.org/typeofschool.html
9th Grade:
·
Talk about transition at your IEP
meeting. Remember that these meetings
are all about you, so take a lead in who attends these meetings and what topics
are covered.
·
Learn about your disability and what kind of
help you need in the classroom. If you
are not sure how to do this, ask for support and guidance from friends, family
members, teachers, or counselors.
·
Explore participating in national programs such as Kids As Self Advocates www.fvkasa.org.
·
Look for resources that can make
you more independent. For suggestions,
see Center for Self-Determination www.self-determination.com.
J. Paul Chase and Danh Trang, both 2004-2005 Governing Board
members, share information at the Advanced Youth Leadership Institute.
10th Grade:
·
Participate in college fairs to learn about
post-secondary school options. Ask how
to talk to the school’s Disability Services Coordinator.
·
Get involved in community activities. This will give you some
experience. It will also help you create
a resume. You could participate in fine
arts activities or serve on a local board or committee. You could also attend workshops or trainings.
·
Talk to people in careers that interest you. Identify careers that you
may enjoy and ask people in those careers to tell you about their work and what
education is needed to do it.
·
Ask about the Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) in your state. If you
are not sure if your state has a YLF Program, contact us at NYLN and we can
help you.
·
Visit a local Center for Independent Living (CIL) and ask about what they can do for young people. To find out more, visit the ILRU Directory
of Centers & SILCs www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory
Emily Holmes, a 2005-2006
Governing Board member, raises her hand to share her perspective at the Institute.
11th Grade:
·
Contact Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services in your state. Vocational
Rehabilitation is a service that provides technical support (i.e. a computer
program). They also help with education
and employment goals. To find out more about VR services in your state, visit
the Vocational Rehabilitation State Offices website at www.jan.wvu.edu/sbses/vocrehab.htm.
·
Visit colleges and ask about their services
for students with disabilities.
Information for this can be found at the US Universities website at www.utexas.edu/world/univ/state/
and the Association on Higher Education and Disability www.AHEAD.org.
·
Participate in college fairs to get learn
about different schools.
·
Ask about, study for, and take required entrance tests. Ask ahead of time if you
need accommodations for this test. And
you can take it more than once to improve your score. This is usual for all students. Don’t feel bad about taking it a couple
times.
o SAT information at College Board www.collegeboard.com
o ACT information at ACT, Inc. www.act.org
·
Ask about or take some training about the laws that apply to services you may need while in college (Section 504
of the Rehab Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act).
o Post-secondary Education & 504 Questions & Answers www.pacer.org/pride/504.htm
o Differences Between Legal Rights and Responsibilities in Secondary
versus Post-secondary Education www.ccdanet.org/differenceschart.html
12th Grade:
·
Apply for college at the school(s)
you are interested in.
·
Meet with the college financial aid office. Ask them about what types
of scholarships or loans are available.
·
Meet with the college Disability Service Coordinator. This is the person who can
serve as your support in post-secondary school.
But you have to get to know this person and ask questions so he/she
knows how to assist you.
·
Ask what documentation they need at the
post-secondary school. They will need
some paperwork to be able to support you.
Most colleges require records that have been updated within three years
before your freshman year. So keep that
in mind when you have evaluations done in high school.
·
Update your transition plan in your high
school IEP file.
·
Write down what services and supports you need in the classroom. For
example, maybe you need a note taker, an interpreter, increased testing time,
etc. This will be very helpful in
college.
·
Apply for scholarships and financial aid:
o Fastweb at www.fastweb.com
o Free Application for Federal Student Aid www.fasfa.ed.gov
o FinAid at www.finaid.org
o AAPD at www.aapd-dc.org/links/linkscholarshipawards.php
o HEATH Resource Center-Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities
at www.heath.gwu.edu/PDFs/FinancialAid05.pdf
·
Ask if you can talk with other college students who may get support through the Disability Services
Coordinator. Ask what they think about
college life.
Prior to
·
Attend freshman orientation at your
post-secondary school.
·
Attend any pre-college programs that your
school may offer.
·
Prepare to meet with professors individually so you are sure that you know what that classroom will be like and
what accommodations you might need.
2005-2006 Governing Board member Kara Sheridan smiles with a guest following a session
about education.
Employment
Employment is something that every American is
expected to find. Learning about
employment starts when people are young.
A big issue for youth with disabilities is finding a job. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, about 40%
of men with disabilities and 49% of women with disabilities are not
employed. All young people worry about beginning
their careers. And they feel anxious
about finding a job and lacking specific work skills.
Young adults with disabilities sometimes have
a tough time finding employment.
Finding a good job takes a lot of planning; it takes a lot of
looking. And it takes a lot of hard
work. Extra training for employment
gives you a better chance to reach your goals.
This training could be about how to write a professional resume. Or it could be workshops on interview
skills. Continued training leads to
better chances for a happy and independent adult life.
2005-2006 Governing
Board members
Here is a
checklist for your employment goals:
Middle School:
·
Make a list of the jobs you are interested in.
·
Talk about different jobs with your family and friends. Think about job-shadowing people to see what
different jobs are like. Ask about what
kind of education or training they needed to be able to do their jobs.
High School:
·
Have a transition plan in your IEP. By the
time you turn 16, the IDEA requires that you and a team of people create a
transition plan. This plan includes an
employment goal To learn more about IEPs
and transition planning, visit the Transition Guide through the PACER Center at
www.pacer.org/text/swift/transition.htm.
·
Participate in a job/career shadow experience (where you follow
along with someone for a day to see what his/her job is like). These experiences help you know more about
different jobs.
·
Ask about Vocational Education programs offered at your high school.
This could include work-study or community programs that assist with
transition.
·
Take a career survey to find where
your skills and interests are the strongest.
These surveys can usually be found in your guidance counselors’
office.
·
Become involved in school or community clubs/activities. These are good ways to meet
people and experience careers.
·
Participate in an internship or volunteer opportunity. Some options for activities
like this can be found at AmeriCorps www.Americorps.org (an opportunity for
individuals 17 or older) or Volunteer Match www.volunteermatch.org.
·
Ask about Social Security Income (SSI). Once you turn 18 you might
qualify for SSI. This provides monthly payments to people with
disabilities who have limited income and resources. It also could offer financial support while
you find employment or work part-time.
Learn more by visiting the Social Security Administration at www.ssa.gov.
·
Get to know your rights as a person with a disability in the work place. Learn
about the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act.
o Job Accommodation Network at www.jan.wvu.edu
o Equal Employment Commission Guide to Employment Rights for People
with Disabilities at www.eeoc.gov/facts/ada18.html
·
Visit your local
·
Work toward keeping your grades up. This is important, but
schools also look at other things to decide if you are qualified for their
program(s).
·
Take classes to help you get ready for
college or employment. This could
involve typing classes, computer training, organization classes, or leadership
trainings.
·
Participate in Disability Mentoring Day. This program is a one-day
job shadowing opportunity. To find the
site in your state, visit the Disability Mentoring day website at www.dmd-aapd.org.
·
Decide what kind of education you may need to reach your career goals.
o High Learning = Higher Earning site at www.aypf.org/publications/higherlearning.pdf.
o Knowing Your Rights and Responsibilities at www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/transition.html.
2005 NYLN Institute
participants share ideas at a round-table discussion.
·
Participate in an internship your junior or
senior year. Usually you can get credits
to apply to your degree when you do this.
·
Develop your study skills. This may take time at first, but it will help
save time in the long run. For pointers,
visit the Study Guides and Strategies site at www.studygs.net.
·
Get involved in at least one student organization.
·
Attend school career fairs.
·
Practice your interview skills by
holding mock interviews (ones that are set up only for practice). For suggestions, visit the Informational
Interview Guide at www.career.fsu.edu/ccis/guides/infoint.html.
·
Consider studying abroad or participating
in other off campus opportunities. Learn
more through Mobility International,
·
Update your professional resume. A professional resume is a little different
than the one used for post-secondary school applications. To learn more about resumes and the job
market, visit JobStar at www.jobstar.org.
·
Find a mentor to talk to and work with for
your career goals.
·
Determine if your career goal will require you to attend graduate
school.
·
Meet with your academic advisor (one will
usually be assigned to you when you register for school) to be sure you have
taken all the right classes.
Healthcare
More than nine million youth in the
Young
people are learning how to set their own goals.
They are learning how to accomplish their own goals. These goals included being able to do things on
their own. So finding good health care
and good insurance is something that young people want to learn about. They realize that these resources are a link
to services and supports for medicine, doctor’s appointments, or personal care
attendants. However, these same young
people know that they usually have to have a job before they can have full
healthcare. And since there is usually a
gap of time that comes between a student graduating from school and finding a
job, young people worry about keeping the health insurance that they need.
Young
people are learning about health services from different providers—sometimes
through jobs and sometimes through State or Federal services. In fact, more and more young people are
making it a priority to ask about healthcare coverage when applying for a job.
These are extra challenges that young people without disabilities usually do
not have to learn about or worry about at such a young age.
Here is a
checklist for your healthcare goals and needs:
Middle School:
·
Ask questions about your disability and learn more about it. Be
able to describe your disability (as well as your strengths and supports) to
someone else.
·
Be more responsible for daily
activities that help with your healthcare.
This could be remembering to take your medication.
·
Be more active in your doctor visits. Ask questions if you don’t understand
something, for example.
High School:
·
Practice self-advocacy or asking for what you need.
·
Be more responsible and independent when it comes to managing your healthcare. Start by creating a binder to organize your
medical documents and references.
·
Practice explaining your disability to someone who has never heard about it before.
·
Read about and ask questions about healthcare policies.
·
Contact your health care insurance company and ask about independent coverage for after your turn 18 years
old.
·
Research doctors who specialize in treating young adults with your disability. Find
out if this physician understands your disability and what you need.
·
Research healthcare laws for young adults with disabilities. For more suggestions about
this, visit KASA (Kids As Self-Advocates) at www.fvkasa.org.
·
Contact college/university Disability Support Services to learn what accommodations they will offer you to assist with
your healthcare needs on campus.
·
GRADUATE!
And have fun doing it!
Post-secondary:
·
Take responsibility (to the extent
you feel comfortable) for your healthcare.
You are the decision-maker now.
But remember that even decision-makers ask for help. Visit Disability Info at www.disabilityinfo.gov.
·
Chose a physician who treats
adults with your disability. Remember
this physician should know about your disability.
·
Make sure you have healthcare insurance. Some post-secondary schools
offer insurance. Sometimes a student may
remain a dependent (someone who is on his/her parents’ insurance plan). And sometimes a student may become an independent
(someone who has his/her own insurance plan) based on other benefits. This is different for each person. So find out what plan works best for you.
·
Visit other sites to find
information:
o Children's Medical Services (CSM) Health Care Transition Workbooks www.cms‑kids.com/CMSTransition.htm
Disability
Culture
People with disabilities
are the largest minority in the
Disability culture includes lots of different people. We work together. We fight prejudice. And we live our dreams. Our culture is shown through art, language,
literature or writings, and a unique history.
By learning more about these things, youth with disabilities can succeed
and create change in our community.
Most people learn about
culture from their parents. But not all
people with disabilities also have parents with disabilities. So sometimes young people have to educate
their families about disability culture.
And one of the lessons they teach is how to accept differences.
Youth with
disabilities and youth without disabilities deserve to learn about this
powerful culture. Role models and
mentors with disabilities are very important.
Knowing who they are and how to find them is sometimes difficult. Youth of today are trying to change
that. Youth with disabilities have an
exciting opportunity to be part of a culture that celebrates diversity.
Here is a
checklist to learn more about Disability Culture:
Middle School:
·
Learn about respectable language. Teach others how to work with and refer to
people with disabilities
·
Meet other young people, those with
disabilities and those without. Learn
about their lives. Share your own
stories with them. Share things about
yourself like poetry and art and sports.
This is your opportunity to educate others who may not know about
Disability Culture yet.
·
Visit other sites for information:
o
o Brave Kids at www.bravekids.org/kids/club_about.html
o CeDIR’s Disability Awareness
Site for Youth at www.iidc.indiana.edu/cedir/kidsweb
o Winners On Wheels at www.wowusa.com
2005 NYLN Institute Participant
Michael Nunez talks with Ollie Cantos from the Civil Rights Division of the
U.S. Department of Justice.
High School:
·
Study about the Disability Movement. Share your knowledge your
friends and family members. Some
resources are:
o The
o Smithsonian’s The Disability Rights Movement at www.americanhistory.si.edu/disabilityrights/welcome.html
o Learning Disability History at www.learningdisabilityhistory.com/.
·
Learn about mentors, historical heroes, and role models with disabilities. You will
be inspired by their stories. Visit Disability Social
History Project at www.disabilityhistory.org/people.html.
·
Continue educating yourself. Take courses; go to conferences; read books
about Disability Culture. Consider the
disability studies programs at some colleges and universities.
·
Enjoy the differences in the
Disability Community. Learn to
appreciate disability humor, art, music, and literature. Be proud that you are a person with a
disability. Some sites to visit are:
o Breath & Shadow at www.abilitymaine.org/breath/index.html
o Kaleidoscope Magazine at www.udsakron.org/kaleidoscope.htm
o The Nth Degree at www.thenthdegree.com/posters.asp
·
Be aware of Disability Culture and stay informed!
o Ragged edge at www.ragged-edge-mag.com/
o Disability World at www.disabilityworld.org/
o International Disability News Ticker at www.abilityinfo.com/ticker.html
·
Advocate for the community of people with
disabilities. You can be a team member
to work against discrimination and prejudice.
You can give other young people more strength and confidence. You can teach others about not believing in
stereotypes and negative attitudes. And
be aware that sometimes discrimination is “hidden.” Sometimes people pity us and think we cannot
do things for ourselves. It is very
important to educate these people.
Celebrate your victories and your pride as a person with a disability. Your possibilities are limitless!
Yoshiko Dart and Governing Board member