What's New? What's going on? How can I get involved?
As our project grows and develops, here is where you will find all the latest updates on activities and issues of importance to youth with developmental disabilities. Here you'll find announcements on internships, conferences, legislation updates, and other information to help you, as youth and emerging leaders, get to where you want to be!
Announcements:
Disability History Timeline: Resource and Discussion Guide
This guide is designed to assist youth with and without disabilities to learn about the rich history of people with disabilities. Although designed primarily for youth and emerging leaders with disabilities, the guide can be used in multiple ways to educate a broader audience as well. Read more about the Disability History Timeline...
Spanish language versions of the following documents are now available:
US Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy Releases Fact Sheet on Disability History and the Accomplishments of Young Disability Leaders
Disability history is an essential part of America’s heritage and has been largely ignored in school curricula. This is particularly paradoxical since anyone, regardless of age, race, or heritage, may become a part of the population of people with disabilities at any time. But the tide is beginning to turn—due mainly to the grassroots efforts of young disability leaders.
Read about “Disability History: An Important Part of America’s Heritage”
Plotting the Course for Success: An
Individual Mentoring Plan for Youth with Disabilities.
Spinning off of our sister center’s Paving the Way to Work: A Career Focused Mentoring Guide for Youth with Disabilities, this plan guides mentors and mentees through a number of activities to help them think about a young person’s developmental needs and goals, and what sorts of activities, experiences, and connections can help them achieve them. Not only does this plan outline specific activities and action items for the mentee, but it also enables the mentor to have an opportunity to express how he or she would like to see himself or herself grow in the relationship. Driven by youth with disabilities and grounded in the research based fields of youth development and leadership (learning, connecting, thriving, working, and leading), this plan will guide mentors and mentees as they “plot the course” to help youth and emerging leaders make a successful transition from youth to adulthood.
Read this guide as a PDF or Word document
AAPD Accepting Applications for the National 2009 Paul G. Hearne Award - deadline Tuesday, September 30, 2008.
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) is pleased to announce that it is accepting application from Emerging Leaders with Disabilities for AAPD's 2009 PAUL G. HEARNE LEADERSHIP AWARD! Winners of the Paul G. Hearne Award will receive $10,000 cash to help them continue their progress as leaders within the disability community and to implement their proposed goals and initiatives. This year, AAPD will recognize three (3) Hearne Award recipients at our 2009 Leadership Gala in Washington, D.C and will involve each winner in AAPD's 2009 National Leadership Initiatives.
The deadline is fast approaching so if you know of an outstanding emerging leader and supporter of the disability community please share this information with them and encourage them to apply. This is a remarkable opportunity for a budding leader in the disability community that should not be missed!
Applications are due by 5 PM EST, Tuesday, September 30, 2008.
For more information or to apply for the 2009 Paul G. Hearne Award, please visit http://www.aapd.com/awards/awards09/hearne_app09.html
For questions, please contact Alana Hill, Program Associate for AAPD, at 1-800-840-8844 ext. 22..
View the Word or PDF documents for more information.
Disability History- An Important Part of Our Heritage
New article on Disability History.
Click here to view the document
Looking for a Youth Information Center in your area?
Visit our new Youth Information Centers page for links to information Youth Centers accross the United States.
Click here to visit the Youth Information Center page
Tom Osborne Federal Youth Coordination Act
On September 30, amid the flurry of activity before recessing for midterm elections, Congress passed the Federal Youth Coordination Act (FYCA) and renamed it the Tom Osborne Federal Youth Coordination Act (H.R.856/S.409). Representative Tom Osborne (R-NE) and Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) introduced the bill in February 2005.
In response to a December 2003 report by the White House Task Force for Disadvantaged Youth, FYCA’s sponsors drafted the bipartisan legislation in partnership with National Collaboration for Youth (NCY) and its member organizations, which includes NYEC. The Task Force found that programs seeking to meet the needs of young people are spread across 12 federal departments with little communication or coordination among them. FYCA establishes a Federal Youth Development Council that will enable the federal government to implement multifaceted approaches to reaching youth by leveraging and coordinating the existing resources of different federal agencies.
For more information on FYCA from the National Collaborative for Youth, visit www.youthcoordinationact.org. For FYCA bill text, visit
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.856:.
Time is Running Out to Register to Vote
As we approach the election season, those of us in the disability community should remember the words of Justin Dart -- "Vote as if your life depends upon it. Because it does." Those words were never truer than they are today. We at JFA and AAPD do not intend to tell you HOW to vote -- but we are saying it is imperative that you DO vote! For the next several weeks, JFA will run a series of articles on "voting" and we hope you respond in a very positive way to these messages and alerts.
The FIRST important point we want to make is this. In order to vote, you must REGISTER! Those deadlines (which vary by state) are fast approaching. So please, if you are not registered, DO that today!
Below is a link that includes your states deadline to register to vote in this November’s election. Huge numbers of people with disabilities are not registered to vote. Your county or city election office will give you voter registration forms.
Between now and the deadline, carry voter registration forms with you and ask everyone you meet with a disability interest to register. If a voter has moved, the voter must register at the new address. If a voter is not sure she is registered, have her fill out the voter registration form. WHEN IN DOUBT FILL IT OUT. The elections department will process new registrations. It is better to be certain that the registration information is correct than to discover that on Election Day, you cannot vote.
2006 Voter Registration Deadlines by State http://www.aapd.com/dvpmain/votenews/061004aapd.htm
Policy Brief on Helping Youth with Mental Health Needs Transition into Adulthood
The National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) has issued a Policy Brief entitled, “A Difficult Passage: Helping Youth with Mental Health Needs Transition into Adulthood.” Developed by NCSL and NCWD/Youth, the Brief discusses current state strategies for improving outcomes for youth with mental health needs, and offers additional policy recommendations. This Brief is a prelude to a forthcoming guide to be published by NCWD/Youth entitled “Tunnels and Cliffs: A Guide for Workforce Development Practitioners and Policymakers Serving Youth with Mental Health Needs.”
Please read the Policy Brief online at : http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/forum/youthmentalneeds.htm.
National Bullying Awareness Prevention Week
National bullying awareness prevention week is October 22-28 and is being sponsored by the PACER Center and cosponsored by the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education, National Education Association, and National PTA. PACER Center encourages you to help promote this important week in the following ways: (1) Promote the website below as a bullying prevention resource for elementary-age children, including those with disabilities; (2) Download and share a colorful poster promoting National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week; (3) Read "Bullying Fast Facts"; and (4) Let the public hear the message, "Bullying is never okay. What can you do to stop it?" For more information, go to: http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/
MENTORING IN AMERICA 2005: A SNAPSHOT OF THE CURRENT STATE OF MENTORING
In 2005, MENTOR commissioned a new poll on mentoring in America. The findings of that poll were released on May 3, focusing on the attitudes and behaviors of three key groups of American adults: formal mentors, informal mentors and non-mentors. Key findings include that young people involved in structured one-to-one mentoring relationships has increased nearly 20 percent, and that 44 million adults are willing to serve as mentors.
http://www.mentoring.org/leaders/files/pollreport.pdf
Website press release:
http://www.mentoring.org/program_staff/evaluation/2005_national_poll.php
THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR MENTORING YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES
Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) announce the opening of the National Center for Mentoring Youth with Disabilities. The National Center provides opportunities to learn about best practices, connect with others who are committed to similar work, learn about upcoming conferences and receive training and technical assistance. The National Center has released its first publication, "Aspire, Achieve, Empower: Best Practices for Mentoring Youth with Disabilities."
A version of the guide can be downloaded at http://www.pyd.org/
An additional resource, the 2005 "Best Practices Guide in Mentoring Youth with Disabilities" has also been developed by PYD. This 145 page guide describes best practices and strategies for mentoring youth with disabilities. It can be downloaded for free in PDF format from http://www.pyd.org/national
-center/GuideBookAssembly_medium150.pdf
YouthNoise webite launch
YouthNoise launches civic engagement website
YouthNoise (YN) has recently launched a new website at www.
youthnoise.org, to engage youth world wide ages 13 to 26 in civic life
and civic action. YN believes the site can offer engagement opportunities
to youth along a full spectrum of engagement -from first time
consideration to deep activism.
Please go to http://www.youthnoise.org
New IDEA Parent Guide
IDEA Parent Guide is available from the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
The new IDEA Parent Guide is available from the National Center
for Learning Disabilities (NCLD).This guide takes you through
the special education process - a process that is the same regardless
of a child's particular difficulties or disabilities.
Within the guide, special emphasis is placed on the category of specific
learning disability. The guide includes parent perspectives, terms
you'll find helpful to know, and practical materials for parents such as
Checklists, Sample Letters, Charts, and Questions to Ask.
Find the IDEA Parent Guide online at:
http://www.ncld.org/content/view/902/456086/
New Amendment Passed That Provides Additional Funding For Students with Intellectual Disabilities
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSES AMENDMENT PROVIDING STUDENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES ACCESS TO FEDERAL WORK-STUDY FUNDS AND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS
On March 29, U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) introduced an
amendment to the College Access and Opportunity Act (H.R. 609) that will
provide students with intellectual disabilities access to federal work-study funds. Currently, approximately 94 higher education institutions nationwide offer programs for students with intellectual disabilities, but these students are not able to access federal work-study funds due to disqualifying factors such as the absence of a high school diploma or enrollment in non-degree education programs, says a press release issued by Representative Sessions. Research shows that comprehensive postsecondary programs have had a positive impact on student rates of employment and wages.
Read a press release by Congressman Sessions' office at
http://sessions.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=41553
To read the text of H.R. 609, visit http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/thomas
and conduct a search by Bill Number for H.R. 609.
New IDEA Guide Available Online
NEW GUIDE EXPLAINS LAW IMPACTING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Teachers of struggling learners have a new resource to draw upon. The National Center for Learning Disabilities has just launched an innovative, online guide to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is designed to explain the federal laws that underpin special education in every state. Although created primarily for parents, the guide is also a valuable source of information -- in accessible language-- for classroom teachers who may not have a background in special education. Teachers can use the guide as a referral for parents or use it themselves to better understand the rights and requirements of their students who have special needs. http://www.ncld.org/content/view/978
REQUEST FOR SECOND ROUND OF PROPOSALS
NOV 7 - 10, 2006 9TH ANNUAL ACCESSING HIGHER GROUND
ACCESSIBLE MEDIA WEB & TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE.,
Sponsored by the University of Colorado and held at the Millennium
Hotel, Boulder, CO.
For more information go to
http://www.colorado.edu/ATconference
Information Briefs:
Learning & Scholarship Opportunities:
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Michigan Disability Rights Coalition Summer Internships New!
Position: Four Summer Internships / For currently enrolled college students.
Status: Contract Position
Dates: June 19 through September 1, 2006
Pay: Stipend of $3,600 , Coverage of approved travel expenses
Michigan Disability Rights Coalition launched the CONNECT (College Organizations Networking Now Each Creating Ties) Program in the summer of 2005. The vision is to establish a network of support for college students with disabilities. This is established by empowering students with disabilities to start and enhance disability organizations in their colleges; making a statewide impact by networking students together; and connecting students to scholarship, leadership, networking and internship opportunities.
Intern's Role:
The intern will work with the CONNECT team to complete objectives that
support a statewide network for students with disabilities. The intern
will work independently in one of four regions (Upper and Northern Lower
Peninsula, Southeast Michigan, West Michigan, Thumb Area) throughout the
state. The intern is expected to support MDRC's vision to build
opportunities for people with disabilities so they may live fully
integrated lives within their chosen communities, now and in the future.
Full citizenship is the expected role that people with disabilities will
play, and their hopes and dreams parallel those of citizens without
disabilities.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
o Develop college network by identifying and contacting schools
that are interested in forming disability organizations of students.
o Enhance relationships between CONNECT and college disability
support offices.
o Expand and enhance mail and email contacts of participant and
college networks.
o Present to college freshman students with disabilities
information that encourages becoming active in the disability
communities on and off campus.
o Work closely with the leadership development team in Lansing.
o Submit completed paperwork in a timely matter.
Required Skills:
o Self organized, detail-oriented and ability to meet deadlines
o Excellent verbal and written skills
o Excellent computer skills in MS word, email and internet
research.
o Ability to establish and maintain excellent working relationship
and work collaboratively with MDRC, like-minded organizations, students,
faculty, media and public.
o Willingness to travel
Please send resume and three references to:
Carolyn Lejuste at clejuste@prosynergy.org
Subject line: SUMMER INTERN
MDRC 780 W. Lake Lansing Ste. 200 East Lansing, MI 48823
***Resume and references must be received May 19*** |
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THE WHITE HOUSE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
The White House Internship Program offers an excellent opportunity to serve our President and explore public service. We are seeking
exceptional candidates to apply for this highly competitive program. In addition to normal office duties, interns attend weekly lectures, tours, and complete an intern service project. Interns may serve a term in the Fall, Spring or Summer. All candidates must be at least 18 years of age, hold United States citizenship, and be enrolled in a college or university.
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Applications for the fall, 2006 term are due June 16, 2006.
** Applications for the spring 2007 term are due October 13, 2006.
For more information go to: http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/wh-intern.html
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Do Something Grants for Community Projects
Do Something will award the 2006 GameStop Youth Grants to young people who submit creative proposals for solving local problems in the areas of community building, health, and the environment. Applicants can apply individually or on behalf of a group and they must have a mentor. Thirty youth "25 and under" will receive $500.
Applications are due May 15 and recommendation letters are due May 22.
For more information
visit http://www.dosomething.org/awards/grants/apply/. |
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YOUTH OUTREACH FOR VICTIM ASSISTANCE
The National Crime Prevention Council and the National Center for
Victims of Crime are seeking applicants for the Youth Outreach for
Victim Assistance (YOVA) project. The YOVA project, entering its third year, seeks to raise awareness about teen victimization and services that can help teen victims of crime, and to provide resources to victim service providers so they can better reach and serve teen victims.
Maximum Award: $3,000.
Eligibility: Any organization that has not participated in YOVA or that participated in YOVA during 2003-2004 is eligible to apply as a new site.
Deadline for application is May 15, 2006.
For more information go to:
http://www.ncpc.org/programs/yova/grant_opportunity.php |
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NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL OFFERS GRANTS FOR SERVICE LEARNING
PROJECTS
TNCPC will award 100 grants of up to $500 through its Teens, Crime, and the Community Initiative. The grants will support service-learning projects planned and implemented by youth who identified needs and create projects to address or prevent crime, violence, and drug abuse in their schools and communities. Eligible applicants must be ages 11 to 19 and a participant in a Community Works or Youth Safety Corps program or be in a youth group or class of six or more members.
Deadline for application is June 1, 2006.
To obtain additional information and an application, visit: http://www.ncpc.org/programs/tcc/grant.php
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Visit our Resources page for links to additional learning opportunities.
2006 Summer Information Technology Internship For College Students With Disabilities:
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), through
partnerships with Microsoft Corporation and the Mitsubishi Electric America
Foundation, is pleased to announce two internship opportunities for college
students with disabilities for summer 2006.
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NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The NFB scholarship program provides 30 scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $12,000 plus an all expenses paid trip to the annual convention of
the NFB. Most times, Ray Kurzweil and others grant additional
scholarships as well. Winners get exposure to a philosophy of blindness
that affirms high expectations for those who are blind or visually
impaired.
For more information go to http://nfb.org/sch_intro.htm
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ED ROBERTS POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP IN DISABILITIES STUDIES
Application for this postdoctoral program at the University of
CA-Berkeley. This program is funded by the National Institute on
Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The goal of this program is to
train postdoctoral and professional scholars, in any discipline, to be
leaders in disability studies and rehabilitation research and
mentorship. There are three full-time, nine-month residential Ed Roberts
Postdoctoral Fellowships a year; the Stipend is $30,000.
For more information go to http://www.dpi.org/en/resources/current_news/01-19-05_erpfds.htm
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VSA Arts: ARTIST REFLECTIONS ON HOW ART TRANSFORMS OUR LIVES
VSA arts invites artists to reflect on the many ways art transforms our
lives, focusing on the influence of education and disability. Open to
artists (ages 22 and over) who are committed to their artistic progress
and who have a physical, cognitive, or mental disability. For eligible
media and entry forms in English, Spanish, French and ASCII:
http://www.vsarts.org/transformation
www.vsarts.org/transformation |
