APRIL YOUTH Peer to Peer Project Overview and Background



APRIL YOUTH Peer to Peer Project Overview and Background

For several years now, APRIL has entertained the idea of doing youth peer-to-peer mentoring that would work along the same lines as the CIL-to-CIL and most recently added, SILC-to-SILC peer mentoring models.

In the CIL and SILC projects, CILs from across the country apply to APRIL to be part of a competition for scholarships, funded by the Independent Living Resource Utilization (ILRU). The project is APRIL’s deliverable in an RSA grant that developed a partnership between ILRU, NCIL and APRIL to do training and technical assistance in various forms to CILs and SILCs nationwide. APRIL also provides this service to CILs or SILCs outside the competition as a fee based service.

Over the years, APRIL has put together a team of seasoned CIL and SILC directors who are individually matched with recipients of the scholarships. Recipients’ needs are determined through an application, pre-interview and discussion process. Once chosen as a site, two APRIL mentors, whose skills and individual strengths are similar to the needs of the CIL or SILC, are matched with the site director who then interviews both mentors. Site directors then decide who they feel is the best fit for their organization, and a match is made.

Over the following year, mentor and mentee are frequently in contact. The mentor and site director will discuss in depth the issues facing the site to discern how best to provide services to the CIL/SILC. They will make a 2-day site visit meeting with the site executive director, staff, board or consumers as determined by the executive director. The mentor and site director will jointly create a training and technical assistance plan for the center and follow-up via phone and email. It is the hope of the project that a strong relationship develops during this time that is beyond the mentor/mentee, but as friend, colleague and a resource to call on as needed.

The idea of the Youth Peer-to-Peer project was first developed by the attendants of the 2009 APRIL Youth Pre-Conference in Puerto Rico. The Youth-Peer-to-Peer project is similar to APRIL’s CIL-to-CIL and SILC-to-SILC mentoring project except the youth peer-to-peer is 100% youth-run and youth focused. We are hoping that a new product will spring from existing resources with the addition of new ideas that can be used in future mentoring sessions with centers requesting specifically youth-related mentoring.

We are grateful for our sponsors for giving us opportunities to work together as a youth group and providing us funding for this first pilot project. This project was funded with a goal of increasing and enhancing community participation of youth with disabilities. We believe that this product will help facilitate the growth and improvement of youth and transition related services at CILs and bring rural youth with disabilities to get more involved with the APRIL organization and lead the independent living movement in the future.

This project was developed by the group of dedicated APRIL youth members who worked continuously and tirelessly.

Below are names of individuals who were involved in the Youth Peer-to-Peer Project:

Mike Beers – Summit Independent Living Center

Chiaki Gonda – Research and Training Center on Independent Living

Carrie Greenwood – Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy

Alex Jackson – disability Resource Center

Mary Olson – Summit Independent Living Center

Sierra Roster – Alliance of Disability Advocate

We also thank Kathy Hatch, Training and Assistance Director at APRIL for her guidance and supervision.

We hope this project will provide you with information and resources to increase a full participation of youth with disabilities and improve the quality of life for all individuals with disabilities to live more independently.

This project was sponsored by:

• Research and Training Center on Measurement and Interdependence on Community Living at the University of Kansas

• Easter Seals Project Action

• Association of the Program for Rural Independent Living

APRIL Youth Peer to Peer Site Training

September 13 & 14th, 2010

Training Site: accessAbility

1426 W. 29th St., Ste 207

Indianapolis, IN 46208

Agenda

Day 1 – Monday, September 13th

|Time |Event |Presenter(s) |

|9:00 am - 9:15 am |Greetings & Introduction |Everyone |

|9:15 am – 9:25 am |Overview of APRIL’s Peer to Peer Mentoring Project |Kathy Hatch |

|9:25 am – 9:40 am |Overview of Youth Peer to Peer Mentoring & Training Objectives |Mike Beers, Chiaki Gonda, Mary Olson |

|9:40 am – 10:00 am |Statement of Issues/Barriers |Teri Whitaker |

|10:00 am– 12:00 pm |Workshop Part 1 |Mike Beers & Mary Olson |

|12:00 pm – 1:00 pm |Working Lunch | |

|1:00 pm- 2:45 pm |Workshop Part 2 |Mike Beers & Mary Olson |

|2:45 pm – 3: 00 pm |Break | |

|3:00 pm – 4:45 pm |Workshop Part 3 |Mike Beers & Mary Olson |

|4:45 pm – 5:00 pm |Reflection & Wrap-up |Kathy Hatch |

Day 2 – Tuesday, September 14th

|Time |Event |Presenter(s) |

|9:00 am - 9:15 am |Recap of Workshop Day 1 |Mike Beers & Mary Olson |

|9:15 am – 11:45 am |Interactive and experimental learning session 1 |Everyone |

|11:45 am – 12:30 pm |Working Lunch |Everyone |

|12: 30 pm – 2:00 pm |Interaction and experimental learning session 2 |Everyone |

|2:00 pm – 2:30 pm |Plans for future collaboration and follow-ups |Everyone |

|2:30 pm – 3:00 pm |Reflection & Wrap up |Kathy Hatch |

Youth Peer Mentoring Project Members Contact List

|Mike Beers |Alex Jackson |

|Summit Independent Living Center |disAbility Resource Center |

|406-728-1630 p |7944 Dorchester Road |

|406-829-3309 f |Charleston, SC 29418-2919 |

|mikebbal@ |(843) 225-5080 |

| |jalexjackson@ |

|Sierra Royster, LRT/CTRS |Mary Olson |

|Youth Advocate and Outreach Specialist |Peer Advocate Coordinator |

|Alliance of Disability Advocates |Summit Independent Living Center |

|P.O. Box 12988 |406-728-1630 p |

|Raleigh NC 27605 |406-829-3309 f |

|919.833.1117 V/TTY |molson@ |

|919.833.1171 FAX | |

|sierra.royster@ | |

|Carrie Greenwood |Chiaki Gonda |

|Program Coordinator |Graduate Research Assistant |

|Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy (KYEA) |Research and Training Center on Independent Living (RTC/IL) |

|PO Box 475 |The University of Kansas |

|Topeka, KS 66601 |Dole Center, Suite 4089 |

|785.215.6655 Local |1000 Sunnyside Avenue |

|866.577.5932 Toll Free |Lawrence, KS 66045 -7555 |

|785.215.6699 Fax |Voice: (785) 864-4095 |

|carrieg@ |Fax: (785) 864-5063 |

| |email: chiaki@ku.edu |

| | |

|Kathy Hatch | |

|APRIL Training and Technical Assistance | |

|390 Crepe Myrtle Drive | |

|Greer, SC  29651 | |

|864.670.9283 | |

|kathatch@ | |

|april- | |

APRIL Peer-to-Peer Youth Participation Project

Best Practices from the Field

 

 

Center/Group/Organization Name: Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy

 

Contact Person: Carrie Greenwood, Program Coordinator

 

Phone: 785-215-6655                            Email: carrieg@

 

Center Address: PO Box 475

 

City/State/Zip: Topeka, KS 66601

 

 

1.   Types of Best Practices

 

__ Community-based Activities

__ Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills

_X_ IL History and Philosophy

__ Recruiting Youth

__ Sexuality and Relationship

__ Transportation

__Other (Please specify: _______________________________)

 

2.   Describe the brief overview of the best practice.

Disability Awareness and History Bill

Passage of a Disability Awareness and History Bill in our state. In 2008 we brought together a small group of youth to work on passing this bill in our state. During the 2009 legislative session, a Disability Awareness and History Bill was passed that requires schools throughout Kansas to teach disability education in all classrooms. This led to the passage of a proclamation that designates the third week of October as Disability History and Awareness Week in Kansas.

 

Wanted schools to teach disability history for 2 weeks in schools. New bill says schools can decide how and when (also how long??). Requires disability history and awareness to be taught. Working with DOE and disability organizations to create teacher manual. First state with this kind of bill was West Virginia.

 

3.   Describe the youth population whom you are targeting for this best practices program (e.g., people with physical disabilities; high school students with disabilities; open to people with all types of disabilities).

 

All students in elementary through high schools in Kansas.

 

 

4.   Describe the innovative qualities that make this youth-focused service/program successful and emerging practice in the field of independent living.

 

This bill was passed in one legislative session. That is one aspect that made us very proud. We believe the passage was so successful due to the youth who worked on it, as well as those legislators and community organizations who were very supportive of it. This was a huge step for Kansas to pass a bill like this, and, although it will not be the cure-all, it is a great step in the right direction. I also believe that this bill was so well received because we have a program already going to bring into the schools… our Disability Heritage Project. We have a curriculum and we have the resources to pass onto the schools.

 

5.  Describe how youth benefit from this best practice.  What are some anticipated outcomes of this problem?

 

Our outcomes are very much the same as with our Disability Heritage Project. Our goal is that, through learning about disability awareness and history, young people with disabilities will be exposed to their history, will learn about successful people with disabilities, and will have the opportunity to share about their disability. This will lead to increased self-esteem and disability pride. Our goal for the audiences of youth without disabilities is that they will learn about their classmates who learn, move, or act differently from them. This will lead to better treatment of students with disabilities and greater acceptance in our schools. Bullying is a huge issue in schools today, so we hope that this cuts down on some mistreatment of students with disabilities. In the long run, we hope that this disability education will encourage high expectations for youth with disabilities from their peers, teachers, family members, and the entire community.

 

6.  What are you doing to sustain the program? 

 

We have been very active in ensuring that this bill is known about and implemented in the actual classrooms. We have trained a small group of youth to present on the topics of disability awareness and history. We also formed a team of CIL Liaisons, which is comprised of one employee from each of our CIL’s in Kansas. This team is expected to be the liaison between KYEA and their local schools. They are encouraged to make connections in the schools and help teacher’s come up with ways to implement these topics.

 

We are now working with a team to create a manual for teachers to use when implementing the bill in their classrooms. We hope that this manual will be full of resources to aid the teachers. It will be essential to sustaining the impact of this new law.

 

 

7.   Write down the cost, materials, time, resources needed for this best practice.

 

Below are some steps that we took throughout the process:

1.    Formed a youth taskforce to work on getting the bill passed.

2.    Provided a training to introduce the project, provide beginner information on the legislative process, and formulate a plan.

3.    Provided a training on giving effective legislative testimony.

4.    Conducted five meetings / conference calls to update the taskforce.

5.    Worked closely with two youth to help them with testimony… the youth then gave testimony before the House and Senate.

6.    Worked closely with the youth to promote the bill in the community.

7.    Attended committee meetings and hearings at the Capital.

8.    Created fact sheets and talking points for legislators and advocates.

9.    Had a celebration after the bill was passed!

 

There were probably more steps in the process, but these are the overall ones. Fortunately, we really have not necessarily had a budget for this project, aside from some printing here and there, etc.

 

8.  Share a success story that came out of this best practice.

 

Because the bill is so new, we have not necessarily heard the success stories yet. We hope that by next October, we will hear about the bill actually being implemented and about the impact that it is making on our youth in Kansas.

 

APRIL Peer-to-Peer Youth Participation Project

Best Practices from the Field

 

 

Center/Group/Organization Name: Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy

 

Contact Person: Carrie Greenwood, Program Coordinator

 

Phone: 785-215-6655  Email: carrieg@

 

Center Address: PO Box 475

 

City/State/Zip: Topeka, KS 66601

 

1. Types of Best Practices

 

__ Community-based Activities

__ Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills

_X_ IL History and Philosophy

__ Recruiting Youth

__ Sexuality and Relationship

__ Transportation

__Other (Please specify: _______________________________)

 

1. Describe the brief overview of the best practice.

 

Disability Heritage Project--Bringing a disability history and awareness curriculum to schools, organizations, and community groups across our state. Talked with youth w/d in schools, then realized it affected all students. Got requests from variety of classes, community organizations, businesses, etc. Tailor presentations to the audience - little ones - more awareness, people they might recognize, language, self descriptions (what can/can't do)  HS - jeopardy game w/prizes - worked with 60 groups/over 2000 people. AV - powerpoint, pictures. video clips, music, have used Ed Roberts video, older ones, A Little History Worth Knowing. ILRU video? - WY edited 7-8 minutes of module 1 - also use Power of 504 video. Trying to make sure all disabilities are represented. Mental health needs to be added. Famous people, other questions in Jeopardy - make sure cross-disability.

 

2. Describe the youth population whom you are targeting for this best practices program (e.g., people with physical disabilities; high school students with disabilities; open to people with all types of disabilities).

 

In schools, we can tailor our presentation to fit kindergarten through college age classrooms, and every age in between. When we are speaking to faculty, organizations, and community groups, we are generally speaking to adults.

 

 

3. Describe the innovative qualities that make this youth-focused service/program successful and emerging practice in the field of independent living.

 

Our Disability Heritage Project has been going strong for about four years. During those four years, we have brought the topic of disability history and awareness to over 60 groups and over 2100 people. KYEA staff go into schools, organizations, community groups, etc, and teach disability related topics to people of all ages, as well as people with and without disabilities. One of the most exciting things is that, through this program, we have been able to create positive connections with many schools in our state. Also, all presentations are interactive and conducted by people with disabilities so there is a deep connection to the material being shared. We feel that this program is successful because we try to make the presentations fun, reach each audience on their level, and because of the passion coming from the speakers.

 

4. Describe how youth benefit from this best practice.  What are some anticipated outcomes of this problem?

 

Our goal is that, through hearing these presentations, young people with disabilities will be exposed to their history, will learn about successful people with disabilities, and will have the opportunity to share about their disability. This will lead to increased self-esteem and disability pride. Our goal for the audiences of youth without disabilities is that they will learn about their classmates who learn, move, or act differently from them. This will lead to better treatment of students with disabilities and greater acceptance in our schools. In the long run, we hope that this disability education will encourage high expectations for youth with disabilities from their peers, teachers, family members, and the entire community.

 

 

5. What are you doing to sustain the program? 

 

We have to continue to promote the program, although we have many audiences that we return to on a regular basis. Also, we get many requests by word of mouth through the schools and community. Right now, we do not have a specific grant for this program. We often charge for mileage, which allows us to travel to different places. We have not recently been charging for the actual presentation, but that is a possibility in the future. This program really seems to sustain itself as schools are frequently yearning for ways to decrease bullying and create more acceptance amongst students.

 

6. Write down the cost, materials, time, resources needed for this best practice.

 

Cost question would have to be directed to our Executive Director.

 

When we started this program, we really did not know the exact direction that we wanted it to go. We didn’t necessarily have a plan, so I don’t have a written list of how to start a program like this. I do have materials that we use to promote the program, as well as a full explanation of what we do and the audiences that we reach. I also have the powerpoints that we use with a couple of different age groups. These have all been uploaded.

 

7. Share a success story that came out of this best practice.

 

Really, our success stories with this program are the positive comments that are made during and after the presentations. Because we talk so openly about our disabilities and state that they are nothing to be ashamed of, it makes youth open up more about their own. During a presentation, they will oftentimes proudly declare that they to have a disability. We have also heard a lot of positive feedback from teachers who feel that, after our presentation, their students were more accepting of differences. So, while we don’t necessarily have a specific success story of one person, our successes come in a variety of ways with this program.

APRIL Peer-to-Peer Youth Participation Project

Best Practices from the Field

 

 

Center/Group/Organization Name: Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy

 

Contact Person: Carrie Greenwood, Program Coordinator

 

Phone: 785-215-6655                            Email: carrieg@

 

Center Address: PO Box 475

 

City/State/Zip: Topeka, KS  66601

 

1.   Types of Best Practices

 

__ Community-based Activities

_X_ Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills

__ IL History and Philosophy

__ Recruiting Youth

__ Sexuality and Relationship

__ Transportation

__Other (Please specify: ____________________________________)

 

1. Describe the brief overview of the best practice.

Kansas Youth Leadership Forum-- Successful coordination, implementation, and sustainability of a state Youth Leadership Forum.

         

2.   Describe the youth population whom you are targeting for this best practices program (e.g., people with physical disabilities; high school students with disabilities; open to people with all types of disabilities).

 

High school juniors and seniors with disabilities in Kansas

3.  Describe the innovative qualities that make this youth-focused service/program successful and emerging practice in the field of independent living.

 

We are going into our 10th year of holding a Youth Leadership Forum in our state. Over the years, I think we have found the tools to coordinate a YLF that is informative, well-rounded, and has a profound affect on every delegate that attends. We have consistent participation numbers each year, have a growing group of dedicated volunteers (including alumni), and have created an agenda that effectively builds leadership skills in the youth that attend.

 

What do you attribute this to? A variety of things. DoE sends out 2000 applications to special ed teachers, therapists, counselors, CILs, any other teachers. People in community have seen how it has helped individuals and help get the word out. Great alumni. Great support system. How did you get people together to help with recuriting? Original director had lots of contacts and was really good at cultivating relationships with other disabiltiy organizationss through state. Get the word out. WY YLF gets student and teacher buy-in. Students already there. We target them by talking about what appeals to them. Things like, "you get to go away for a week. it's free, it's fun, we have a dance, free food, you get to be away from your parents, stay in a dorm. When we talk to teachers, we point out - great team building skills, resumes building, goal setting, things to watch out for. Both KS and WY do mass mailings to schools. Most of the time choosing who gets to go is left to the individual teacher. They do their own filtering. and target specific students. IN all their in-school presentations the direct message is - wherever you are, you'll get something out of it. Teachers really like to hear about informal mentoring aspects of anyting we do - YLF or at the Center. Carrie - will weave with personal leadership plan. Goals to show the teacher. Goal setting really important.

 

4.   Describe how youth benefit from this best practice.  What are some anticipated outcomes of this problem?

 

The youth who attend benefit in many ways. They all come away with a greater knowledge of leadership, their future goals, and the resources available to them. They obtain complete acceptance from the week, which has a profound affect on many of our delegates. They are able to meet successful, proud members of the disability community, which, in turn, encourages them to be “Disabled and Proud.” We really call this a life-changing week. The delegates are impacted in so many ways. I could go on and on and on… (

 

5.  What are you doing to sustain the program? 

 

Our organization stemmed from our KSYLF, so it is our first priority. We do whatever we need to do each year to make it successful. We have had pretty consistent funding and have continued to try and find new funding sources. We grow and learn from each Forum, which is one of the most important ways to sustain our program. Also, we maintain frequent contact with a good portion of our alumni. They are the core of this program and the future of it as well.

 

6.     Write down the cost, materials, time, resources needed for this best practice.

 

Information on the cost, budget, etc, would need to be obtained from our director.

There really is so much that goes into coordinating our KSYLF each year. Of course, I have all of the materials and resources that I use to coordinate the event each year. Unfortunately, we don’t have an exact plan written out, and myself and Julia were not around when it was originally created, so we don’t have the “how to create it” plan. But, I do have a timeline by date that has already been uploaded to our docs. We have been doing this for so many years, that sometimes we don’t really even follow this timeline, but it does serve as a document to come back to. Most of the knowledge for this program comes from our own experience. We do have many documents from the California model as well.

 

7.   Share a success story that came out of this best practice.

 

I believe that I am a success story, but there are also over 200 other success stories that we could share. Our alumni have gone on to be employed, start their own businesses, go on to college, and have done some really great things with their lives.

APRIL Peer-to-Peer Youth Participation Project

Best Practices from the Field

 

 

Center/Group/Organization Name: Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy

 

Contact Person: Carrie Greenwood, Program Coordinator

 

Phone: 785-215-6655      Email: carrieg@

 

Center Address: PO Box 475

 

City/State/Zip: Topeka, KS 66601

 

 

1. Types of Best Practices

 

__ Community-based Activities

__ Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills

__ IL History and Philosophy

__ Recruiting Youth

__ Sexuality and Relationship

__ Transportation

_X_Other (Please specify: programs and peer support for youth with disabilities)

 

2. Describe the brief overview of the best practice.

 

Kansas Youth Empowerment Academy-- Creation of a full non-profit organization that focuses completely on youth with disabilities in our state. Also, effectively creating a youth-led board of directors. 

 

3. Describe the youth population whom you are targeting for this best practices program (e.g., people with physical disabilities; high school students with disabilities; open to people with all types of disabilities).

 

Youth with disabilities in Kansas (we define youth as 25 years old and below)

 

4. Describe the innovative qualities that make this youth-focused service/program successful and emerging practice in the field of independent living.

 

In 2005 we decided to take our state Youth Leadership Forum and make it into a fully funded non-profit organization. In creating an organization that focuses completely on youth with disabilities in our state, we have been able to fill a need and focus our energy on a population that is sometimes overlooked. We have been able to create multiple programs for youth with disabilities, and this has also provided for opportunities to further engage our KSYLF alumni. KYEA is youth driven and youth led. Our board of directors is made up of 51% youth with disabilities. Also, the majority of our staff are people with disabilities. KYEA has become somewhat of the voice for youth with disabilities in our state.  Grant from Kansas VR and match funds from legislature - gave testimony - volunteers, parents, youth, collaboration on getting it all started.

 

5. Describe how youth benefit from this best practice.  What are some anticipated outcomes of this problem?

 

Of course, many youth benefit from our programs. They also receive information on resources and peer support from our staff. Through all of the work that we do, our goal is for youth with disabilities to become contributing members of the community. This means becoming employed and reaching all of the goals that they have. After becoming involved with KYEA, we also hope that the youth feel a greater sense of disability pride. We strive to be a support system that has high expectations for all youth with disabilities.

6. What are you doing to sustain the program? 

 

One of the most important ways of sustaining KYEA is by continuing to obtain secure funding. We do have a funding source, but we want to branch out and find more funding sources. With more funding will come more staff, which brings along new programs. While we want to sustain the programs that we have and make them the best they can be, we also want to address other needs and reach a variety of age ranges. We sustain our organization through committed staff, teamwork, passion for the organization, and always believing in the potential of youth with disabilities.

 

7. Write down the cost, materials, time, resources needed for this best practice.

 

This would be a question for our Executive Director. I believe our operating budget is around $150,000, but this does not count other grants for our individual programs.

 

I was around when we decided to create KYEA. I know exactly how the process happened (or most of it). I don’t really have a plan that our director used to start up the organization. I know that we did lots of strategic planning throughout the process, and I have multiple documents from that if those would be helpful (one has already been uploaded). Also, our Director has all of the old files from this time.

 

For our youth-led board of directors, we have used many resources from .

 

8. Share a success story that came out of this best practice.

 

We have many success stories from our programs. We also have had great feedback from our community education that we provide. Many youth and adults feel a better understanding of people with disabilities. We also have many stories of youth who have accomplished their goals with some assistance from KYEA.

APRIL Peer-to-Peer Youth Participation Project

Best Practices from the Field

 

 

Center/Group/Organization Name: Prairie Independent Living Resource Center (PILR)

 

Contact Person: Roger Frischenmeyer

 

Phone: 620-663-3989                            Email: rfrischenmeyer@

 

Center Address: 17 S. Main

 

City/State/Zip: Hutchinson, KS 67501

 

 

1.   Types of Best Practices

 

__ Community-based Activities

_X_ Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills

__ IL History and Philosophy

__ Recruiting Youth

__ Sexuality and Relationship

__ Transportation

__Other (Please specify: _______________________________)

 

1. Describe the brief overview of the best practice.

Advocacy Training-- A yearly advocacy training for youth with disabilities.

 

3.   Describe the youth population whom you are targeting for this best practices program (e.g., people with physical disabilities; high school students with disabilities; open to people with all types of disabilities).

 

High school students with disabilities in Hutchinson, KS.

 

4.   Describe the innovative qualities that make this youth-focused service/program successful and emerging practice in the field of independent living.

 

There are not a lot of CIL’s in our state that are actually training young people with disabilities to be advocates. PILR is doing just that. The great thing about them is that they have good youth participation and good relationships with the youth in their area.

 

 

5.  Describe how youth benefit from this best practice.  What are some anticipated outcomes of this problem?

 

The selected participants will interact in 2 days of intensive training that will provide them with information. They will:

• Learn how to advocate for their needs throughout and following high school.

• Become knowledgeable about the legislative process

• Learn about local government

• Learn about current as well as past leaders of the disability rights movement.

• Begin developing acceptance of their disability in addition to pride in who they are.

• Begin developing an understanding of other types of disabilities

• Discover the accommodations available at the post-secondary Education level as well as how to obtain them.

• Acquire basic information related to career choices and future employment.

• Learn about goal setting

• Be provided with a resource disc.

 

6.  What are you doing to sustain the program? 

 

Would have to go to Roger for the answer to that question. I believe they have a yearly grant that sustains the program.

 

7.  Write down the cost, materials, time, resources needed for this best practice.

 

Again, would have to ask Roger, the coordinator.

 

8. Share a success story that came out of this best practice.

 

I would guess that Roger has many success stories.

 

APRIL Peer-to-Peer Youth Participation Project

Best Practices from the Field

 

 

Center/Group/Organization Name: Prairie Independent Living Resource Center (PILR)

 

Contact Person: Roger Frischenmeyer

 

Phone: 620-663-3989          Email: rfrischenmeyer@

 

Center Address: 17 S. Main

 

City/State/Zip: Hutchinson, KS 67501

 

 

1. Types of Best Practices

 

_X_ Community-based Activities

__ Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills

__ IL History and Philosophy

__ Recruiting Youth

__ Sexuality and Relationship

__ Transportation

__Other (Please specify: _______________________________)

 

1. Describe the brief overview of the best practice.

 

Global Youth Service Day in Hutchinson--Global Youth Service Day (GYSD) is an annual global event organized by Youth Service America and the Global Youth Action Network. It celebrates, recognizes, and mobilizes the year-round contributions of young people to build their communities and their world through voluntary service. PILR in Hutchinson participates every year by mobilizing their youth with disabilities and doing a very impactful service project.

 

1. Describe the youth population whom you are targeting for this best practices program (e.g., people with physical disabilities; high school students with disabilities; open to people with all types of disabilities).

 High school students with disabilities in Hutchinson, KS.

 

2. Describe the innovative qualities that make this youth-focused service/program successful andemerging practice in the field of independent living.

 

Roger believes that what makes this program work is giving the students the control of deciding what project to do and the responsibility to make sure it happens.

 

National event - take on a community service project that they want to do. Successful because give control of project to the youth along with responsibility of seeing it through.

 

3. Describe how youth benefit from this best practice.  What are some anticipated outcomes of this problem?

 

Roger could answer this more in depth, but I believe the goal is for youth with disabilities in Hutchison to learn that they can give back to the community. This is a fully accessible way of gathering with other youth to do a service project.

 

4. What are you doing to sustain the program? 

 

Would have to go to Roger for the answer to that question. The event happens every year, so they have sustained it for the past three years.

 

5. Write down the cost, materials, time, resources needed for this best practice.

 Again, would have to ask Roger, the coordinator. Below is some history on the project:

 

Locally, the first Global Youth Service Project in Hutchinson took place in 2007. Students with and without disabilities planted trees in a local park as well as hosted a program and lunch for the community. In 2008 students had several meetings to talk about ways that they could give back to their community. After those discussions, it was decided to have a food drive and cook a meal for a local soup kitchen. More than 200 food items were collected and 150 people were served a meal. This year, the students asked to do a project and again a meal was prepared at the soup kitchen. They again collected food and also collected personal hygiene items, which were split between three organizations.

6. Share a success story that came out of this best practice. 

I would guess that Roger has many success stories.

APRIL Peer-to-Peer Youth Participation Project

Best Practices from the Field

Center/Group/Organization Name: Independence, Inc.

 

Contact Person: Ranita Wilks

 

Phone: 785-841-0333               Email: rwilks@ 

 

Center Address: 2001 Haskell Avenue

 

City/State/Zip: Lawrence, KS 66046

 

 

1.   Types of Best Practices

 

_X_ Community-based Activities

__ Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills

__ IL History and Philosophy

__ Recruiting Youth

__ Sexuality and Relationship

__ Transportation

__Other (Please specify: ____________________________________)

 

2.   Describe the brief overview of the best practice.

 

Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) is a national job-shadow and career exploration program designed to link students and jobseekers with disabilities to employers interested in hiring people with disabilities. DMD is recognized nationally on the third Wednesday of every October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Independence, Inc. collaborates with transition counselors from local high schools to recruit students and organize Disability Mentoring Day.

       

3.   Describe the youth population whom you are targeting for this best practices program (e.g., people with physical disabilities; high school students with disabilities; open to people with all types of disabilities).

 

High school seniors with disabilities - contacted transition counselors, interviewed students to see what kind of job they wanted after school. Some part-time or internships. Had 80 students at this event. Gathered at local church - congressman spoke about contributing to society, importance of work.

4.   Describe the innovative qualities that make this youth-focused service/program successful and emerging practice in the field of independent living.

Having local business and organizations involved in the DMA promotes awareness that people with disabilities are willing and have an ability to work. Public outreach and education are a part of this program. Students who participate in this event get to learn what Independent Living Center is and what they do.

             

5.   Describe how youth benefit from this best practice.  What are some anticipated outcomes of this problem?

 

Ranita could answer this more in depth, but I believe that DMD attendees have a chance to learn about jobs that they are interested in and get a real experience at the chosen job sites.

 

6.   What are you doing to sustain the program? 

 

Would have to go to Ranita for the answer to that question. This event happens every year, so they have sustained it for the past several years. Ranita usually asks local businesses and restaurants for some donations (i.e., gifts, food, money).

 

7. Write down the cost, materials, time, resources needed for this best practice.

             

This question needs to be answered by Ranita.

 

8.   Share a success story that came out of this best practice.

 

Again, Ranita could answer this question better, but I believe some students get a part-time job or intern opportunity as a result of this event.

APRIL Peer-to-Peer Youth Participation Project

Best Practices from the Field

 

 

Center/Group/Organization Name: AbleHawks and Allies

 

Contact Person: Tiffany Huggard-Lee and Chiaki Gonda

 

Phone: 785-864-4861               Email: ablehawks@

 

Center Address: Student Involvement & Leadership Center 1301 Jayhawk Blvd, Room 400

 

City/State/Zip: Lawrence, KS 66045

 

 

1.   Types of Best Practices

 

__ Community-based Activities

_X_ Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills

__ IL History and Philosophy

__ Recruiting Youth

__ Sexuality and Relationship

__ Transportation

_X Other (Please specify: Disability Awareness & Public Outreach)

 

1. Describe the brief overview of the best practice.

Ablehawks & Allies is an officially registered student organization at the University of Kansas. The mission of Ablehawks & Allies is to raise disability awareness on campus as well as promoting opportunities for students with disabilities to take pride in disability as a cultural identify. Ablehawks & Allies is working for the rights of people with disabilities on campus by advocating for an accessible and open campus. In working to make the KU community more aware of disability issues, Ablehawks & Allies members participate in ways such as:

(         Hosting bi-weekly meetings

(         Working closely with other student organizations/groups

(         Inviting guest speakers to the meeting

(         Having social events to create a sense of support and friendship

(         Participating in a volunteer work

(         Leading Disability Awareness Days

(         Being a guest speakers in Special Education, Social Welfare, Occupational Therapy and  Physical Therapy classes

(         Starting a mentoring program

2. Describe the youth population whom you are targeting for this best practices program (e.g., people with physical disabilities; high school students with disabilities; open to people with all types of disabilities).

Students and faculty with disabilities at KU.

3. Describe the innovative qualities that make this youth-focused service/program successful and emerging practice in the field of independent living.  

Being a part of Ablehawks & Allies gives/creates student a sense of support, friendship and disability pride through peer-mentoring.

 

4. Describe how youth benefit from this best practice.  What are some anticipated outcomes of this problem?

 

Many of Ablehawks & Allies member develop leadership and advocacy skills by being a part of the group and learning from each other.

5. What are you doing to sustain the program?   

Recruitment is the most important part for sustaining the program. We will try to recruit students through Disability Services Office. We will also participate in the Student Organization Fairs and other campus activities to get our name out to students.

 

6. Write down the cost, materials, time, resources needed for this best practice.

We receive money from the student senate fund ($200) to buy office supplies. We also have a cubical in the Student Union where we have our own computer, printer and phone. We also write a bill and receive financial assistance for the special events.

7. Share a success story that came out of this best practice.

(         We advocated for the ADA compliant buses on campus and brought new, fully-accessible buses on campus.

 

(         We have a representation in the Transit and Parking Committee to make sure all transportation is accessible and friendly for students and faculty with disabilities.

 

(         We have a seat in the Student Senate to make sure all the campus activities are accessible and inclusive.

 

(         We also advocated for accessible housing on campus and review is in the process.

 

(         We brought Mark Zupan (from the movie Murder Ball) for the book signing and movie premier.  ($25,000 - spoke to whole university - had one-o-one time with him - He will be presenting another time - paid by DoLabor

 

(         Many of Ablehawks & Allies alumni have obtained good employment and/or got into the graduate school and professional school.

 

 

APRIL Peer-to-Peer Youth Participation Project

Best Practices from the Field

 

 

Center/Group/Organization Name: disAbility Resouce Center

 

Contact Person: Alex Jackson

 

Phone: 843-425-3290              Email: jalexjackson@

 

Center Address: 7944 Dorchester Rd.

 

City/State/Zip: North Charleston, SC  29418

 

 

1.   Types of Best Practices

 

__ Community-based Activities

__ Developing Leadership and Advocacy Skills

__ IL History and Philosophy

_x_ Recruiting Youth/Use of social media

__ Sexuality and Relationship

__ Transportation

__ Public outreach

__Other (Please specify: ____________________________________)

 

2.   Describe the brief overview of the best practice.

The use of social media sites such as Facebook and Youtube to promote the disability Resource Center. (Results: 5-6 new people are responding via this media. All youth? Mostly - doesn't have exact statistics. Planning to post pictures and other stories as they come available. How often upload info? Daily.  They put up scholarship info, important resources, etc.  Info on NCIL to distribute to locals. Comment: should this be under youth recruitment or social media. disabilityResourceCenter is name for friends on Facebook.

3.   Describe the youth population whom you are targeting for this best practices program (e.g., people with physical disabilities; high school students with disabilities; open to people with all types of disabilities).

 

Open to people with all types of disabilities

 

4. Describe the innovative qualities that make this youth-focused service/program successful and emerging practice in the field of independent living.

 

There are young adults on the staff and the Board of Directors to update the sites.

 

5. Describe how youth benefit from this best practice.  What are some anticipated outcomes of this problem?

 

We want to get more youth involved in the community and volunteering with the organization. The youth can develop new programs and services that could best serve them

 

6. What are you doing to sustain the program? 

 

Updating the sites regularly (daily) with information regarding events, programs and other useful ideas.

 

7. Write down the cost, materials, time, resources needed for this best practice.

 

The online sites are free, but it takes someone to upload the information throughout the day.

 

8.  Share a success story that came out of this best practice.

 

We were able to share pictures from our annual banquet in October which recognized Disability Awareness Month. The disAbility Resource Center received a lot of good, local publicity from the event.

PROJECT RESOURCES

IL History and Philosophy

Organizations/Websites

• Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) -

• National Council on Independent Living -  

• Disability Social History Project -

• Research and Training Center on Independent Living –

• University of California, Berkley -

&

• Access Living Chicago -

• Disability Culture -

• Disability Law Center -

• The History of the ADA -

• Independent Living Institute -

Books

• No Pity, Joseph Shapiro

• Why I Burned My Book And Other Essays on Disability, Paul Longmore

• Nothing About Us Without Us, James Charlton

• The New Disability History: American Perspectives, Paul Longmore

• The Ragged Edge: The Disability Experience from the Pages of the First Fifteen Years of The Disability Rag., Barret Shaw

• The ABC-CLIO Companion to the Disability Rights Movement, Fred Pelka

• Moving Violations: War Zones, Wheelchairs, and Declarations of Independence, John Hockenberry

• Understanding Disability: Inclusion, Access, Diversity, and Civil Rights, Paul Jaeger

Online Resources (YouTube videos)

• It’s Our Story -

• Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund -

• Ed Roberts -

• AAPD -

• ADA National Network -

Sexuality and Relationship

Websites

• Access Living SEX Resource Guide for People with Disabilities





• The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability (2003) by Cory Silverburg, Miriam Kaufman, and Fran Odette

• A Woman’s Guide to Coping with Disability by Resources for Rehabilitation(2003)

• Our Bodies, Ourselves by the Boston Women’s Health Collective (2005)

• Queers on Wheels



• (sex toys, books, video store)

• (website to find a relationship for people that have disabilities)



• (promotes positive self image for person with disability)



• calder.med.miami.edu/pointis/sexuality.html (SCI sex information

• education/disability/

















Movies/DVDs

• Beyond Disability: The Fe Fe Stories

• Doin’ It: Sex, Disability, and Videotape

• Gaby: A True Story

• Tough Guise

• Dance Me to My Song

• Coming Home

• My Left Foot

• Murderball

Activities

• Boundaries and safe space (rope activity) - Activity with the youth on how much space should be between you and certain people. I have ropes and volunteers hold each end of the ropes to show distance. You could make your own.

Public Zone (strangers) 12-35 feet apart

Social zone (acquaintances) 4-12 feet apart

Personal Zone (friends) 18 inches – 4 feet apart

Intimate Zone (family, dating) 0-6 or 6-18 inches apart

• Body-parts - Have one person leave the room. That person will be the guesser.  Then the rest of the group finds a body part.  It has to be a body part that both genders have! The guesser returns to the room and has three chances to guess the part.  Guesser goes up to different people in the group and ask what body part.  The group members have to describe one thing about that selected body part without saying the part.  The guesser can ask as many people as they want in the group to describe, but will only get three guesses.  If they do not figure it out then it can be told to them after the third try.  

Topics to Cover

• LGBTQ –Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Questioning/Queer

o Support groups, hotlines

• Risk involved:

o Pregnancy –education and options

▪ Birth control (male and female)

▪ Plan B (morning after pill)

▪ Abortions

▪ Adoption

▪ Parenting

▪ Through the Looking Glass (Parenting with a Disability)

▪ AIDS/HIV/STIs pregnancy risks

o AIDS/HIV/STIs

▪ Support groups and phone numbers

• Myths about sex and people with disabilities

• Male and Female reproductive systems

• Health Rights of People under 18

• Medications and doctors

• Rights in Health care

• Violence and Abuse

o Domestic Violence Help Line

• Body Image and Peer Support

Transportation

Organizations/Websites

• Easter Seals/Project Action -

• Department of Transportation -

• ADA Information & Technical Assistance -

• . -

• National Center for Accessible Transportation -

• APRIL -

• Wheelchair Net -

• United We Ride -

• Disability Travel and Recreation Resources -

• National Organization on Disability -

Youth Leadership and Advocacy

Organizations/Websites

• National Youth Leadership Network –

• DBTAC Mid-Atlantic ADA Center -

• Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living, Youth Steering Committee –

• Family Voices Kids As a Self Advocate -

• ADAPT Youth Summit -

• AAPD Summer Internship Program -

• AAPD National Mentoring Program -

• National Collaboration on Workforce and Disability for Youth -

• Mobility International -

• National Consortium on Leadership and Disability for Youth -

• Partners for Youth with Disabilities -

• State Youth Leadership Forum

California –

Montana –

Ohio -

Kansas -

Missouri -

Virginia -

Florida -

Maryland -

Michigan -

Iowa -

Connecticut -

Oklahoma -

Texas -

Wisconsin -

Rhode Island -

South Carolina -

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