Looking For Youth In Idaho Who Want To Participate on a Leadership Council!

• Are you a young individual with a disability between the ages of 16 and 26?

• Do you live in Idaho?

• Do you want to create change?

• Do you want to work together with other youth to set and prioritize goals that are important to you?

• Do you want to have a voice in policy issues that affect your life, on a local, state, and national level?

• Do you want to become a leader?

If yes, apply to participate on a statewide Idaho Youth Leadership Network Council. The cost is free! For more information, contact Dana Gover at Access Concepts & Training, Inc. by e-mail gforitdhg@msn.com or phone (208) 761-3073

Youth Leadership Project in Idaho

PURPOSE We are working on a statewide project to identify young people who have a disability ages 16 to 26. The challenging and creative part of this project, is to figure out how to encourage and bring young people together in a rural state with very little funding. The youth who want to get involved will work together toward shared goals and projects. The goals of the project include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. To empower all young people to reach their maximum potential;
2. Provide activities to encourage youth to advocate for themselves;
3. Identify and bring together youth to develop a statewide Idaho Youth Leadership Network Council;
4. To develop an Idaho Chapter of the National Youth Leadership Network;
5. Help participants identify and work on group goals and projects;
6. Assist the group to get things done;
7. Encourage participants to speak out and have a voice in deciding what activities to work on;
8. Make sure all projects are accessible for all individuals to participate; and
9. Assist the group in evaluating themselves and figure out how well they have done.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? As a young individual, what do you find exciting? How would you like to participate in this project? How do you get together and communicate with other young people? Do you use any of the following ways to socialize and talk to your friends?

• blogging
• My Space
• on-line chat
• e-mail
• text messaging
• web casts
• teleconferences

Get Involved Our first objective is to identify a core group of youth, who want to work together to develop this project and make it successful. If you want to participate as a youth in this project or become a partner organization, contact Dana at gforitdhg@msn.com

Funding The National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN) http://nyln.org/ provided a grant to the Idaho State Independent Living Council (SILC) to develop this project. Read Blog on January 31 for a list of organizations who are working together to promote the Idaho Youth Leadership Network Project.

PURPOSE We are identifying youth with disabilities ages 16 to 26 in Idaho to work together in the state to develop a youth leadership network. Our goal is to empower all young people to reach their maximum potential. The youth involved in this project will learn how to advocate for themselves. We will ensure that youth with disabilities have the chance to set and reach their own goals.

FUNDING This project is funded by the National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN) www.nyln.org. and provided to the Idaho State Independent Living Council (SILC).

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS To promote the goals of the NYLN in Idaho, a number of organizations are working together. As of February 12, 2009 organizations involved in this project include:

• Idaho State Independent Living Council (SILC),
• Idaho Council on Developmental Disabilities (ICDD),
• Living Independence Network Corporation (LINC),
• Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ICBVI),
• Access Concepts & Training, Inc.,
• Disability Action Center Northwest (DAC),
• Living Independently for Everyone (LIFE),
• Idaho Assistive Technology Project, Center on Disabilities and Human Development,
• Idaho State Department of Labor
• Idaho Parents Unlimited (IPUL), and
• Very Special Arts (VSA).

GET INVOLVED We are looking for organizations and youth to help us facilitate activities and projects that improve the lives of youth who have disabilities. If you want to participate as a youth in this project or become a partner organization, please contact Dana Gover at gforitdhg@msn.com.