Youth LEAD

Through mentoring and support, Youth LEAD provides teens and young adults with developmental disabilities with resources and support to empower them to set and meet personal goals for education, employment and inclusive recreation. Additionally, the project helps youth-serving community organizations to increase inclusive programming for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Youth LEAD is designed to inspire systems change in the transition from youth to adulthood. Increasingly young Missourians with developmental disabilities are graduating from inclusive education settings and seeking opportunities to grow up in inclusive communities. The need to empower youth to continue to go to school, work, and access recreation in inclusive environments is of increasing concern to parents and the youth.

Youth LEAD is a research-to-practice program: it is based in research conducted by the UMKC Institute for Human Development and its programmatic elements are informed by best practices. UMKC IHD’s research identified three local, pressing needs for young people with developmental disabilities:
1) Increased opportunities to develop self-advocacy and leadership skills
2) Youth-friendly materials that support goals related to inclusive recreation, continuing education and employment.
3) Improved capacity of youth-serving programs to include, support and accommodate people with developmental disabilities.

In response to these needs, the overall goal of Youth LEAD is “to create a sustained community infrastructure through which to support the leadership development of youth and emerging leaders with developmental disabilities.” This project focuses on engaging and supporting leadership development for youth from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds within the urban area of Kansas City.

Be involved!

Youth LEAD partners with organizations, schools, educational programs, state agencies and advocacy groups. Our partners will be an important part of developing resources and leadership opportunities that meet community-identified needs.

Apply today!

 Teens and young adults with developmental disabilities who are interested in leadership and setting personal goals education, careers and recreation are encouraged to apply to the Urban Leadership Academy. The Academies will have two tracks, one for 10 teens ages 14-18 and one for 10 emerging leaders ages 19-30. Emerging leaders will informally mentor the youth and will receive training and a stipend for their work. Each academy will be a nine-month experience, beginning in October and ending in May with a celebration and recognition banquet.

Each Academy will have three primary components: leadership and self-advocacy training, person centered planning, and mentoring. Participants will learn about career pathways; access to continuing education; problem-solving techniques; opportunities for inclusive recreation; how to seek out community resources, and disability laws, culture and practices. The Academies will offer experiential, hands-on learning where the participants work together on projects and create their own resource maps and career and personal development plans.

Space is limited -- apply today.  To apply, download either the teen application or the emerging leader application and send it in to Youth LEAD.  Applications are due September 1, interviews for finalists will take place in the beginning of September and decisions will be made in mid-September 2008.

Youth LEAD Leadership
Youth LEAD is a by youth for youth program.  A Youth Congress of teens and young adults with disabilities works with representatives of youth-serving organizations to make program decisions, provide input on what young people are interested in and develop an online resource center for teens and young adults.  The resource center is coming soon!

Youth LEAD is funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities Projects of National Significance.