Ohio Governor's Council on People with Disabilities Youth Leadership Forum

The Ohio Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) is now in its tenth year.  The forum is designed to teach leadership and advocacy skills to students with disabilities.  Delegates, whom are the students chosen to participate, have the opportunity to learn from and interact with legislators, successful adults with disabilities, and experienced advocates.  They also have a unique opportunity to interact with peers who have a range of disabilities (both physically and mentally).  This is an excellent opportunity for delegates to learn ways in which the needs of people, with a variety of disabilities, are similar and different.

Topics addressed during the forum include:

• What is Leadership?
• Understanding Disability Culture
• Technology and Resources to Meet My Goals (includes an adaptive technology display)
• Living on My Own and Reaching My Career Goals
• Life After High School
• Preparing for College
• Transportation
• Contacting Legislators
• Leading in the Community

Forum activities alternate between small group and large group activities.  The delegates are divided into groups of five to seven (depending on total number of delegates).  Each group is facilitated by two staff members.  Care is taken in assignment of both staff and delegates to each small group to achieve balance in gender, minority group status, and type of disability.  The goal is to preserve the cross-disability nature of the Forum.
In the large groups, a variety of individual speakers and panels of speakers present information on the Forum topics.  Many of the speakers are successful adults with disabilities or former YLF delegates who now are experiencing life after high school and can share their experiences with the current delegates.  A variety of speakers have enriched the YLF with their passionate message; past speakers have been from the Governor’s office, congressional and state legislatures, national disability advocates, and local persons that promote the spirit of the forum.  
In the small groups, the delegates work on a Personal Leadership Plan.  This plan directs them to set goals for themselves (for the next five years) and to define what obstacles they may face, what actions they must take, and what resources they must secure to meet these goals.  The small group activities help the delegates to identify their personal leadership qualities, and strengths, and to decide how the information they are receiving may apply to their lives.  Each small group is responsible for developing an introduction for at least one of the forum’s presenters and generating questions to ask of that presenter.
The forum nears its conclusion with a visit to the Ohio Statehouse, where delegates are encouraged to visit their state legislators.  The legislators are contacted in advance and advised of the date delegates will be visiting.  After the visit to the Statehouse, the forum culminates with a Mentor Luncheon, featuring a guest national keynote speaker.  During this luncheon, delegates are matched with adults who have careers in the fields in which the delegates have expressed an interest.  Delegates and guests are encouraged to form mentor relationships.  In addition, delegates have the opportunity to share with all in attendance their experiences of participating in the forum.
YLF is not all work.  There is a dance on the second night and a talent show on the third night.  The delegates, and staff, generally enjoy these events and find opportunities to make friends and have fun.
All staff are volunteers.  Adult staff members include people representing the following fields, agencies or organizations:

• Ohio Governor’s Council on People with Disabilities
• College services for students with disabilities(e.g., Columbus State Community College, Sinclair Community College, The Ohio State University, Marietta College)
• Ohio Department of Health, Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps (BCMH)
• Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (ODJFS)
• Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC)

Prior year delegates also return as volunteer staff.  Those volunteering for the first time, usually delegates from the previous year, come as Program Assistants (i.e., extra pairs of hands for adult staff); those volunteering for the second time and beyond come as Peer Counselors.  Some delegates who attended the YLF in earlier years now are moving from Peer Counselors into regular adult staff positions as Small Group Co-Counselors.
YLF 2008 is scheduled for Monday, July 14th – Thursday, July 17th, 2008.  Deadline for applications is January 31st, 2008.  There is no cost to the delegates for attending.  Lodging, meals, and personal care assistants are provided.  There will be a volunteer medical professional on site.  Delegates are asked to provide their own transportation to and from Columbus, but assistance is available if needed.

 

Sponsorship Information
Fact Sheet
Solititation Letter
Sponsorship Levels

 

For more information please contact:

Get the 2008 Delegate Application

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