2016 TASH Conference

The presentation will begin with a welcome and introductions. Introductions will be followed by a brief PowerPoint presentation that reviews the Youth Action Council on Transition (YouthACT) model. YouthACT is a national initiative to get more youth with disabilities and their allies involved as leaders who partner with adults and organizations to improve opportunities for youth to succeed in life. The presentation will include poll questions to engage participants and all presenters will facilitate during presentation. Copies of the PowerPoint slides will be handed out to participants and verbal image descriptions and a verbal review of information on slides will be included in the presentation. After the PowerPoint presentation, the concept of youth-adult partnership will be introduced through an activity titled "Where Do You Stand?" Signs with the following phrases will be posted around the room: "Youth Alone," "Youth with Adult Input," "Adult Alone," and "Adult with Youth Input." Presenters will share a few scenarios with participants, such as "create a flyer for a meeting" or "develop a budget for the youth council" activities. When each scenario is read and and/or posted on the screen by presenters, participants will move to the area they feel appropriately represents their stance on the scenario. Participants will have the opportunity to share why they have chosen their particular stance and attempt to persuade other participants to join them. The youth presenters will take the lead in facilitating this activity. Next will be a moderated panel session. The YouthACT team will share insight on what it is like to be part of the Youth Action Council on Transition, as they share tips/strategies regarding youth-adult partnership and take questions from the audience and moderator. The lead presenter will moderate, and the two youth and the other adult will be panelists. Following the panel session, presenters will take five minutes to review and share resources with the audience. Presenters will then take questions from the audience for the end of the session. Participants will receive copies of three publications (paper and digital) to take home. These are short publications that the YouthACT teams helped create. The titles are Guiding Your Success, which helps youth plan for the future and think about their transition, Hitting the Open Road After High School, which discusses postsecondary options for youth, and By Youth, For Youth: Employment, which discusses employment strategies and supports for youth with disabilities. Participants will learn how youth can increase their advocacy skills, voice, and leadership in the community. Participants will learn how adult partners and families can work successfully with youth to improve youth leadership and youth transition. Participants will receive resources to further learn about and better support youth transition.