Here is a leadership opportunity for younger YAA members.
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NOMINATIONS DUE: 2/11/05
SEND TO: Rebecca Hare, Project Coordinator, NYDDDIC Institute for Educational Leadership, (202) 822-8405 x127, harer@iel.org
LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD YOUTH!
Who are we? The National Youth with Developmental Disabilities Development Information Center (NYDDDIC) is a youth-led research, information, and training center for youth and emerging leaders with developmental disabilities founded on the five essential areas of youth development and leadership: learning, connecting, thriving, working, and leading.
What do we want to do?
1) To identify and develop high quality, disability-specific curricula around the five research-based areas of youth development and leadership,
2) Test, refine and disseminate instructional materials to build networks of national, state and local level partnerships of peer mentors, adult advisors and Councils of youth and emerging leaders;
3) Develop, train and mentor youth and emerging young leaders with developmental disabilities in each of the three partner states to influence state and local-level youth development and leadership public policy.
All young people need to learn how to make informed choices about their future. Youth with disabilities, especially youth with developmental disabilities, often need additional and specialized support services in order to achieve successful outcomes. NYDDDIC wants to build a bridge between what's working at the state and local level with what the research says works and give youth and emerging leaders with developmental disabilities an opportunity to influence youth development and leadership public policy that directly affects their lives.
What do we need?
We need your YOUTH. One of the ideals the project is founded on is the need for youth involvement at all levels, and to make sure that the input of the constituency is heard and acted upon, the project has a National Steering Committee and three State Youth Councils, all made up of youth and emerging leaders with disabilities.
The national Steering Committee will be comprised of ten to twenty youth and emerging leaders, and will have a balanced, culturally diverse membership, representing a variety of disabilities and locations throughout the country. There is no stipend, however, travel costs to meetings will be covered. Individuals may have a varying level of experience in youth development activities (disability related, or non-disability related).
Responsibilities include participating in the development, review, and refinement of NYDDDIC curricula and instructional materials for age, stage, and developmental appropriateness, engaging in a peer mentoring pilot program, presenting at various state and national conferences, and participating in activities to further their development as emerging leaders from the disability community.
The Steering Committee will meet face to face once in the first year, and quarterly thereafter. Members will be expected to maintain regular communication with staff, their peer mentor, and other Council members. During times of reviewing materials or throughout training cycles, Steering Committee members will be asked to contribute more time to the project.
What do you do now?
If you do know of someone who you think exemplifies an emerging leader from your organization, community and/or network of contacts, please have them submit the following to the email address posted below by 02/08/05. Have interested parties submit a resume with relevant contact information with a cover letter focused on the following topic:
"What does it mean to be an emerging leader with a disability?"
To:
Rebecca Hare
NYDDDIC
Institute for Educational Leadership
4455 Connecticut Ave, NW Suite 310
Washington DC 20008
Electronic Submissions Can Be Sent to: harer@iel.org Please put: NYDDDIC Steering Committee in the subject line
The Deadline Is February 11, 2005.