Youth Development Resources
Youth development helps young people build the knowledge, skills, confidence, and relationships they need to shape their own lives and prepare for adulthood. Explore these resources to support self-advocacy, self-determination, disability awareness, healthy relationships, education, employment, and meaningful youth engagement. These materials can be used by young people, families, educators, and Parent Centers to create opportunities for youth to speak up, make informed choices, develop leadership skills, and pursue their goals.
Self-Advocacy and Self-Determination
Advocating for Myself
Explore videos and written resources from PACER that help young people learn from their peers, understand their rights, and take a more active role in their education and transition planning.
Self-Advocacy Factsheet – Youth
This youth-friendly fact sheet explains what self-advocacy means and why speaking up for yourself is important.
Self-Advocacy Factsheet- Youth (Visual)
This visual resource introduces self-advocacy using clear language and accessible graphics.
Ways to Speak Up for Yourself
This visual fact sheet offers practical strategies young people can use to communicate their needs, preferences, and goals.
Self-Determination – part of U.S. Dept. of Ed. blog
Learn how high expectations and opportunities to make choices can help young people with disabilities build self-determination and prepare for future success.
Disability Rights, Accessibility, and Disclosure
Bookshare Student Forum: Advocating for Your Rights
Students and disability advocates discuss requesting accommodations, obtaining accessible materials, and working with teachers and staff to create pathways to success.
Disclosure in a Community Setting
This tip sheet helps young people consider why, when, and how much disability-related information they may want to share in community settings.
Preparing for Adult Life
“Adulting” tip sheets in Eng./Span.
These accessible tip sheets provide practical guidance to help young people develop skills for employment, independent living, and adult life.
Applying for a job
This tip sheet walks young people through important steps and considerations when applying for employment.
Understanding SSI Eligibility Requirements
The Social Security Administration explains who may qualify for Supplemental Security Income and the basic eligibility requirements.
Health, Wellness, and Resilience
Sexual Health of Young People Experiencing I/DD
This collection provides no-cost materials for supporting accessible and inclusive sexual health education for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Resiliency: Find Your Inner Strength
This webinar explores barriers experienced by people with disabilities and strategies for developing resilience, embracing disability, and drawing strength from the disability community.
Youth Voice and Organizational Engagement
The Foundations of Youth Engagement and Parent Centers Toolkit by Youth Move and RAISE
This toolkit helps Parent Centers identify practical ways to involve youth, incorporate youth voice throughout their organizations, and move toward meaningful youth–adult partnership.