Youth Development Resources

Bookshare Student Forum: Advocating for Your Rights 

Betsy Beaumon, Benetech CEO, hosted a panel discussion with two students and a life-long disability rights advocate who shared their advice for obtaining accommodations, getting accessible materials, and enlisting teachers and staff to create pathways to success in school and beyond.

Advocating for Myself 

This is PACER’s collection of short videos so they can hear what their peers have to say. and includes a wide range of written materials for youth, such as the #IEP Owner’s Manual.

Sexual Health of Young People Experiencing I/DD 

This Project provides this resource list of no-cost resources for supporting young people with I/DD in sexual health education and support.

Understanding SSI Eligibility Requirements 

This website explains who is eligible for SSI.

Disclosure in a Community Setting 

This tip sheet from NYS Transition Partners that provides information on understanding the purpose in disclosing, knowing how much and when to disclose, and how to be comfortable talking about one’s disability with others.

Resiliency: Find Your Inner Strength 

This webinar from NAPTAC and RAISE discusses how being a person with a disability life can have many adversities and barriers, and how those in the disabled community want others to accept their differences. *

The Foundations of Youth Engagement and Parent Centers Toolkit by Youth Move and RAISE

This toolkit shares ways to implement youth engagement activities and incorporate youth voice into every part of an organization. This toolkit will help you find a starting place, identify next steps and activities, and give you an idea of what youth engagement can look like in Parent Centers. *

Self-Advocacy Factsheet – Youth

Youth factsheet that explains what Self-Advocacy means.

Self-Advocacy Factsheet- Youth (Visual)

Visual factsheet to explain Self-Advocacy.

RAISE Youth Needs Assessment Toolkit

The RAISE Youth Needs Assessment Toolkit can support your efforts to more effectively engage with and understand youth needs and experiences.

Planning for the Future #TransitionChecklist

Resource for students to review and help provide information and suggestions to guide the transition process for students with disabilities, grades 7 – 12, (ages 14 up to 22nd birthday).