Youth Transition Toolkit: A guide for young people with disabilities transitioning to adulthoodRachel Stewart,

Youth Program Manager

Overview Personal and Project Background

Youth Transition Toolkit website design and features Contents Topics covered

Lesson Plans and Activities Demonstration of website

Born with spinal muscular atrophy, used a wheelchair since the age of 5

Use personal care assistanceTransitioned to living independently for

collegeSupplemental Security Income (SSI), Medi-

Cal, and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Ready to transition into the workforce -- SSI

as an employment support vs. poverty trap Work incentive programs

Resources are out there to help, but they’re hard to find if you don’t know where to look…

My Personal Background

Funded by a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) – administered by San Diego State University’s Interwork Institute.

Overall goal: increase employment of youth and adults with disabilities

Numerous projects geared towards youth with disabilities Goal of empowering youth, developing self-

advocacy skills, and providing access to information and resources

Partner with a variety of state departments and non-profit organizations

Youth with disabilities telling their transition stories, and giving tips on avoiding pitfalls

Helping you to realize what’s possible!Sneak preview…

Things are About to Change Video

www.TKNLyouth.info Website Development and Refinement

Subject matter experts: Communities of Practice, CA Dept. of Ed, School

District Personnel, Transition Alliance Dept. of Rehabilitation CA Foundation for Independent Living Centers and

State Independent Living Council Youth with disabilities: Nothing about us,

without us! Content is designed to EMPOWER YOUTH

Target audience is YOUTH! – ages 12-28+ Tips for Parents Information relevant to teachers, transition

specialists, and service providers

Youth Transition Toolkit Website

Chapters include:EducationIndependent LivingEmploymentFinancesHealthcareSocial/Recreation

HTML website pages and downloadable PDFs of each “chapter” and worksheet

Youth Transition Toolkit Website

Empowering youth while in high schoolPerson-centered transition planning,

leading your own IEP/ITP, etc. Information to assist in the transition to Post-secondary education: community college, 4-year university, or vocational schoolUnderstanding the differences between

high school and collegeInformation on financial aid and

scholarships

Education Chapter

Background on disability history, independent living movement

Information on housing, transportation, and personal assistance services

Worksheets to help you set goals for your future and checklists to ensure preparation for independence

Independent Living Chapter

Career planning - Choosing a career and job search resources

The impact of employment on benefitsDisability benefits 101 website

Job accommodations and disability disclosure

Tips on resume writing and successful interviewing techniques  

Building work experience, including volunteerism and internship programs  

Personal assistant services at work

Employment Chapter

Tips on money management, including: basic budgetingbalancing a checkbookpaying billstracking your spendingopening up a bank account

Credit cards and how to avoid getting into debt

Worksheets on financial planning and budgeting

Finances Chapter

Keeping track of medications, making doctors appointments and communicating with your doctor

Insurance information, including Medi-Cal, healthcare through employment and continuance of coverage under the family’s plan

Worksheets on handling your own healthcare needs

Tips for your parents on how they can empower you to start handling your own health-related needs

Healthcare Chapter

Clubs/activities specifically designed for youth with disabilities Youth Organizing (YO!) Disabled and Proud

Program Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) People First

Adaptive sports programsWays to become more involved in your community

Tips on traveling with a mobility impairment

Social/Recreation Chapter

25 Pilot Sites! High Schools/districts

Includes Workability I, Transition Partnership Programs, and special education/adult transition programs

College 2 Career Program Independent Living Center Family Empowerment Center Center for Excellence in Developmental

Disabilities Other Community-Based Organizations

providing transition services

Pilot Sites

Lesson Plan materials are geared towards teachers, transition specialists, independent living center staff, etc. to help them lead transition-related activities

Main goal of Lesson Plans is to lead activities designed to: Empower youth Build self advocacy and self determination skills Encourage youth to start thinking about and

planning for their future Lead youth to www.tknlyouth.info to find

additional resources which can help successfully transition into adult life

Lesson Plans

All materials located in the secure section of the Youth Transition Toolkit website – currently will only be available to pilot sitesWill be available to anyone by the middle

of 2012Complete flexibility in how

facilitators/teachers choose to use lesson plans:Lead only certain activities or lesson plan

chaptersModify activities

Lesson Plans

“Lesson Plan Overview”Comprehensive summary and instructions on

the lesson plans and tips for how to enhance activities (i.e. inviting guest speakers, showing video)

“Workshop Planning Tips”Guide for community-based organizations on

how to organize workshops – information on:Participant recruitment strategiesTips for success: finding a youth co-

facilitator, providing food, assisting with transportation, accessible venues, etc.

Lesson Plans

The Future’s Wide Open... Filling out worksheets to prepare youth for leading

their own IEP/transition planning meeting Planning For College

Learning about university and community college supports, preparing for the transition to college and requesting accommodations

Expanding My (Training) Horizons Researching vocational training options other than

a traditional college setting, including ROP, trade schools, internships, and volunteerism

Education Lesson Plan Activities

The Untold History Presentation on disability history (including the

independent living and disability rights movements) and discussion of additional advocacy efforts

Models of Disability Understanding the difference between the medical

and social models of disability and how these impact how we perceive disability

Thinking About Disability Thinking about how disability has impacted their

life (both positively and negatively) and learning about disability as a shared experience

Independent Living Lesson Plan Activities

Setting Goals Learning about different programs and services to

assist with gaining independence (regional center ILS, IHSS, Independent Living Centers, etc.), and setting goals/next steps to transition into living independently

Independent Living Lesson Plan Activities, Cont.

Connecting the Dots… Brainstorming personal barriers to employment, and

learning about services which can help break down some of these barriers (i.e. Department of Rehabilitation, Regional Centers, One-Stop Career Centers)

Employment Rights! Presentation on employment and anti-discrimination

laws; personal planning related to disability disclosure and requesting accommodations

Resume Writing Workshop to begin the process of writing a resume and

learning about different resume styles

Employment Lesson Plan Activities

“Money Smart for Young Adults” Curriculum Flexible FREE curriculum designed by the FDIC to

help youth learn the basics around money management

Disability Benefits 101: Planning your Future Learning how to navigate the Disability Benefits

101 website Work Incentive Programs: Working it!

Understanding basic information about Social Security cash benefit programs and how these programs interact with paid employment

Finances Lesson Plan Activities

www.tknlyouth.info

Website and Lesson Plans Demonstration

For questions or to request information on lesson plan activities/materials contact:Rachel Stewart, Youth Program Manager 916-319-8519 rstewart@interwork.sdsu.edu

Contact information