National Youth Leadership Network

 

Contact:

Lisa McMahon    mcmahonl@pdx.edu
Betsy Valnes      bvalnes@tie.net

Youth with disabilities face significant difficulties as they transition from school to adult life, including low levels of participation in postsecondary education, underemployment, and unemployment. Historically, efforts to assist youth have primarily been informed and directed by professionals and parents. If meaningful advancements in youth outcomes are to be achieved, it is critical that the perspectives of youth be integrated within our national dialogue to identify and address transition barriers and improve results.

The National Center for Self-Determination and 21 st Century Leadership at the Regional Research Institute of Portland State University, the Academy for Educational Development and youth leaders across the nation, have supported the establishment of the National Youth Leadership Network (NYLN). The National Youth Leadership Network builds upon prior activities aimed at developing a national community of youth leaders with diverse disabilities who can inform professionals, parents, educators and employers, as well as move forward an agenda that fosters youth self-determination and transition success in states, territories and communities across the nation.. The NYLN is comprised of approximately 300 youth leaders with diverse disabilities and health conditions from across the U.S. and it's territories. Youth leaders are active in advocacy and education for youth with disabilities, and they are a dynamic voice for young people in addressing disability policy and practice issues at the local, state and national levels.

The NYLN conducts an annual national youth leadership conference with sessions focusing on topics such as equality of opportunity and self-sufficiency, disability history and civil rights, employment and career development, skills for effective leadership, self-determination, independent living, and understanding agencies and systems. Follow-up activities include support for conference participants in achieving their leadership goals, youth-directed research projects, a website ( www.nyln.org ), newsletter and quarterly web casts by and for youth, and a “Resource Consultant” program through which young leaders provide public education and consultation to professionals, families, businesses, and other youth, both nationally and internationally. Each year, Resource Consultants are called on to participate in over 100 conferences and community, state and national advisory councils and consultation activities. The NYLN develops and disseminates a “Future Directions Agenda”, an annual report on the challenges facing young people with disabilities and health conditions as they try to build adult lives. This report outlines specific recommendations for actions that could be implemented at the national, state and local levels to support youth success in confronting these challenges.