Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities

TENNESSEE YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM

The Tennessee Youth Leadership Forum is a training initiative of the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities. The Forum is designed to provide 10th, 11th, and 12th grade high school students who have disabilities with information about disability issues, and to help them become advocates for themselves, and for others in their communities.

Participants attend a four-day conference on a college campus, where they participate in small and large group discussions, listen to local and national speakers in the field of disabilities, travel to Legislative Plaza to tour the Capitol and meet with legislators, and complete written materials that are designed to augment their self-advocacy and leadership skills.

Curriculum includes state and federal laws, assistive technology, community inclusion, employment, education, history of disability and independent living. With every new class, an effort is made to incorporate topics that are currently relevant to our class members. In addition, delegates take part in a photography workshop and a talent show.

YLF Class of 2001-2002

Each year, a class of 20-30 participants is selected from across the state. To recruit the class, the director of the program distributes flyers and applications throughout the state, by mail, by e-mail, and by making these items available at meetings, conferences and workshops related to education and disability issues. Outreach extends to advocacy agencies statewide, high school guidance counselors, special education coordinators, and former YLF participants. To read about one youth's experience click here.

Criteria for acceptance into the program require that each participant is a person with a disability, and that potential YLF delegates have an inclination toward leadership in their communities. During the final selection process, a team of individuals including the Director of YLF, the Executive Director of the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, and representatives from the Executive Committee of the Council review submitted applications. The goal is to create a class with diversity in the following areas: geographic location (especially representation from East, Middle and West Tennessee), gender, ethnicity and type of disability.

Room, materials, and travel to and from the Forum are provided at no cost to participants. For further information or an application, please contact:

Ned Andrew Solomon

Director, Partners in Policymaking

Council on Developmental Disabilities

Cordell Hull Building, 5th Floor

425 5th Avenue, North

Nashville, TN 37243-0675

Phone: (615) 532-6556

Fax: (615) 532-6964

TTY: (615) 741-4562

E-mail: ned.solomon@state.tn.us

The Council also sponsors a Leadership program for adults with disabilities and parents of children who have disabilities. For information on the Tennessee Partners in Policymaking Leadership Institute, click here.