SLIDE 1 REACH OUT! BELIEVE US, IT'S WORTH IT! Self-Advocacy and Leadership for Youth with Disabilities SLIDE 2 Picture of bowl of salad and SALYD logo Self-Advocacy and Leadership for Youth with Disabilities Our Mission: I - Individuals O - Opening W - Working A- Avenues SLIDE 3 2004 Our History July: ASK Resource Center encourages DHS to apply for Youth Information and Resource Center Grant. October: DHS awarded Youth Information and Resource Center Grant from ADD December: DHS establishes key organizational partnerships. SLIDE 4 History Continued 2005 January: DHS hires project co-directors. February: Initial meeting of co-directors and partners; determine that partners will serve as advisors with project leadership to come from youth. March: First youth board meeting. April: Board approves mission. May: Board approves logo; members present at Risky Business conference and conduct focus groups. June: Board members develop informational Power Point presentation. SLIDE 5 History continued 2005 July: Board approves SALYD brochure; SALYD funds production of Iowa Youth Leadership Forum video; board chair and directors present Power Point at TA Institute. August: SALYD launches website, listserv and message board www.salyd.org . September: SALYD hosts disability rights activists Norman Kunc and Emma Van Der Klift who present to People First of Iowa, service providers, and at a Des Moines high school. October: Board members present at state diversity conference. November: Bylaws approved. SLIDE 6 History Continued 2006 January: SALYD adopts strategic plan; members record radio spots for www.mytransitioniowa.org February: SALYD partners with Third Wave to hold advocacy congress. March: Members participate in state Parent/Educator Connection conference. SLIDE 7 History Continued 2006 April: Members participate in Citizens Health Care Working Group town meeting; co-director presents at high school transition conference. May: SALYD hosts "Spring Fling" social and recruiting event; co-director interviews legislative and gubernatorial candidates prior to Iowa Primary; co-director participates in Literacy for Leaders. June: SALYD partners with ASK Resource Center to present at Arc of Iowa state convention. SLIDE 8 Our Partners Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) ASK Resource Center Iowa Division of Persons with Disabilities Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services (IVRS) Center for Disabilities and Development, Iowa's University Center for Excellence on Disabilities (CDD) Iowa Governor's DD Council Iowa Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Sumo Group Third Wave ID Action People First of Iowa (PFI) Points of Light Foundation State Public Policy Group Parent-Educator Connection SLIDE 9 How Our Partners Have Helped Us Department of Human Services Applied for initial grant Provide project management and funding ASK Family Resource Center Provide office space for a monthly fee Co-sponsored Spring Fling, allowing us to use their tax ID number Include co-director in office life Co-presented with SALYD at Arc state convention SLIDE 10 How Our Partners Have Helped Us Continued Youth Leadership Forum Assisted SALYD to identify youth leaders with disabilities who currently serve on the board and as staff Center for Disabilities & Development Assumed major administrative responsibility for grant when DHS grant manager became incapacitated due to a serious automobile accident Iowa Governor's DD Council Staff regularly attend SALYD board meetings and lend expertise Paid for food at board meetings Paid start-up costs for website and message board SLIDE 11 How Our Partners Have Helped Us Continued Iowa P&A Staff member, whose twin sons are on SALYD's board, has donated many hours of time to help them participate and organize social and training functions Director's son's place of employment is looking to do a fund-raiser to benefit SALYD Sumo Group Helping us to acquire nonprofit status Pay for website hosting SLIDE 12 How Our Partners Have Helped Us Continued PFI Helped us with start-up of our website Points of Light foundation Donated staff time to help us develop a strategic plan SLIDE 13 How we have helped our partners DHS Participated in Iowa Medicaid Enterprise focus group, recommending improvements in Iowa's service delivery system ASK Resource Co-director assisted with Literacy for Leaders event YLF Paid for videos of 2005 YLF and CLF (College Leadership Forum) sessions; shown at 2006 National ADA Symposium IVRS Helped them identify youth to record audio clips for mytransitioniowa.org SLIDE 14 How we help our partners continued CDD Co-director serves on Community Partnership Advisory Council SALYD board participated in an Iowa's Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities (ILEND) focus group, identifying critical issues facing young adults with disabilities Third Wave Co-director serves as active member of steering committee Board members participated in Congress to identify statewide advocacy priorities ID Action Members participated in Capitol Day Co-director interviewed legislative and gubernatorial candidates SLIDE 15 How we help our partners continued PFI Paid for a presentation by Norman Kunc and Emma Van der Klift State Public Policy Group Participated in focus group to discuss volunteer opportunities for young Iowans with disabilities. Participated in Citizens Health Care Working Group town meeting. PEC Presented and staffed a booth at state transition conference. SLIDE 16 How we reach out Website Listserv Prepare agendas Communicate about upcoming events Polls Share general disability-related information Special Events Norman Kunc/Emma Van der Klift Presentations Spring Fling SLIDE 17 How we reach out continued Side SALYD's and Support Groups Recruiting by Word of Mouth Providing Disability Accommodations Transportation Food Agendas Reading documents SLIDE 18 How we reach out continued Participating on State Boards and Commissions Iowa Commission of Persons with disabilities Statewide Independent Living Council Statewide Rehabilitation Advisory Council Iowa Council on Assistive Technology Center for Disabilities and Development Community Partnership Advisory Council DHS Personal Assistance/Comprehensive Family Support Services Council Statewide Youth Advisory Council Youth Leadership Forum College Leadership Forum Third Wave SLIDE 19 Photos of the presenters Mike Hoenig and Nichole Goble Self-Advocacy and Leadership for Youth with Disabilities (SALYD) Nichole Goble, Co-Director ASK Resource Center 321 East 6th Street Des Moines, IA 50309 515-243-1713 nichole@askresource.org Mike Hoenig, Co-Director Center for Disabilities and Development 100 Hawkins Drive, Room 140A Iowa City, IA 52242-1011 319-353-6448 michael-hoenig@uiowa.edu