FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

THROUGH A NEW NATIONAL INITIATIVE, VSA EDUCATIONAL SERVICES SEEKS TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP QUALITIES AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. OUR PROPOSED STRATEGY IS TO CREATE AND EMPLOY STATE-BASED YOUTH LEADERSHIP TROUPES (COMPOSED OF TEENAGERS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES) WHO TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES EDUCATING STUDENTS AND COMMUNITIES ABOUT THE AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA), DISABILITY AWARENESS, AND YOUTH LEADERSHIP. THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CORE PRESENTATION, AND INTEGRATED TRAINING MODEL, AND RESOURCE MATERIALS, VSA EDUCATIONAL SERVICES WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES FOR THE TROUPES TO EXECUTE THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS. THIS MODEL PROGRAM WILL BE BASED ON THE MOST RECENT RESEARCH CONDUCTED ON LEADERSHIP TRAINING AND WILL BE DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH NATIONAL YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS. THE PROGRAM WILL BE THE FIRST EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE THAT TAILORS LEADERSHIP TRAINING TO YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES. WHEN DELIVERED AS PERFORMANCES AND WORKSHOPS BY THE TOURING TROUPES, THIS PROGRAM WILL REPRESENT A CREATIVE RESOURCE FOR TAPPING THE LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL OF ALL YOUTH AND PROMOTING GREATER INTEGRATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AS LEADERS IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE.