The 411 on Disability Disclosure Workbook Now Available

A new publication of NCWD/Youth, The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities, is now available online at http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/411.html. The publication is designed for youth and adults working with them to learn about disability disclosure. This Workbook will help young people make informed decisions about whether or not to disclose their disability and understand how that decision may impact their education, employment, and social lives. Based on the premise that disclosure is a very personal decision, the Workbook will help young people think about and practice disclosing their disability.

Young people with visible disabilities and those with hidden (not readily apparent to others) disabilities will benefit from using the Workbook. As young people move through each unit, they gain the information necessary to make informed decisions about disclosure. Each unit of the Workbook contains a general statement of purpose, relevant terminology, a discussion section, and activities to allow a young person to understand and practice the ideas presented throughout the unit.

The units provide activities to help youth make important disclosure decisions such as the following:

• Whether to disclose?
• Who is an appropriate person to tell?
• When to disclose?
• How much to disclose?
• What to disclose?

Printed copies will be available soon and can be ordered at http://www.ncwd-youth.info/order.php. Complete and unit-by-unit PDF and WORD versions can be downloaded at http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/411.html.

High School/High Tech conference

NCWD/Youth is hosting a national, multi-tracked conference on High School/High Tech (HS/HT) June 8-9, 2005, in Washington, DC.

HS/HT is a national network of state and locally operated programs designed to provide young people with all types of disabilities the opportunity to explore jobs or further education leading to technology-related careers. As one of the most promising comprehensive models for preparing youth with disabilities to explore careers in math, science, and technology, HS/HT effectively links youth to a broad range of academic, career development, and experiential resources and experiences that will enable youth to successfully meet the workforce demands of the 21st century. To find or start a program in your area, visit http://www.ncwd-youth.info/HSHT/index.html.

The 2005 National HS/HT Conference will be held at the Washington Plaza Hotel, Ten Thomas Circle, NW, Washington, DC. Please contact Vincent Slatt (vincent@iel.org) for further information and conference registration.

NCWD/Youth Conference Material

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) staff recently presented at the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals conference on “Career Planning Begins with Assessment,” “Keys to Success: Youth Service Practitioners Competencies,” and “Youth Development and Leadership in Programs.” These presentations are now online at the NCWD/Youth website at http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/Staff_Presentations/index.html. Future presentations will be posted in the same location.

NCSL Webcast Material Available

If you missed the April 27 webcast, "Youth with Disabilities: The State of Transition," sponsored by the National Conference of State Legislatures, a NCWD/Youth partner organization, it has been archived. The speaker handouts are available at http://www.ncsl.org/programs/employ/webcast-youthed.htm.

New Web Site, The Youthhood is Launched

A new website for young adults and their teachers, parents, and mentors is now available at http://www.youthhood.org. The Youthhood is a free, interactive, and dynamic site that assists young adults in preparing for life after high school. Grounded in the principals of universal design, the site addresses the future planning needs of all youth. The concept of Youthhood, as well as its content and activities, is based on current research in positive youth development and transition planning and their impact on post-high school success. Youthhood puts research into practice through a unique and extensive blend of content, interactive activities, links to related Web sites, and planning tools that tie youths’ future goals to their current academic work. In addition, the site provides a progressive learning experience in that the further a specific topic is explored, the more activities that are tried and planning that is done, the more the youth will learn and be able to apply the information to their own lives. Youthhood is a project of the National Center on Secondary Education and Transition (NCSET), which is funded by a five-year, $9.5 million grant from the Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education.