KEY PUBLICATIONS NOW ON WEBSITE

Tired of wading through reams of documents searching for evidence-based research and practice? Help is at hand via NCWD/Youth’s new Publications Bank! The “Pub-Bank” will feature seminal reports and journal articles, program evaluations, research and literature reviews, and other meaty documents, organized around the Guideposts for Success, that will save you time and aggravation. View the first 12 entries at http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/pub-bank. You can navigate directly to the document if it is available online — if not, a link to the publisher is provided. Check back regularly for new additions!

The five guidepost areas describe what all youth need for a successful transition to adulthood as well as the specific needs of youth with disabilities. Based in research and effective practice, the guideposts include: school-based preparatory experiences, career preparation & work-based learning experiences, youth development & leadership, connecting activities, and family involvement & supports. The guideposts are described in detail at http://www.ncwd-youth.info/resources_&_Publications/guideposts.

Disability Mentoring Day Announced

Disability Mentoring Day, a national effort to promote the employment of students with disabilities through personal mentoring, will be held on October 19th this year. Disability Mentoring Day promotes career development for students and job-seekers with disabilities through job shadowing and hands-on career exploration. It is a partnership between Office of Disability Employment Policy of the US Department of Labor and the American Association of Persons with Disabilities.

In 2004, 9,000 youth with disabilities from all 50 states, Washington DC, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico gained a first-hand look into career opportunities as they spent the day in over 1,500 businesses, nonprofits, and government organizations. In addition, Disability Mentoring Day activities expanded internationally to more than 20 countries.

This is an excellent opportunity to kick off a year round mentoring initiative in your community. To participate in Disability Mentoring Day activities visit http://www.dmd-aapd.org/.

Disability Disclosure Workbook 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. 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.

Printed copies are now available and can be ordered at http://www.ncwd-youth.info/order.php. You can download a PDF version of this guide by clicking here or download a Word version of the guide by clicking here. Please note that this is a large document and the download time for the PDF document will be longer for users with slower connections.