Based on findings from the NCWD/Youth-organized Blazing the Trail summit in August 2007, the eight-page, youth-friendly Youth Call-to-Action outlines ten actions that youth can take to enhance their development and become leaders in their community and the nation, including learning about their rights and responsibilities, becoming a self-advocate, learning about disability history, researching scholarships, participating in work experiences, training youth workers, and more.
Because youth with disabilities are often not included in programs that provide these great opportunities for growth and development, a specific emphasis at the Blazing the Trail Summit was placed on making sure that youth with disabilities (including those with mental health needs) are included in everything that is available to all other youth. Among the variety of participants, at least 50 of the spaces were set aside for youth and young adults with and without disabilities. Other attendees included leaders in the youth development/leadership field; national, state and local youth development and leadership programs; researchers; public and private funders; representatives of Federal and state government; and family members.
