Youth Leadership Forum 2013 Recruitment.mov

I never head of it. What is the YLF? The Youth Leadership Forum sponsored by the Virginia Board for People with Disabilities is a state-wide leadership training program for high school rising juniors and seniors with disabilities. Too often, people view young adults with disabilities and see only the disability without seeing that person's talents and potential. For five days in July, you can join other future leaders who come together in a supportive environment to discover and develop their leadership skills and abilities. You will meet with successful men and women who also have disabilities. You will learn about leadership and success strategies from business executives, attorneys, government officials and disability rights advocates. It's an unforgettable five days of leadership, education, goal planning, friendship and fun. What's leadership training? What am I supposed to get out of it? During the five-day Youth Leadership Forum, you'll learn a great deal as you participate in intensive training and activities to develop your leadership potential, improve your self-confidence, clarify your future goals, talk to community leaders and successful peers who also have a disability and learn how to develop future networks of friends, mentors and leadership resources. It's not like school, is it? This is not like school. For five days, you'll work in one-on-one intense training sessions for communication skills and confidence building. Participate with small discussion groups on interactive skills, goal setting and learn about the latest assistive technologies. Skits and role-playing enhance the learning experience and make it fun as well. Go to group seminars for discussions on career options, advocacy training, higher education and community inclusion. Plenty of recreation time is also scheduled. Thursday is an action-packed day that begins with a trip to the state capital to see the center of Virginia's government. Here you will meet and speak with legislators and other government officials about how to communicate effectively with policy makers. You'll also learn about civil rights issues, how to influence public policy and give legislative testimony. That YLF program sounds pretty good from a parent's perspective but it also sounds expensive. How much will it cost? You can attend the five-day forum at no personal cost to you or your family. Room and board, interpreters, personal care attendants and individual medical care are all provided according to the needs of the student. OK, how do I get in? Does someone have to nominate me? The Virginia Youth Leadership Forum is open to all rising high school juniors and seniors with a disability in Virginia. The first step to becoming a YLF student delegate is to complete and send in an application by the deadline. To apply, you do not need to be nominated by your school or a teacher. If you are a teacher, guidance counselor or parent viewing this, I encourage you to share the application with all eligible students and let them decide if applying is right for them. To have the best chance of being selected as a delegate to the Youth Leadership Forum your application should show your academic achievement, your involvement in extra-curricular activities, the leadership experiences that you have had in the past and other school, civic or faith-based activities. Be sure that your application includes the required letters of recommendation. You will also need to complete an in-person interview with a YLF representative. Students, by completing the application process, you are demonstrating your motivation and commitment to building upon your unique experience at the Youth Leadership Forum. You are tomorrow's leaders. I'd kinda like to go but I don't know if it's right for me. For young people with a disability, there are additional challenges in a society that often overlooks their abilities and potential. If you like to take on challenges, develop new skills, make new friends and have fun, then the Youth Leadership Forum is for you. This is your opportunity to fulfill your dream of becoming an effective leader.