Update: The Youth Transition & Mentoring Initiative has been taking strides toward a more effective transition system for youth. First and foremost, we have reached our goal of raising $20,000 to continue this project and also to fund othe youth initiatives provided by Access to Independence. We are now working closely with Youth Power! a New York State, youth driven networking organization dedicated to youth voice in systems change. Youth Power! is comprised of youth with disabilities and and social/emotional challenges. Through this partnership, we have facilitated an engagement event at one high school and received a positive response from many students and teachers. Currently we are working to start a regular group where youth can network and work on issues that concern their transition out of high school.

Additional hours volunteered: 250
Additional people impacted: 10
Additional people involved: 40

Aaron T. Baier
Number of people in the organization: 25
Number of people impacted: 500
Describe the impact the grant had: The Teach Something Grant provided the financial capacity to facilitate several events, to promote those events, to provide information and refreshments, and to provide materials for participants to take home. The contribution allowed our project to go beyond a simple presentation to make our events highly anticipated and interactive events that truly influence those in attendance.
Project highlights: - Collaboration with a state organization on a youth empwerment event was exciting and helped many students realize their true abilities as young people. - The interest exhibited by students of all ages was empowering. - The knowledge that your project has positively influenced future educators and how they will work with their students with and without disabilities.
How did the project unfold and develop? Over the past six months, the youth transition & mentoring initiative has unfolded on many fronts. With the assistance of the Teach Something Grant and Access to Independence of Cortland County, Inc., we were able to facilitate several workshops for youth of all ages (K - 12 & College). These workshops aimed to teach youth and educators about disability, independent living, equal rights, importance of our peers and learning from those peers. The workshops also discussed how youth can get involved in their communities and work on their leadership, empowerment, and problem solving skills. First, we partnered with New York State's YOUTH POWER! organization to facilitate a Youth Engagement Event at the Cortland High School for approximately 50 youth with disabilities. The event's two guest speakers from YOUTH POWER! aimed to teach youth about networking, advocacy (both group and self), and how to get involved in their own community. This activity gained some press in the Access to Independence Spring 2009 Newsletter (attached). Second, we partnered with the Parker Elementary School to facilitate Disability Awareness Workshops for approximately 300 youth, grades K - 6 and their 35 teachers. These interactive workshops were great and recieved positive feedback from the kids and teachers. This event was also featured in the Access to Independence Spring 2009 Newsletter. Lastly, we partnered with an adjunct professor of Special Education at SUNY Cortland to facilitate two Disabilty Awareness workshops for approximately 50 college students. Those students are all on track to becoming elementary educators in the NYS public school system.