The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Youth Caucus needs YOUR participation for a Sex-Ability Survey. ALL AGES NEEDED.
Please know that all survey entries are anonymous and the results are kept confidential.

Provide your feedback regarding sex and disability -- Sex-Ability Survey
***Survey closes Friday, August 25, 2017***

About the NCIL Youth Caucus

The National Council on Independent Living is committed to embracing and enhancing the value of diverse populations of people with disabilities. The NCIL Youth Caucus, a part of the NCIL Diversity Committee, is open to all NCIL youth members, ages 26 and under, who want to connect and advocate for change with other youth with disabilities.

The Youth Caucus is committed to cultivating a safe and empowering space for youth with disabilities to engage in the Independent Living (IL) and disability rights movement by enhancing youth participation and leadership at NCIL.

The newly re-launched NCIL Youth Caucus could be a great fit for you. It is a place where each member has the opportunity to voice their ideas about national policies that affect people with disabilities and facilitate change. We have monthly calls on various days of each month. Please contact Jessica Jimenez for more information at jessica@scil-ilc.org.

Seeking Independent Contractor:
Help Superfest International Disability Film Festival Reach New Audiences through Superfest Showcase Initiative

For 30 years, Superfest International Disability Film Festival, the longest running disability film festival in the world, has showcased disability as a creative force in cinema and culture. We have recently launched an initiative to bring Superfest to new constituents via “Superfest Showcases.” These are free public screenings of the previous years’ selected films for middle/high schools, colleges, libraries, and community centers. Each screening is accompanied by an open, facilitated conversation about the lessons these films teach us all.

We are seeking to work with an independent contractor who will expand the festival’s reach in the greater Bay Area, Sacramento, and Los Angeles and provide outreach and logistics coordination to make 10 new Showcases possible. The Showcase coordinator will work with both the LightHouse for the Blind and the Longmore Institute on Disability but the position will be directly supervised by the Longmore Institute on Disability at San Francisco State University.

Compensation: ~ $22/hr, 550 hours spread out over 10-month span, commensurate with experience.

Qualifications:

• Experience organizing accessible events.


• Confidence with public speaking.


• Basic understanding of disability representations in media.


• Strong writing and editing skills to develop promotional materials.


• Organized, detail-oriented, and self-driven.


• Hours are flexible but must provide some availability 9 to 5 M-F for planning calls.


• Availability to travel to possible Showcase sites (travel outside the Bay Area will be reimbursed).


• Located in Greater Bay Area.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Personal experience with disability.


• Background in disability studies and/or film studies.


• Graphic design skills.

To learn more about the festival, visit: superfestfilm.com
To learn more about the Longmore Institute on Disability, visit: longmoreinstitute.sfsu.edu

The Longmore Institute values people from diverse backgrounds and welcomes the opportunity to think through any accommodations that would be necessary for a person with a disability to fill this contract.

To apply: Please send cover letter and resume or CV to Emily Beitiks, beitiks@sfsu.edu.

Applications will be received until the contract is filled with a goal to start on this project as soon as possible. This project is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Neda Nobari Foundation.

The Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) is a national grassroots, consumer controlled, nonprofit membership organization, and for more than two decades this organization holds a conference to address the issues that people with disabilities that live in rural areas experience.
 
This year, October 20th-23rd, 2017 the 23rd Annual APRIL Conference and Youth Conference will take place in Spokane, Washington at the Davenport Grand. The main conference theme will be "Indivisible with Liberty and Justice for All ". And on October 21st-23rd the Youth Conference which has embraced the same "Team Work Makes the Dream Work". For those interested in attending the youth conference a scholarship is available for people under the age of 30.
 
You can also enter a T-shirt design contest. The winning designer will receive a full scholarship (including lodging and conference registration with a free shirt) to the 2017 APRIL Youth Conference and APRIL Conference in Spokane, WA on October 20 – 22!
 
 
For more information about the conferences, scholarships and the T-shirt design contest go to the APRIL website: 
https://www.aprilrural.org/index.php/new-annual-conference

 
The HSC Foundation, in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), is now accepting applications for a paid fellowship position with the organizations’ disability youth transition and collaboration work. This fellowship is ideal for a person with a disability who has an interest in youth career transitions and employment solutions. The fellowship starts in June 2017, and continues for 12 months. Under the supervision of NCIL’s Operations Director, the Youth Transitions Fellow (YTF) will gain exposure to youth programs serving people with disabilities and will have the opportunity to facilitate collaboration among internship, fellowship, and apprenticeship programs based in the Greater Washington, DC area.
 

 

• Ability to facilitate collaboration among large groups


• Ability to work with people in all levels of an organization, including young people with a variety of disabilities


• Strong communication skills and strong organizational skills


• Creative and innovative personality


• Familiarity with technology and social networking tools


• Strong interest in youth transition for people with disabilities and organizing. 

Eligibility:
College graduate 26-or-younger who self-identifies as an individual with any type of disability is invited to apply. You will not be required to disclose your specific disability; however, your application for this program will signify that you consider yourself a person with a disability. Please Note: This fellowship is specifically for people with disabilities.
 
Please Provide the Following to apply:

• Please attach your resume in Microsoft Word format.


• Please provide the contact information for four (4) references who are familiar with your qualifications relevant to this fellowship and your personal character.


• Please attach in Microsoft Word format two (2) letters of recommendation from two (2) of the above-mentioned references. 

What Happens Next:
Completed applications received by NCIL before 11:59 PM EDT, Monday, May 29, 2017 will be collected and reviewed by our team.
Semi-Finalists will be contacted for short, preliminary telephone interviews.
Finalists will be contacted for formal telephone interviews. 
 
The HSC Foundation’s National Youth Transitions Center
The HSC Foundation’s National Youth Transitions Center is a collaborative learning community to benefit youth with disabilities and returning wounded veterans. The National Youth Transitions Center, developed by The HSC Foundation, will bring together the resources of multiple organizations to provide much needed transitions related services, research, public policy, best practices, pilot projects, and evaluation so that youth with disabilities can achieve their greatest level of independence. The Center will create a forum to enhance the ability of young people and veterans with disabilities to enter and reenter the workforce, participate in and contribute to community life, and become productive members of society.
 
The National Council on Independent Living
The National Council on Independent Living is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands of organizations and individuals including: individuals with disabilities, Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs), and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the United States.
 
An outcome of the national Disability Rights and Independent Living Movements, NCIL was founded to embody the values of disability culture and Independent Living philosophy, which creates a new social paradigm and emphasizes that people with disabilities are the best experts on their own needs, that they have crucial and valuable perspective to contribute to society, and are deserving of equal opportunity to decide how to live, work, and take part in their communities.
 

Paid Fellowship Opportunity!
Self-Advocates Becoming Empowered is pleased to announce the Self Advocacy Resource and Training Center (SARTAC) Policy Fellowship Program. It is an amazing paid opportunity for self-advocates. A self-advocate can earn up to $5000. SARTAC is recruiting self-advocate leaders and host organizations for the first year of the program. Please click here for the SARTAC Policy Leadership Fellowship Application and Flyer.

When is the deadline to apply? 
The host organization and fellow will complete the application together by 5:00pm EST on April 12th, 2017. 

When does the fellowship begin and end? 
The fellowships will begin on June 1st and end on May 31st. There will be 6 fellows chosen each year for a total of 24 over the next 4 years. 

Webinar for more info:
There will also be a webinar to review requirements for the Fellowship and answer questions regarding our Self Advocacy Leadership Fellowship Program scheduled for Thursday, March 30th. Noon Pacific/ 1:00 Mountain/ 2:00 Central/ 3:00 Eastern 

Join WebEx meeting:
Meeting number (access code): 922 480 544
Join by phone 
+1-855-282-6330 US TOLL FREE 
+1-415-655-0003 US TOLL 
Global call-in numbers  |  Toll-free calling restrictions  

Can't join the meeting?  
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that this WebEx service allows audio and other information sent during the session to be recorded, which may be discoverable in a legal matter. By joining this session, you automatically consent to such recordings. If you do not consent to being recorded, discuss your concerns with the host or do not join the session.
 
Teresa Moore
SARTAC Director
Mooreadvoacy@hotmail.com        

Please join the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) on March 23, 2017, for a public forum.  The DOR is committed to empowering individuals with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities, to make informed choices about their careers to achieve employment outcomes in competitive integrated employment. The DOR is actively collaborating with our partners, the California Department of Education (CDE) and the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), to help youth with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities prepare for and achieve competitive integrated employment. Representatives from CDE and DDS will be available during the forum to answer questions.
 
The public forum will focus on mandatory services and documentation for youth seeking subminimum wage employment.  During the forum DOR will also cover:

• Overview of placing youth (age 24 and under) into subminimum wage employment.


• Collaboration with the California Department of Education to obtain documentation from the schools.


• Mandatory services and documentation for youth seeking subminimum wage employment. 

We will open the line for questions as time permits.
 
Call details:
Youth and Subminimum Wage Employment
March 23, 2017 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Call in number:  800-779-9065
Participant passcode:  6893354
 
Please plan to log on to the call 15 minutes early.
 
We look forward to your participation and encourage you to forward this notice to other interested stakeholders.
 
Thank you,
Joe Xavier
Director
Department of Rehabilitation

Please circulate to interested disabled students, groups, schools--

The Center for Human Rights invites high school and college students with disabilities to apply for funding for a 10-week Summer 2017 internship at a non-profit organization selected by the student. The Alexis Bird Schey Summer Internship Fund will select one student to receive $3,000 towards the student’s internship salary. To apply, please visit: https://www.deltacollege.edu/dept/dsps/documents/Summer2017AlexisScheyInternshipApplication.pdf

All applications must be received no later than March 30, 2017. A decision will be made by April 15, 2017.

Message from the California Department of Finance
 
As the Governor’s Budget summary indicates, the Administration will engage with general and special education stakeholders to discuss how to improve the way in which California provides funding and services for students with exceptional needs.  Central to these discussions are two recent evaluations of the state’s special education system—the 2015 report by the Special Education Task Force and the 2016 report by the Public Policy Institute of California.  While differing in scope and specific recommendations, these reports both call for more seamless integration of general and special education. 
 
In response to these reports, we invite you to participate in any one of four upcoming forum discussions that will be held throughout the state, at which we hope you will be willing to share your feedback on the structure of special education and the recommendations included in these recent evaluations.
 
Each discussion will proceed as follows:
 
Welcome and opening comments from Department of Finance. 
A summary of the Public Policy Institute of California report, with time for questions and answers. 
Input by attendees. 
Please RSVP for one of the four discussions below by sending an email tosped@dof.ca.gov.  Further, you may also send your feedback and specific recommendations to this email address.  If you have any additional questions about the process, please contact Ian Johnson in our office.
 
March 3, 2017
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, CA 95814
 
March 10, 2017
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Los Angeles County Office of Education
9300 Imperial Hwy, Room 281
Downey, CA 90242
 
March 17, 2017
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
San Mateo County Office of Education
101 Twin Dolphin Drive, California Suite Board Room
Redwood City, CA 94065
 
March 24, 2017
10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Fresno County Office of Education
1111 Van Ness Ave, Room 101T
Fresno, CA 93721
 
Thank you in advance for your contributions to this process.

Just a friendly reminder that applications are still being accepted through Feb. 1 for Edison International’s $1.2 million Edison Scholars Program. We will award $40,000 scholarships paid over four years to 30 high school seniors planning to major in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) fields at accredited four-year colleges and universities.
 
The 2017 Edison Scholars Program eligibility requirements include:
        High school senior must live or attend a high school in Southern California Edison (SCE)’s service area or attend an eligible high school surrounding SCE’s San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station
        Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
        Plan to be a full-time undergraduate student majoring in Mathematics, Engineering, Computer and Information Services, Management Information Systems, Natural Resources and Conservation or Physical Sciences
        Demonstrate financial need 
Please visit www.scholarsapply.org/edisonscholars to learn more.
 
We appreciate you sharing this information with your community and stakeholders.
        Edison Scholars spotlight page: Applications Now Open for $1.2 Million Edison Scholars Program
        Download a printable flyer here 

We are excited to introduce you to our new Youth Organizer, Yolanda Vargas
 
After months of searching and interviewing many qualified youth candidates for the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers, Youth Organizing (YO!) Disabled and Proud Youth Organizer we are excited to introduce and welcome Yolanda Vargas.
 
Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Yolanda has spent much of her youth devoted to educating people on human rights and issues faced by the LGBTQQAAIAP community, of which is she is a proud member. In 2012, Yolanda relocated to Sacramento to focus on her education and make her mark in the non-profit world. Despite being disabled since birth, Yolanda, like many did not know that the disability community existed and only became active through her work as a YO! Volunteer Corps member. She has since embraced her disabilities with much pride and has become an active youth leader both statewide and nationally. Earlier this year, Yolanda was awarded a youth scholarship to participate in the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Conference. That opportunity led her to becoming a member of both the NCIL Youth and Queer & Women’s Caucuses. In addition, Yolanda was also selected to attend and be trained at the ADAPT Youth Community Organizing Summit.
 
Yolanda is a passionate young woman of color, who looks forward to engaging other youth with disabilities across California to find their disability pride while also building her own leadership skills and increasing her involvement in the intersectional and complex issues that the disability community faces. 

Congress recently passed a law referred to as the ABLE Act. ABLE stands for Achieving a Better Life Experience and in California we're calling it CalABLE. It's a program that allows people with disabilities to establish a tax-advantage (ABLE) account that allows them to save up to $14,000 per year and up to $100,000 in total without losing critical disability benefits like Medi-Cal, SSI or SSDI. Money that is put in an ABLE account is not subject to federal income tax or California state income tax, as long as money in the account is spent on "Qualified Disability Expenses" such has assistive technology, housing, food, etc. 

ABLE accounts in California haven't opened yet, but that means we have an opportunity to shape what our accounts could end up looking like. For example, we want accounts that individuals can apply for online and over the phone that don't require any up front costs and that include debit cards so we can access or money when needed, for disability related expenses. 

YO! Disabled & Proud, the DOnetwork and Independent Living Centers across the state are working in collaboration with the CalABLE staff to host ABLE outreach events and get input from community members; youth with disabilities, adults with disabilities and families are encouraged to attend an event and share with us what they would believe ABLE accounts should include when they become available in the summer of 2017. We invite you to join us at an upcoming outreach event or contact us if you'd like to organize an outreach event in your area.
We will share new dates and event locations with you as they become available. Below is a list of November outreach events coming up in Alameda County. 

Today - Friday, November 4th from 3PM - 4PM 
San Leandro - Public Health Building - Redwood Conference Room
1100 San Leandro Blvd., San Leandro, CA

Tuesday, November 8th from 2PM - 3PM
Berkeley - Ed Roberts Campus - Osher Conference Room 
3075 Adeline St., Berkeley, CA

Wednesday, November 9th from 3PM - 4PM 
Fremont - Family Resource Center - Pacific Conference Room, H800
39155 Liberty St., Fremont, CA

Thursday, November 10th from 6:15PM - 7:15PM 
Pleasanton - Thomas S. Hart Middle School - Multipurpose Room 
4433 Willow Road, Pleasanton, CA 
 

YO! Disabled and Proud is hosting a one-day My Future, My Youth Summit on May 25, 2016 in Sacramento, CA. Youth or young adults between the ages of 18 - 28 are invited and encouraged to register. Learn about the #VoteDisability campaign, how voting impacts people with disabilities of all ages, and how to get involved in the growing national campaign, #cripthevote. Disability Rights California will also be onsite providing training on how to register to vote and what to expect on election day as a person with a disability. 

The My Future, My Vote Summit is an opportunity to connect with other youth and young adults who want to get involved in disability advocacy. 

This is the final week to register and space is limited. If you would like to register or want to learn more please visit our website at the link provdied below. 

2016 Youth Transitions Fellowship (YTF)
The HSC Foundation, in partnership with the National Council on Independent Living (NCIL), is now accepting applications for a paid fellowship position with the organizations’ disability youth transition and collaboration work. This fellowship is ideal for a person with a disability who has an interest in youth career transitions and employment solutions. The fellowship starts in June 2016, and continues for 15 months. Under the supervision of NCIL’s Executive Director, the Youth Transitions Fellow (YTF) will gain exposure to youth programs serving people with disabilities and will have the opportunity to facilitate collaboration among internship, fellowship, and apprenticeship programs based in the Greater Washington, DC area.
Preferred Skills and Qualifications:
Ability to facilitate collaboration among large groups
Ability to work with people in all levels of an organization, including young people with a variety of disabilities
Strong communication skills and strong organizational skills
Creative and innovative personality
Familiarity with technology and social networking tools
Strong interest in youth transition for people with disabilities and organizing.Eligibility:
College graduate 26-or-younger who self-identifies as an individual with any type of disability is invited to apply. You will not be required to disclose your specific disability; however, your application for this program will signify that you consider yourself a person with a disability. Please Note: This fellowship is specifically for people with disabilities.
Please Provide the Following to apply:
Please attach your resume in Microsoft Word format.
Please provide the contact information for four (4) references who are familiar with your qualifications relevant to this fellowship and your personal character.
Please attach in Microsoft Word format two (2) letters of recommendation from two (2) of the above-mentioned references.What Happens Next:
Completed applications received by NCIL before 5:00 PM EDT, Tuesday, April 26, 2016 will be collected and reviewed by our team.
Semi-Finalists will be contacted for short, preliminary telephone interviews.
Finalists will be contacted for formal telephone interviews.
The fellow will be selected and notified by May 20, 2016.
The fellow must be able to begin work by June 15, 2016The HSC Foundation’s National Youth Transitions Center
The HSC Foundation’s National Youth Transitions Center is a collaborative learning community to benefit youth with disabilities and returning wounded veterans. The National Youth Transitions Center, developed by The HSC Foundation, will bring together the resources of multiple organizations to provide much needed transitions related services, research, public policy, best practices, pilot projects, and evaluation so that youth with disabilities can achieve their greatest level of independence. The Center will create a forum to enhance the ability of young people and veterans with disabilities to enter and reenter the workforce, participate in and contribute to community life, and become productive members of society.
The National Council on Independent Living
The National Council on Independent Living is the longest-running national cross-disability, grassroots organization run by and for people with disabilities. Founded in 1982, NCIL represents thousands of organizations and individuals including: individuals with disabilities, Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Statewide Independent Living Councils (SILCs), and other organizations that advocate for the human and civil rights of people with disabilities throughout the United States.
An outcome of the national Disability Rights and Independent Living Movements, NCIL was founded to embody the values of disability culture and Independent Living philosophy, which creates a new social paradigm and emphasizes that people with disabilities are the best experts on their own needs, that they have crucial and valuable perspective to contribute to society, and are deserving of equal opportunity to decide how to live, work, and take part in their communities.
TO APPLY:
 
Applications must be received by 5:00 PM (Eastern Daylight Time) on or before Tuesday, April 26, 2016.
Via Email: tim@ncil.org

2016 is a big election year and YO! Disabled & Proud wants to understand where youth with disabilities are when it comes to voting. We’ve created this short survey for youth and young adults (ages 18 – 28) that will give us the information and data YO! and other organizations need to organize and plan youth-friendly voting activities/events.  Please take a couple minutes to take the survey and share it with your friends.
 
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YOVote

Happy New Year!  
 
YO! Volunteers and members are prioritizing and organizing a Disability Leaders Campaign for 2016. There will be many ways to contribute and participate. Our first ask is that you take a moment to tell us about the disability leaders and mentors you admire most. The Disability Leaders Campaign will highlight and honor individuals in our community each month. Our goal is to educate people with and without disabilities about the contributions people in the disability community have made while also engaging and motivating young disabled leaders to also make their own contributions that lead to positive change.  
 
There are eleven questions in the survey.  Each question includes a different theme involving individuals that are related to that theme. You will be able to select from the list of names or add a new name you feel relates to that theme best.  We have included a very brief description of each individual under the themes.
 
The Disability Leaders Campaign will kick-off lin recognition of Ed Roberts Day – January 23rd.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Kirk Aranda at kirk@cfilc.org or 916-325-1690.
 
The deadline to submit your favorite leaders  will be Friday January 15th at 5pm (Pacific Time).”

We're wrapping up our #ADA25 Forum series at Menlo College in Atherton on Tuesday, November 17, 2015. YO! Disabled and Proud is co-hosting an intergenerational ADA conversation with the support of Menlo's PSYSCC 482 Understanding Disabilities Class. Students and community members are invited to attend and participate. Panelist will share their ADA stories, vision for the future of disability rights. We will have our disability history exhibit on display and our ADA photo booth at this event. Register today, http://yodisabledproud.org/ada25/

Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Time: 3:45pm - 5:30pm 
Location: Menlo College - Fireside Lounge
1000 El Camino Real, Atherton, CA 94027

To request an accommodation please contact Kirk Aranda at kirk@cfilc.org or (866)296-9753 by Friday, 11/13/15.