This presentation is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council (PADDC)

What is the Leadership Development in Schools Project? Project Partners: Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network (PYLN)

What is the Leadership Development in Schools Project? What are the goals of the project? To look at the current PA academic standards to see how leadership education can be better integrated into existing school curriculum. The development of leadership based lesson plans, worksheets, videos, etc. that can be integrated into current classroom activities. The development of a website that will include toolkits and other resources that an educator can easily access for use in their classroom. Professional development sessions for educators on how to integrate leadership education into their lessons and how to promote disability acceptance and awareness. Youth- led, youth- driven assemblies for students that promote leadership. A statewide “I’m a Leader!” campaign. Development of a youth led/youth driven coalition (PA Coalition for Youth Leadership – PCYL)

What is Youth Leadership? You Know it When You See It! Break into small groups, hopefully with folks you don’t know as well. Describe the actions, behaviors, and attitudes of youth and young adults when they are actively engaged as leaders. Group report-outs and full group discussion. 4

Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network Youth Engagement Continuum Framework for Designing Youth Engagement Strategies 5

Youth Engagement Continuum Youth Services Approach Youth Development Youth Leadership Civic Engagement Youth Organizing 6 InterventionDevelopment Collective Empowerment Systemic Change Core Principles for Engaging Young People in Community Change, Forum for Youth Investment

Youth Development Youth Development is a process that prepares young people to meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood through a coordinated, progressive series of activities and experiences which help them gain skills and competencies. National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability 7

Youth Leadership Youth Leadership is part of that process. To control and direct their own lives based on informed decisions, youth development/leadership needs to be included as core components of transition programming for all youth, including youth with disabilities. National Collaborative on Workforce & Disability 8

Civic Engagement Civic Engagement is youth and young adults coming together to make a difference in their communities and developing the combination of skills, knowledge, values, and motivation in order to make that difference to be a collective source of change. 9

What is Youth Leadership? You Know it When You See It! Break into small groups, hopefully with folks you don’t know as well. In your opinion what do young people need to be taught to promote the development of leadership skills? Group report-outs and full group discussion. 10

When are youth most engaged when… They feel like they are being listened to Making their own decisions When they are being respected Part of the conversation Not being judged Asked their opinions Involved in the planning process Spoken to in an age appropriate manner 11

12 Lack of self knowledge Overprotection Low expectations Few opportunities for choices Lack of stable support system Barriers to Self-Determination

Develop Self Determination by fostering COMPETENCE Students experience competence when challenged and given prompt feedback. Provide opportunities and lots of them! Beware of Learned Helplessness! Starts when they begin to develop skills If you do it for them or demand that they ask your permission for everything they will learn to be helpless! 13

Use Teachable Moments Use real life situations Making choices Reasonable level of risk Living with the consequences 14

What you can do now Help youth to identify their needs and develop strategies to meet those needs Improve decision- making, goal setting and goal attainment skills Enhance communication and relationship skills Develop the ability to celebrate success and learn from reflecting on experiences Help them identify information they would like to share with the educational team 15

Survey of Leaders : : : : 12 No Age: 4 64 Total interviews Interviews were completed via online survey, over the phone or in person

Interview The interview consisted of 6 questions: 1.What does leadership mean to you? 2.When you hear the word leadership, who do you think of and why? 3.What personally helped you become a leader? 4.Is it possible that everyone can become a leader? Please explain 5.What do you do to bring out the leadership in the students/people you work with everyday? 6.In your opinion, what do young people need to be taught to develop leadership skills?

The most common skills students should learn to develop leadership skills Communication: The exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing, or behavior. Advocacy: One that argues for a cause; a supporter or defender: an advocate of civil rights. One that pleads in another's behalf. Critical Thinking: A way of reasoning and thought characterized by judgment and rational thinking. Acceptance: being open minded to both in possibilities and diversity, all while maintaining a positive outlook and embracing the outcomes of failure. Drive: To strive vigorously toward a goal or objective, with passion. Organization: Arrange into a structured whole; order. Knowledge: What one learns in the classroom or through experience. Character: the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual

IN YOUR OPINION WHAT DO YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO BE TAUGHT TO PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEADERSHIP SKILLS? No Age Selected Total # / Percent Communication / 17% Critical Thinking / 17% Knowledge / 17% Advocacy / 14% Acceptance / 12% Character / 10% Drive / 7% Organization / 5%

Aligning Leadership Skill with the PA CORE English/Language Arts – K-6 and 9-12 Science – 9-12 Social Studies – 9-12

24 Letting Go While Continuing to Support Role of the Adult Allies

ADULT ALLIES – A CHANGE IN MINDSET The Drivers The Supporters I T each You We Learn Together “I will just do it.” “You can do it. I am here to help!” 25

Adult Allies – Beliefs Confidence in Youth Sharing the Power We all have Unique Talents and Strengths Every Opinion Counts! 26

Questions Young People May Ask Themselves Are my ideas really considered? When I speak, the meeting ‘stops.’ I feel ‘yessed at,’ and then the meeting continues on. They tell me I need to be a self- advocate, but how can I be one, when I am given no power? 27

28 Resources and Websites to Help Build Youth Engagement

PA’s Secondary Transition Website

IDEA Partnership – 3 Part Cross-State Youth Webinars 30

Virginia Department of Education » Student Involvement in the IEP » Assessments & Checklists for students, parents, educators » Family Support » Videos » Literature & Resources 31

The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability (NCWD/Youth) The 411 on Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for Youth with Disabilities Skills to Pay the Bills Center for Self Determination Literature & Resources Training Information 32

University of Oklahoma - Zarrow Center » AIR Self-Determination Assessments » ARC Self-Determination Scale » Choice Maker Self-Determination Assessment » Field and Hoffman Self-Determination Assessment Battery » Student led IEP- Instructional modules 33

Virginia Commonwealth University – Going to College An interactive website designed for students interested in attending a college or university 34

35 American Education Services – Education Planner Career and College Planning Site for youth and families Pennsylvania Career Zone Online Career Interest Resources

For More Information? Visit imaleaderpa.orgimaleaderpa.org Contact: Everett Deibler-LVCIL ext. 137 Contact: Seth Hoderewski-LVCIL ext. 119 Contact: Michael Stoehr-PDE