Quality Trust recently expanded its Young Adult Leadership and Advocacy Initiative to advance those solutions that speak to transition-aged youth with disabilities (14-26 years old) in the District of Columbia. In addition to schools that are working hard to reach Individual Education Plan (IEP) goals and Rehabilitation Services Administration and community agencies supporting college, training, and employment placement, our work bridges the gaps and solidifies those aspects that build a strong personal foundation that is critical for a young person to thrive.
We know young adults with disabilities belonging to Generation Z were born between 1997 and 2012. We acknowledge that they have smartphones and the internet at their fingertips and are negotiating life in the age of Facebook, AI, ChatGPT, and electronic platforms such as Cash App and Apple Wallet to manage their money. In addition, we also acknowledge they are now in an age where they will have to reimagine access to opportunities without the safety net of DEIA and other programs due to funding cuts that impact supports and services.
Our guiding principles to achieve long-term, post-secondary transition results include:
- Knowledge of self and knowledge of the world
- Promote – Disability advocacy, Self Determination, and personal accountability
- Empower participants with subjects that reinforce abilities and self-development
- Advance participants’ access to person-centered services and opportunities
- Encourage DC Pride and service to one another
What do young adults with disabilities want? They want what all young adults typically want: employment, belonging, to feel safe and supported, and to have some fun. With sessions lasting 45 minutes, participants can expect facilitated discussions, powerful video selections, interactive activities, and opportunities to provide feedback to move them closer to their goals and vision for their lives.
Session Topics include:
| Independence and Self-Sufficiency | Personal Safety, Abuse, and Exploitation |
| Employment and Entrepreneurship | Health and Wellness; Self-care |
Financial Literacy and Budgeting | Civic Engagement |
| DC history, culture, and opportunities of interest | Disability Advocacy |
| Choices, Preferences, and Decision Making | Post-Secondary Transition Support |
| Personal and Professional Relationships; Soft Skills | Rights, Laws, and Policy |
Our program is anchored in collaboration with Project ACTION! (PA!), DC’s self-advocacy coalition for people with disabilities. Our young adult members are able to receive mentoring and encouragement from PA! members who have paved the way. Members and their families are invited to participate in the PA! meetings to learn more about being a self-advocate, speaking up and testifying, serving on committees and Boards, and to meet others who share their goals. They also meet and hear directly from disability leaders from DC’s Disability Council, Department on Disability Services, Disability Rights DC, and others. Most importantly, young adults can experience “Nothing About Us Without Us,” where they are strengthened to advocate for their preferences and be heard by decision makers at the table.
The youth learn valuable information and get resources from national and local organizations, including the Self-Advocacy Resource and Training Center (SARTAC), the National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT), and National Resource Center on Supported Decision-Making (NRC-SDM); ABLE Account; and Ticket to Work.
Quality Trust is very proud of our participants’ commitment and growth with our recent collaborations with Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Conway School, and Rise Academy.