We have been busy! To provide some context for our work in the community around supporting youth who identify as experiencing disability, here is some background on how youth with disabilities have historically interacted with society. In the last 50 years, much progress has been made on disability rights issues. A larger goal of our collective efforts is “community inclusion,” which includes community access and participation. The Youth Legacy Foundation is focusing on the need we as a society still have of including youth with disabilities in the public sphere, meaning that our youth ought not to remain on the sidelines and margins any longer, but need to be supported to engage in communities with everyone else. Our communities will not be complete until every person is included. So, we are working to promote community activities around volunteer service, leadership, mentoring and peer mentoring to address this need. Through community involvement, youth have the opportunity to make social connections, build networks, grow in confidence, experience, and knowledge, expand competencies, break down stereotypes, change culture and social climate, and plant seeds to promote public awareness that “dis”ability does not mean “dis”advantage.
- Youth leaders attended and presented at the MN Statewide Self-Advocacy Conference on legacy building, and were interviewed by the U of MN, on camera
- Received our official 501(c)(3) nonprofit status from the IRS
- Celebrated our two year anniversary in November
- Participated in National Disability Mentoring Day in commemoration of Disability Employment Awareness Month. NDMD is a program of AAPD – the American Association of People with Disabilities.
- Interviewed youth leaders and shared on our website, blog and in our E-news
- Created a logo and updated marketing materials
- Hosted a ribbon cutting event, attended by about 80 people and four elected officials and three candidates for public office – sponsored by the Olson Family – thank you!!
- Youth leaders attended a huge disability rally at the State Capitol, along with almost a thousand people, where our executive director, Bridget, gave a speech in the Rotunda and was interviewed on Disability Viewpoints
- We were featured with a photo and article in Access Press, the disability community newspaper
- We attended the Charlie Smith Awards with Elin Ohlsson and her provider organization, Care Planners, honoring Cal Appleby
- Built a new website, thanks to a generous donor – we appreciate it!!
- Created a youth advisory council
- Hired two youth specialists, a development director, an administrative director, and a volunteer coordinator. We also depend on our many volunteers.
- Began filming for our public service announcement, thanks to a generous donor – very grateful!!
- Created a YouTube channel and added new YLF videos
- Executive director was a Bush Foundation Fellowship Finalist
- Executive director was nominated for the Shannon Leadership Institute with the Wilder Foundation
- Executive director received the Mentorship Award from the MN State Council on Disability for promoting access to the workforce and advancing the transition from school to post-secondary education or employment for individuals with disabilities
- Did a one-hour Wave Project show on KFAI Radio on YLF and its youth work in the community
- Youth leaders hosted and were interviewed on Disability Viewpoints, an award-winning community television show
- Participated in the Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (IOCP) Sleepout for homelessness and poverty
- Volunteered at NAMIWalks, for mental illness awareness
- Hosted a Youth Showcase in collaboration with Wayzata Public Schools and emceed by Miss Heart of the Lakes, Alison Vail, who works with NAMI Minnesota and Vail Place to promote mental illness awareness
- Volunteered at the Job Skills Competition with Wayzata Public Schools and a consortium of school districts
- Volunteered at Wayzata High School’s craft fair, which is put on by students who participate in C.R.E.W. (Creative, Responsible, Educated, Workers), which is a student-run business and is part of the WHS Work Program. It’s a self-supporting business which offers students valuable work experience and training.
- Hosted many leadership workshops on anti-bullying legislation (presented by two legislators), service animals (presented by State Services for the Blind), community leadership, money management, and more
- Promoted public awareness across the community to encourage people to engage youth with disabilities more fully in the community
- Joined the Minneapolis Community Transition Interagency Committee (MCTIC), which is a coalition of public schools, transition programs, and advocacy organziations,
- Joined the IMPACT Initiative, which is a think tank addressing long-term disability community leadership needs, and includes the Business Leadership Network (BLN)
- Presented at Diversity Day at Metro State University
- Exhibited at the ARRM Conference in Duluth
- Attended and presented at the Wisconsin Youth Leadership Forum’s annual leadership retreat
- Attended the Home for Life gala and met Dr. Temple Grandin, who spoke with us about the importance of emphasizing strengths and abilities of youth
- Participated in Fourth Generation, a program of The Minneapolis Foundation
- Were represented at the Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota-America Pageant
- Attended the HandsOn Twin Cities Expo, where we learned about volunteer opportunities in the community
- Went on a field trip to the Brainerd area to visit Winston Borden’s farm and learn about team work and cooperation
- Outreach to Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) on a regular basis and Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare
- Hosted a holiday open house with a volunteer activity
- Youth leader went on a mission trip to West Virginia to assist a struggling community with child care
- Joined the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and the Minnesota Social Service Association
- Shared many community opportunities through our website and E-news, such as a film festival, documentary screening, volunteer and leadership activities, mentoring conference calls, and community forums
- Attended the Attention Deficit Disorder/ Learning Disabilities College Fair at Groves Academy
- Offering individualized support and mentoring to youth in our network, using tools we created to encourage self-directed community activities, preparation, and planning to promote personal and professional development
On the horizon in 2014
- Joint public policy event in collaboration with Arc Greater Twin Cities on February 11
- Serving on a committee with the MN State Council on Disability to plan activities for the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 2015
- Helping to host a job fair with the MCTIC
- More Youth Showcases
- Collaboration with the Business Leadership Network to promote employment opportunities
- Hosting a conference
- Developing our five-year strategic plan
- We would love to open an office, where we can host activities and build a center for this growing community resource/hub
- Hopefully giving away lots of YLF t-shirts to youth who participate and people in the community who donate $50 or more to help us do this work
- Becoming a member of the MN Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities and participating in Tuesdays at the Capitol, which we started doing this year with self-advocates, led by Roberta Blomster
From November 2011-2012:
- Held a kick-off event at the HandsOn Twin Cities Expo in 2012
- Hosted our first annual conference in July at Courage Center in 2012
- Elected a board of directors and officers, a majority of whom are people with disabilities
- Created an organizational plan
- Started a website, blog, and Facebook page
- Fundraising, outreach, and public awareness activities
- Developed core programs: volunteer facilitation, leadership, mentoring, peer mentoring
- Created marketing, presentation, and participation materials
- Participated in National Disability Mentoring Day – commemorated National Disability Awareness Month and Disability Employment Awareness Month. NDMD is a program of AAPD – the American Association of People with Disabilities. Attended event at Minneapolis City Hall, too.
- Target audition for photo shoot for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) training
- Attended community events, such as the celebration of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in July, 2012
- Completed MN Common Grant Application Form
- Began hosting monthly Leadership Meetings (aka Pancake Brunches) so youth can make friends, socialize, and discuss issues
- Participated in Fourth Generation, a program of the Minneapolis Foundation
- Cultivating many collaborative community partnerships
- Presentations on Disability Viewpoints TV show
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