Why Self-Advocacy is Important Blog Series
Each month Family Matters Parent Training and Information Center hosts a Blog post written by Bridget Brown. Bridget Brown, a young woman with Down syndrome, captures the attention of everyone with her vitality and confidence. Bridget travels the country as an inspirational, public speaker. She speaks to audiences of students, teachers, parents, and administrators.

IN*SOURCES’s online programs for Indiana youth with disabilities that introduces users to the key elements of IEPs and Transition Planning.

VIDEO:  WHAT IS PRE-ETS?
This new video from Indiana IN*SOURCE explains Vocational Rehabilitation Services available to youth with disabilities during high school. These services vary and are called “Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS).

What is Pre-ETS?
Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) are available to students ages 14 to 22 in each state who are eligible and "potentially eligible" for Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services. This publication from IN*SOURCE outlines Pre-ETS activities and resources available to students in the areas of career exploration, consulting on post-secondary options, instruction on self-advocacy, and more. It links to state vocational rehabilitation offices in Indiana. To find contact information for state VR agencies in other states, go here.

New Infographic on self-determination.

New video on what self-determination means for youth. Self-determination is having the ability and desire to make you own choices and manage your own life.

Self-Advocacy Tips Video
This video from KY-SPIN illustrates seven self-advocacy tips such as don’t be afraid to ask for help, negotiate, and speak up to let others know what you need.

Self-Advocacy Tips Infographic
This Infographic also presents KY-SPIN’s seven self-advocacy tips.

Webinar (1 hour long) New: What is Transition Planning? on planning for the transition to adulthood for Michigan youth. Includes helpful tips for engaging youth in their Transition IEP meetings, coordinating IEP and Foster Care transition plans, and connecting with vocational rehabilitation services.

High School Youth in Transition Checklist for Youth Who Experienced Foster Care 
This resource is meant to be used as a guide for students experiencing foster care and their caseworker throughout their years of high school with tasks and resources of how to successfully transition to post-secondary education in the state of Michigan

Resource Management for Foster Children
Use this Resource Guide from the Michigan Alliance for Families to conduct asset mapping activities in your community. Youth and young adults with disabilities exiting foster care may lack knowledge, resources, and a relationship with an adult to guide them in establishing their own home, continuing their education, and finding work. Knowledge of your community can be crucial in identifying resources for these youth and young adults.

Learn how to advocate for yourself at school, at your job and in your community. Advocating for yourself means knowing what your needs are and speaking up for yourself to get your needs met. This website provides tips from other students with disabilities who have learned to advocate for themselves in high school, at work, and at college.

This is an animated video series created by The Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities. Follow Jacob on his adventures in youth empowerment and self-advocacy.

Additions to the comic series that focuses on empowering transition age youth to become self-advocates. New: Issue #2

Youth Empowerment Infographic
OCECD’s “Youth Empowerment” comic series focuses on empowering transition age youth to become self-advocates. It informs youth about youth empowerment, self-determination, self-advocacy and more.

This Spanish Transition Checklist was developed by Wisconsin FACETS and modeled after their state IEP Checklist. It contains general, non-state-specific information about transition and the transition IEP. The resource is intended to provide an overview for families of considerations before, during, and after the Transition IEP meeting. There is also a “user guide” in Spanish and a version in English.

Transition IEP Checklist
Plan early, ask questions, be flexible and stay informed and involved. This Transition IEP Checklist was developed by Wisconsin FACETS and modeled after their state IEP Checklist. It contains general, non-state-specific information about transition and the transition IEP. The resource is intended to provide an overview for families of considerations before, during, and after the Transition IEP meeting. There is also a brief guide for users who want to customize it for their own state.

This 18-slide PowerPoint slide deck with speaker notes was developed by Wisconsin FACETS. It is created in a modifiable format, accessible to Read Aloud and Alt Text customized descriptions in all images. The slide deck should be customized to include state-specific information. There is also a User Guide.

Transition planning can help students earn what they are good at and like to do. This handout from the West Virgina PIT explains the process.

Transition Information for Parents & Students with IEPS
This infographic from the West Virginia Parent Training and Information Center (WVPTI) helps link preferences and interests about where young adults want to learn, work, or live in the future to the postsecondary goals section of the Transition IEP.

Everyone may have a different level of independence and need for support but everyone can be self-determined. This brochure from WVPTI focuses on self-determination: what it is, why it is important, and helpful tips.