Promoting Higher Levels of Youth Engagement 2016 OSEP Project Directors Meeting August 1-3, 2016

Welcome! Dr. Joan Kester, Assistant Professor of Special Education & Disability Studies, The George Washington University Everett Deibler, Transition Services Program Manager, Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living Christopher Nace, Program Manager, Secondary Transition, DC Public Schools

Topics GW Secondary Transition Master’s Program Overview GW Social Justice: Paradigm Shift Secondary Transition Youth Engagement: Social Justice Lens National Youth Engagement Initiatives: GW Scholar Impact

GW secondary transition masters’ program Program Overview GW secondary transition masters’ program

Personnel Preparation Program PR/Award # H325K110512 Combined Priority for Personnel Development (CPPD) The George Washington University Online Master’s Degree (39 credits) MA, Secondary Special Education and Transition Services Concentration: Interdisciplinary Transition Services

EMPOWERING YOUTH. COLLABORATING FOR CHANGE. Program Highlights: Leadership Emphasis: Change agents Applied Research: Curriculum foundations and applied research – focused on self-determination philosophy. Primary focus – improving postschool outcomes. Interdisciplinary Interaction: Diverse student population. Strong focus on social learning theory. Scholar-Practitioner Faculty: Real-world experiences and unique perspectives.

Evidence of Outcomes: External Evaluation All relevant curriculum found evidence-based practices and predictors of positive postschool outcomes. CEC/DCDT competencies for transition specialists: advancement of knowledge and skills from low/moderate to proficient/expert levels.

Evidence of Outcomes: External Evaluation (2) “It is clear that GWU graduates and current students are impacting the lives of their own students with knowledge of transition competencies and best practices. They were able to specifically identify examples of their own students’ growth, self-determination, increased opportunities, and community awareness” (External Evaluator, 2016)

Paradigm Shift GW SOCIAL JUSTICE LENS

World View Defined by Thomas Kuhn (1962) as a shared world view that is so strong and institutionalized that only a sudden and dramatic break from it can bring on a positive revolution in thinking. The Structures of Scientific Revolutions

Disability Policy Paradigm Paradigm: a set of assumptions, concepts, values and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community; a way of thinking about disability (Howard Edson, 2003)

Civil Rights/Independent Living Model Belief that people with disabilities have right to community integration, to live independently and make decisions about aspects of their lives. (Bank-Mikkelson and Nirje in Scandinavia; Wolfensberger andEd Roberts, Berkely in U.S.) Outcome: Accommodations, access, political power, community participation

Social Justice Concept of a just society, where "justice" refers to more than merely the administration of laws. Based on idea of a society which gives individuals and groups fair treatment and a just share of the benefits of society

Discussion How do you infuse social justice into your research and practice?

Youth engagement in secondary transition GW Social Justice Lens Youth engagement in secondary transition

Embedded in GW Curriculum Introduction to Transition and Career Services Instructional Methods & Curriculum Universal Design for Learning Transition, Career & Developmental Assessment Interagency & Family Systems Collaboration Employment Models Legal Issues & Public Policy

Definition of Youth Engagement Youth engagement has been defined as “the meaningful participation and sustained involvement of a young person in an activity that has a focus outside himself or herself.” (Pancer, Rose-Krasnor, & Loiselle, 2002)

Benefits of Effective Youth Engagement Youth engagement in secondary transition is critical to facilitating positive post-school outcomes. If youth with disabilities grow through youth development and leadership efforts, there is a greater chance of self determination as they launch into their future goals.

Youth Engagement Continuum Lowest to highest levels of engagement: Youth Services Approach (Intervention) Youth Development (Development) Youth Leadership (Development) Civic Engagement (Collective Impact) Youth Organizing (Systems Change) Core Principles for Engaging Young People in Community Change, Forum for Youth Investment, http://www.forumfyi.org/files/FINALYouth_Engagment_8.15pdf.pdf

Youth Services Approach Service delivery model Our traditional approach Lowest level of youth engagement Often “handling kids” Systems often get stuck here!

Positive Outcomes YOUTH DEVELOPMENT YOUTH LEADERSHIP 👆 Self esteem, sense of control, and enhanced identity development 👆 Assumption of responsibility 👆 Academic achievement 👇 Psychosocial problems 👇 Risky behaviors 👆 Development of self-efficacy, decision-making skills, and team work 👆 Self-advocacy and self- determination 👆 Capacity for critical thinking and values 👆 Safety

Highest Levels of Youth Engagement Civic Engagement Youth Organizing

Discussion (2) How can your personnel preparation and technical assistance work shift from a service delivery approach to a youth engagement framework?

National Youth Engagement Initiatives: GW Scholar Impact Youth Engagement in Secondary Transition National Youth Engagement Initiatives: GW Scholar Impact

Disparity in Youth Engagement Literature In the literature, we found a great deal of research about “how to” and the benefits of youth engagement for YOUTH at the individual, systems, and societal levels. However, in the secondary special education literature, there is very little written beyond self-determination instruction, service learning, and self-led IEPs. Raise this as a civil rights issues…how can we, collectively, make this paradigm shift?

National Impact: School/Community Based Internship Partnership with National Association of State Directors of Special Education, IDEA Partnership National Transition Community of Practice Youth Engagement Practice Group http://www.ideapartnership.org/

Youth Engagement Practice Group Comprised by youth and young adults with disabilities from across the US Supported by adult allies Collected data from youth to develop an agenda

Impact & Outcomes National Webinar Series on Effective Youth Engagement, developed by youth for professionals and youth National Youth Summit Recommendations to NASDSE Board of Directors Products to support Leading by Convening: A Blueprint for Authentic Engagement, to engage youth (http://www.ideapartnership.org/assessment-consortia-reach-out-through-the-partners/414-front-page-carousel/1720-partnership-launches-leading-by-convening-a-blueprint-for-authentic-engagement.html) www.ideapartnership.org

Discussion (3) On the spectrum of youth engagement, how do you advance the engagement of youth with disabilities to promote positive postschool outcomes?

Recap & Questions GW Secondary Transition Master’s Program Overview GW Social Justice: Paradigm Shift Secondary Transition Youth Engagement: Social Justice Lens National Youth Engagement Initiatives: GW Scholar Impact

Contact Information Joan Kester, Ed.D, CRC Assistant Professor of Special Education and Disability Studies The George Washington University 717-368-6548 (cell) jkester@gwu.edu http://gsehd.gwu.edu/

Contact Information (2) Everett Deibler, Transition Services Program Manager, Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living, everettdeibler@lvcil.org Christopher Nace, Program Manager, Secondary Transition, DC Public Schools, chrisopher.nace.dc.gov