Youth Advocacy is a statewide project that targets youth and young adults with disabilities, ages 14 to 22. It provides them with special education and related services.

Youth Advocacy assists individuals with disabilities and their parents, family members, guardians, advocates, and/or authorized representatives to

• Better understand vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs and services
• Provide follow-up support for transition and employment programs
• Communicate more effectively with transition and rehabilitation personnel and other relevant professionals
• Provide support in the development of the individualized plan for employment
• Provide support and expertise in obtaining information about rehabilitation and independent living programs, services and resources that are appropriate; to understand the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act, particularly provisions relating to employment, supported employment, and independent living

Youth Advocacy Activities
Youth Advocacy activities are designed to enable individuals with disabilities and their families to participate more effectively with professionals in meeting the vocational, independent living, and rehabilitation needs of individuals with disabilities.

Youth Advocacy strives to help to improve the quality of lives for individuals with disabilities by building capacity at the local and state level, by developing replicable materials in multiple languages and formats, and by cooperating and collaborating with many other agencies and organizations who serve persons with disabilities.

Activities include:
• Direct one-on-one assistance
• Workshops via: face to face, online tutorials, webcasting
• Information and resource CDs
• Informational tip Sheets
• Information on Facebook and Youtube, Instagram
• Informational listserv
• For a complete listing and descriptions of all Youth Advocacy & Action Project has to offer, please visit our workshops page here

Youth Advocacy Philosophy
The guiding principles that TILES sets forth include:
• Self-determination
• The value of student-family-professional partnerships
• Developing and maintaining high expectations of students with disabilities based on their unique skills and abilities

Youth Advocacy: An Invaluable Link
The Youth Advocacy Program provides an invaluable and unique link with Parent Training & Information Center (PTI) services through FND (POPIN) Parent of the Panhandle Information Network, (PSN) Parent Support Network, and (PEN) Parent Education Network.

Project 10
Be sure to check out all of the new resources listed on the website of Project 10:
Transition Education Network, www.project10.info

Resources related to the transition of students with disabilities to postsecondary education and employment are now available for all 67 Florida counties in the District Resources section of Project 10’s website (http://www.project10.info/DistrictFlorida.php). The website also has a new search engine that will make finding information easier, as well as updated information on Promising Practices Transition Sites, a new page for Project 10 STING RAY, new items in the A-Z Library of Terms and Resources (Accreditation, Financial Aid Pop Quiz), and a reorganized Postsecondary Education section.

Youth Advocacy PARTNERS

Florida Department of Education/Bureau of Exceptional Education Student Services
(850) 245-0505
www.fldoe.org

Florida Department of Education Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
(800) 451-4327
www.rehabworks.org

Disabilities Relations Group (DRG)
(727) 523-1000
www.drgglobal.com

Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA)
(941) 658-3560
www.rcma.org

WorkNet Pinellas
(727) 507-4300
www.worknetpinellas.org

The ABLE TRUST
(888) 838-ABLE (2253)
www.abletrust.org

Professional Development Partnership
(727) 873-4853
www.stpt.usf.edu

Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc.
(813) 233-2920
http://fchr.state.fl.us/

Florida Independent Living Council, Inc. (FILC)
(877) 822-1993
http://ilcflorida.org/

Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology (FAAST)
(850) 487-3278
www.faast.org

VSA Arts of Florida
(813) 975-6972
www.vsafl.org

Florida Coalition for the Education of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
(561) 912-1231

disAbility Solutions for Independent Living, Inc.
(386) 671-1960