APRIL Logo with the words, "The United Voice of Independent Living in Rural America."

APRIL “Lead On” Collaborative

 

Application Deadline Closed on August 1, 2024.

Zoom Calls will be August 5 to the 26th every Monday from 7pm EST to 8:30pm EST

 

What is Lead On?

Lead On is a leadership program sponsored by the Ford Foundation where up to 20 youth with disabilities 15-30 years old enroll in a 4-week zoom discussion camp where each weekly meeting will last for 1-1.5 hours. In the 4 weeks, we will learn and talk about important topics regarding disability, advocacy, and being a leader. The topics will be discussed by other youth with disabilities. There will also be mentor/mentee opportunities, so youth can learn from multiple people and form stronger bonds.

 

After thes 4 weeks, participants will be able to go to the annual APRIL conference in Chicago, where they will meet people with disabilities both youth and adults of all ages, and have the opportunity to have wider discussions about disability, advocacy, and form in person bonds, friendships, and networks as they so choose.  

If you need assistance, please reach out to our Coordinator Of Youth Services, Harm Tarrant (he/him) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..


Read what past participants have to say about their experiences with "Lead On:"

  • "I refined my future career goals in this program. I gained a lot of new resources that I plan to add to my career tool belt. I learned a lot about methods of communication in this collaborative and I saw my interpersonal skills grow."

  • "I feel like I have grown as a leader more by being able to make connections to others that have given me different views of the disability world."

  • "Desde que estuve en el programa entendí que puedo ser capaz de hacer muchas cosas para la comunidad y que debemos compartir nuestras experiencias para que todos nos podamos entender y ayudarnos. También podremos servir de inspiración para las futuras generaciones. " (Since I was in the program I understood that I can be able to do many things for the community and that we must share our experiences so that we can all understand and help each other. We can also serve as an inspiration for future generations.) 

APRIL “Lead On” Collaborative Timeline: 

  • Application Deadline: August 1, 2024

  • Zoom Meetings: 

    • Zoom calls will take place on Monday nights from August 5th - October 26th, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET/6:00 PM CT/5:00 PM MT/ 4:00 PM PT.

  • APRIL Conference: October 11-13, 2024

Participant Expectations: 

  • Participants must:

    • Be between the ages of 15-30 

    • Have a disability 

    • Actively participate in all six two-hour-long Zoom leadership classes 

    • Attend and volunteer at the APRIL Conference in October 2024

FAQ

 

What are the goals of the program? 

The primary goal of the APRIL "Lead On” Collaborative is to provide youth and young adults with disabilities with a “next step” opportunity to build on the leadership skills they have learned through previous experiences such as the APRIL Youth Conference, Youth Leadership Forums, and other similar programs. The program also seeks to make personal and professional peer connections between its participants, building a network of Disabled youth and young adults across the United States. 

 

Who are the ideal participants in this program? 

While the APRIL "Lead On” Collaborative is open to people with disabilities ages 15-30, the ideal participants are those who have previous leadership and/or leadership training experience and are looking to expand on those skills.  Therefore, we encourage members of the Disability community aged 18-30 to apply. 

 

Is there a cost to participate? 

 The APRIL "Lead On" Collaborative is free of charge to all participants, including their attendance at the APRIL Conference from October 11-13, 2024. 

 

What do you mean “journal?” 

The journaling process is intended to help participants take what they learn and apply it to their daily lives and futures. Participants are encouraged to find a journaling process that works for them and allows them to best connect the material to their own experiences. For example, participants may choose to write poetry or songs, create visual art, or write journal entries in a more traditional format. Participants will be asked to share part of their journaling process with the rest of the group while in person at the APRIL Conference.

What is the APRIL Conference? 

The APRIL Conference is an annual National Conference on Rural Independent Living for people with disabilities and their allies, Centers for Independent Living, Statewide Independent Living Councils, and other organizations and individuals who share rural independent living concerns. Our conference is on the forefront of providing transportation advocacy, peer to peer mentoring opportunities, staff training opportunities, highlighting best practices, youth mentoring, and much more!