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Youth receive first-hand experience working in an office setting and often work on youth-driven advocacy campaigns, such as the Disability History Week Campaign and Taking Action for Accommodations. The YO! Volunteer Corps create connections for youth with adults with disabilities, as well as other youth volunteers. YO! Volunteer Corps members earn a stipend every month.

Meet a YO! Volunteer…

My name is Ian Doporto. I am nineteen years old and live in Castro Valley, California. I graduated from Castro Valley High School in June 2017. This November I plan to attend a film workshop called Futures Explored, where people with disabilities study film production and disability advocacy. I also am looking towards community college, where I am interested in creative writing and anthropology. I first heard about YO! at the Abilities Expo in 2014. I am calling for full inclusion of disabled youth with their fellow peers/friends, as well as more routes of accessibility for people with disabilities who seek to be active traveling in the community. I want myself and others like me to have social economic equality and resources needed to live independently and to succeed academically.

Youth Advisory Council (YO! YAC) Ian California Foundation for Independent Living Centers – Sacramento, CA

Youth Advisory Council

The YO! YAC is made up of 7 - 9 youth with disabilities across the state ranging in age from 16 - 28 that are familiar with the YO! program and want to use their leadership skills to make it even better. The YO! YAC provides valuable input on policy issues, community organizing campaigns and program priorities. They met at least once a quarter by phone or webinar and occasionally in-person. Youth are are interested are encouraged to apply.

Ian

Armand

Priscilla

Alexa

Tiffany

Alise

Sara

Youth Volunteer Corps

The YO! Volunteer Corps consist of 9 youth volunteers who work in local independent living centers in their community. YO! Volunteer Corps commit to at least 16 hours of work a month and receive a $100 stipend each month. Volunteer Corps members work for a minimum of 6-12 months at their placement site. Volunteer Corps members work on a variety of tasks, including YO! Organizing campaigns, in their local communities.

Youth can apply at any time to be a YO! Volunteer Corps member. However, placements are limited to funding and site availability.

Shea

Mike

Harmony

Nathan

Travis

Jordan

Nicole

Kameron

Kathleen

Amanda

Jose

Youth Action Team

Youth are encouraged to volunteer for a YO! organizing campaign, working in their local communities. There is no time commitment and the amount of time spent on campaigns varies for each organizer. Campaign organizers do not receive a stipend. Meetings for each campaign are held by teleconference in afternoons or on weekends. These provide a chance to connect with youth from around the state! Each participant can do as little or as much as they want to support a YO! campaign, but everyone is involved in advancing the campaign in some way.

Currently, we have nearly 30 organizers working on the Taking Action for Accommodations campaign and 25 working on the Disability History Week campaign.

If you are interested in working on a campaign, please contact a youth advocate.