Institute for Disability Studies
Youth Notes
April 2009
Welcome to the latest edition of IDS Youth Notes, a youth e-newsletter for high school and college age youth with disabilities. IDS Youth Notes includes information on education, career and job opportunities, recreational activities, health and much, much more. If you have resources or information that you want to share with others, please respond to this e-mail or contact Terri (Cookie) Smith at terri.smith@usm.edu or Jerry R. Alliston at jerry.alliston@usm.edu.
Inside this issue:
- Free Youth Chat
- Travel Abroad
- $250 SSDI Stimulus Bonus Checks Explained
- It’s Not Too Late to Apply for Federal Student Aid
- Artist National Exhibition Opportunity
1. Free Youth Chat
On the first Sunday of each month, the Pennsylvania Youth Leadership Network offers a lively chat for youth and young adults on topics that are important to their futures. These calls are by youth and young adults who are excited about sharing their experiences and insights with participants. During each call, there will be time for youth to share their stories and ask questions. Calls are based upon a new resource developed by youth for youth called the PYLN Secondary Toolkit. The April chat is scheduled for Sunday, April 5, 2009 from 7 to 8 p.m. with the topic Declare Yourself: Steps to Plan for Your Future and the May Chat is scheduled for Sunday, May 3, 2009 from 7 to 8 p.m. with the topic Empower Yourself: What is It and Why is It Important? Please visit the PYLN Web site at http://www.pyln.pbwiki.com for additional information or call 1.309.946.5255 and enter the access code 376191#.
2. Travel Abroad
Ever wonder what it would be like to study Italian for a summer in Rome? Volunteer with the Peace Corps in Paraguay? Teach English in Morocco? Whatever your international dream, the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) can help you get there!
Did you know you can use VR funds to go abroad, and that you can keep your SSI benefits? An online resource tells you how! Ever wonder how to locate Braille materials in a foreign language, how to travel with a power wheelchair, or how people with disabilities can apply to be among the 40,000 students, scholars and other exchange participants sponsored annually by the U.S. Department of State? For answers to these and other questions, visit the NCDE Web site today and start planning for a life-changing experience abroad.
"International travel is worth so much more than just another bullet point to add to your resume—it enriches your life, enlightens and expands your possibilities," states Cindy Otis who is employed with the U.S. Government and interned in Scotland as a student.
The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) works to increase the participation and inclusion of people with disabilities in international exchange programs. For more information, please visit the NCDE Web site at clearinghouse@miusa.org or contact directly at 541.343.1284 (TTY).
3. $250 SSDI Stimulus Bonus Checks Explained
To help clarify details about the $250 bonuses to SSDI recipients, Allsup on the Justice for All Blog has outlined answers to common questions about the one-time payment. Questions include the following: Who is eligible for the $250? When does the payment go out? If I'm eligible, how do I get the payment? My children get dependent benefits, so will they also get a $250 bonus?
For answers to these questions and more go to the Justice for All Blog at http://jfactivist.typepad.com/jfactivist/2009/02/250-ssdi-stimulus-checks-explained.html.
4. It’s Not Too Late to Apply for Federal Student Aid
You can still apply for federal student aid by visiting www.fafsa.ed.gov to complete the online FAFSA. Please note that if a Web site ever requests credit card information or some other form of payment to complete the FAFSA, then that site is not the official government (FREE) Web site. Also, students who are considering loans to pay for their higher education should first consider federal student loans. Federal loans usually offer borrowers lower interest rates and have more flexible repayment options than loans from private sources. To better understand the differences between federal and private student loans, students should view Federal Aid First at www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov. To learn about preparing for, applying for, receiving, and repaying federal loans, students should read Your Federal Student Loans: Learn the Basics and Manage Your Debt at www.studentaid.ed.gov/pubs.
5. Artist National Exhibition Opportunity
The Very Special Arts (VSA) is now accepting entries for Accelerate, a national juried exhibition of young emerging artists with disabilities. The program is open to artists between the ages of 16 and 25, living in the United States, who have a physical, cognitive, mental, or sensory disability. Submissions must be original work completed within the last three years and after the onset of disability. Eligible media include, but are not limited to, paintings and drawings (oil, watercolor, acrylic, pencil, or charcoal), fine art prints, photography, computer-generated prints, digital art, and time-based media (video, film). Work must have a visual component. Both representational and abstract works are welcomed. The competition will present one grand prize of $20,000, a first award of $10,000, a second award of $6,000, and twelve awards of excellence of $2,000 each. The deadline to submit is June 19, 2009. For more information, visit http://www.vsarts.org/PreBuilt/showcase/gallery/exhibits/vw/current/ .
***PLEASE NOTE: If you are unable to access any of the links in the Notes, please make sure the entire link is highlighted. If a link is not highlighted, please copy and paste the entire link into your Web browser.
Training, Resources and Information for the Advancement of Degrees (TRIAD) is a project of the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) at The University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, funded by the Administration on Developmental Disabilities (GR# 90DN0228). TRIAD focuses on assisting youth with disabilities transitioning from school to adult life in accessing postsecondary training opportunities. For more information, call 1.888.671.0051 or visit IDS on the Web at www.usm.edu/ids.
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