Checklists from MN DD Council Consumer Workbook

"It's My Choice" is a workbook published by the Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental disabilities to help individuals with developmental disabilities think about life options, prepare for planning meetings, and participate more fully in discussions and decisions about services and supports. It is available in English, Spanish, PDF and text versions, and as an audio file. Each of workbook's guides and checklists can also be completed electronically, downloaded and printed out for future reference, or revised and updated to reflect future needs. Checklists are included to help individuals prepare for meetings focusing on Individual Program Plans, Transition Plans, Employment Plans, Housing, and Quality of Life.

Other publications available from the MN DD Council web site include:
"Friends, A Manual for Connecting Persons with Disabilities & Community Members",
"It's Never Too Early, It's Never Too Late, A Booklet about Personal Futures Planning" & "Making Futures Happen", a workbook designed for facilitators of the personal futures planning process & written to compliment "It's Never Too Early, It's Never Too Late".
"Parallels in Time" supplements the first weekend session of the Partners in Policymaking® program & traces present attitudes & the treatment of people with disabilities. It includes a quiz testing knowledge of some of the historical attitudes and values shaping society's treatment of people with disabilities from the past to the present.
"The Learning Center" contains more than 10,000 pages of policy papers, reports, State Plans, curriculum modules, publications, & briefing booklets;

These publications can be found at http://www.mnddc.org/extra/publications.htm

Personal Safety

The Riot! has published a newsletter focused specifically on personal safety and what self-advocates should know to protect themselves. To access the issue in RTF go to http://www.hsri.org/docs/Riot_Issue_22.RTF and to access it in PDF go to http://www.hsri.org/docs/Riot_Issue_22.PDF

Youth Social Enterpreneur Competition

Changemakers, in partnership with Staples, Inc. & Ashoka's Youth Venture are accepting entries for Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur Competition. Young people between the ages of 12 & 24 in all countries & all previously awarded Youth Venture teams are eligible to apply. The competition will consider entries for ideas or projects. Ideas must show strong potential for significant or meaningful impact. Entries may be submitted in English, Spanish, Portuguese, or French. Winners will receive up to $5,000, trips to the Youth Venture Summit, and seed grants to young people who are working to improve their communities. For more information, visit: http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/competition/staplesyv.> DEADLINE: October 15, 2008

Videos Featuring Youth Sharing Their Success

The New England ADA Center and No Limits Media have released informative videos featuring students with disabilities sharing their strategies for successfully staying in school, graduating and getting jobs. Students reveal their struggles with self-reporting their disability, and negotiating accommodations in school and at work. These videos can be used as part of trainings (each video is 7-9 minutes) and shared with students and other professionals. The videos are open captioned and can be viewed at http://adaptiveenvironments.org/neada/site/student_

From REFERENCE POINTS an activity of TATRA, a project of the PACER Center.

Videos Featuring Youth Sharing Their Success

The New England ADA Center and No Limits Media have released informative videos featuring students with disabilities sharing their strategies for successfully staying in school, graduating and getting jobs. Students reveal their struggles with self-reporting their disability, and negotiating accommodations in school and at work. These videos can be used as part of trainings (each video is 7-9 minutes) and shared with students and other professionals. The videos are open captioned and can be viewed at http://adaptiveenvironments.org/neada/site/student

From REFERENCE POINTS administered by PACER Center.