Diverse Ability Incorporated

Transition Spotlight: AZYLF—Cultivating Successful Futures for Arizona Youths Who Have Disabilities
2022-03-22 14:30 - 15:30 UTC
Join this session as we explore the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF). Established by Diverse Ability Incorporated, in partnership with the AZYLI Arizona Youth Leadership Initiatives Alumni association, AZYLF is an innovative, multi-day conference that successfully integrates youth who represent the diversity of disability and culture in Arizona. This event fosters youth self-discovery, leadership development, effective advocacy, career exploration, and empowerment through heightened awareness of disability culture. Learn more about this amazing experience and opportunities for Arizonan youths to participate in the AZYLF 2022 Conference.
Registration is required for all Transition Tuesday sessions. Learn more at https://www.azed.gov/specialeducation/transition/.

2022 Virtual African American Conference on Disabilities
2022-02-01 - 2022-02-28 | Zoom
The 2022 African American Conference on Disabilities (AACD) will be held on various days throughout the month of February via Zoom. It is hosted by The Arizona Center for Disability Law and the Arizona Center for African American Resources (AZCAAR), the AACD is the only comprehensive conference in the U.S. that addresses the intersection between race and disabilities.
CLE credit will be available for the sessions noted. CART and ASL Interpretation Services will be available for each session.
Learn about speakers and how to register for individual sessions at: https://mailchi.mp/azdisabilitylaw.org/aacd-virtual-2022

Transition to Work: High School to Employment
2021-12-16 14:00 - 15:00 UTC | Zoom
Join Arizona APSE for a session on transition services in Arizona and how this promotes successful outcomes for youth moving into the workforce.
Special Guests: Sam Klein, Lead Special Projects Specialist, ADE; Vanessa Zuber, Director of Employment Services, WorkAbility; and Abel Young, Statewide Transition Coordinator, Arizona DES/RSA.

Turning 18-Legal Options
2021-12-13 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Zoom
Learn about the different legal options available for families of children with disabilities when their child becomes an adult at 18 and how parents can stay involved in decision making with schools, doctors and other professionals including supported decision making, power of attorney, and guardianship. Learn about other considerations such as registering for the selective service and social security.

Employer Engagement Strategies and Tips
2021-11-18 14:00 - 15:00 UTC | Zoom

2021 Self Advocates Conference
2021-09-25
Self Advocacy Solutions is hosting their inaugural Self Advocates Conference. The conference will be free online on Saturday, September 25, 2021 from 9 am – 7 pm.
Join us for this free online event where we will have presentations and guest speakers talk about issues that are important to people with disabilities in Arizona as well as throughout the nation.
Topics will include: Supported Decision Making, Self Advocacy and Determination, Civic Engagement, Employment, Community Living and Relationship Abuse Awareness and Prevention.
Review full schedule and list of guest speakers at: https://swifamilies.org/sas/saconference/.

Arizona's 2021 IDEA Virtual Conference
2021-09-13 - 2021-09-15
Arizona’s 2021 IDEA Virtual Conference
Renewal: Resilience to Results
September 13 and 14, 8:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. AND September 15, 8:00 a.m. –12:15 p.m.

What is the IDEA Conference?
The virtual conference will feature over 75 professional, youth, young adult, and family learning opportunities addressing legal issues, special education compliance, preschool and secondary transition, social/emotional learning, and new this year, a content strand for related service providers.
Who can attend?

Typically, 800 people attend the conference. Most participants are educators, state agency staff, service providers, and community members
who share a commitment to exceptional special education for students of all ages and the successful transition of students to adult life.
A limited number of free VIP slots are saved for:
Youths/young adults aged 14 through 26 with a documented disability
Family members of a student with an IEP or 504 plan
Personal assistants/mentors who attend with a student or family member
How do I apply for FREE registration?
https://bit.ly/IDEA21-scholarship
Parents often ask if the conference is suitable for their child. The conference sessions are education and classroom environments. The sessions run for 75 minutes. Students are inspired by special guest presentations and workshops focused on youth transition requirements and best practices. Most students attend sessions without supervision. Some students attend sessions with a parent or mentor.

By and For Youth: Tools and Tips for Young Disability Self-Advocates
2021-09-09 18:00 - 19:30, 2021-05-22 13:00 - 14:30, 2021-03-24 18:00 - 19:30 UTC
If you are between the ages of 14 and 29 and are a person with a disability, Raising Special Kids and the Arizona Youth Leaders of Diverse Ability Incorporated invite you for an interactive workshop packed with effective tools and tips to If you are between the ages of 14 and 29 and are a person with a disability, Raising Special Kids and the Arizona Youth Leaders of Diverse Ability Incorporated invite you for an interactive workshop packed with effective tools and tips to kickstart or strengthen your self-advocacy skills. kickstart or strengthen your self-advocacy skills.

Transition Institute 2021
2021-07-24 09:00 - 14:00 UTC
The Transition Institute is an interactive virtual training day for transition-aged youth and young adults with disabilities and their parents. In addition to learning more about Raising Special Kids and Diverse Ability Incorporated, the day will include opportunities to:

Hear from self-advocates about their experiences
Learn about how to support your youth or young adult in the transition process (parents)
Learn about person-centered planning (youth)
Select a breakout session topic that is of most interest to you:

Vocational rehabilitation
Division of Developmental Disabilities
Higher education
Independent Living Centers

A special thank you to for sponsoring this event.

AZYLF 2021: Western Region
2021-07-10 - 2021-07-15
Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) is an innovative, multi-day conference, held in multiple regions of Arizona each summer. This year, AZYLF Regional Conferences will be held online via Zoom, where Delegates can participate from the safety and comfort of their own homes. All Arizona counties are represented in one of the regions, and you are asked to apply for the regional conference for the county in which you reside.
Individualized accommodations will be celebrated and honored, and a variety of avenues for self-expression and interaction will be embedded throughout AZYLF.
Youth who are in high school, and up through age 29, who represent the full spectrum of disability and diversity are eligible to participate in AZYLF, where they will complete a personal discovery curriculum designed to raise self-awareness, leading to the development of a Person-Centered Plan, with goals, steps, and accountability measures.
Presentations by disability community leaders, advocates, and numerous other role models who have disabilities, are an integral component of AZYLF. Each presentation highlights an area of impact for youth as they transition to adulthood.
AZYLF is free of charge, and is a peer-based, peer-driven, and peer-led experience. 100% of AZYLF team members are people who have disabilities, and approximately 90% of those are youth graduates, who come back, to give back!

AZYLF 2021: Northeastern Region
2021-06-21 - 2021-06-27

AZYLF 2021: Northwestern Region
2021-06-21 - 2021-06-27

AZYLF 2021: Southern Region
2021-06-14 - 2021-06-20

AZYLF 2021: Central Region
2021-06-07 - 2021-06-12

Emerging Me: My Life Matters
2021-04-24 09:00 - 17:00 UTC | Zoom
Diverse Ability Incorporated in partnership with The Beehive 480 Presents Emerging Me: My Life Matters.
Emerging Me: My Life Matters is an inclusive, self-discovery, and leadership capacity building program for youth, which assists them in developing and embracing their identity, leading to enhanced self-advocacy, and the practice of self-determination. Emerging Me: My Life Matters exemplifies the belief that disability is a diversity to be celebrated, by equalizing and unifying youth who do and do not have disabilities in a shared process which creates opportunities for learning about and exploring their intersectant diversities, and common life experiences through engagement in individual and group activities that result in the development of a Self-Advocacy Plan, using Person Centered Practices and Planning.
Series Dates & Times:
Saturday, April 24, 2021
9am to 12pm & 2pm to 5pm
Saturday, May 1, 2021
9am to 12pm & 2pm to 5pm

TBI 404 - "It's Not Just Academics" - Cognitive Interventions After B.I
2021-04-13 13:00 - 2021-04-15 16:30 UTC
Training for professionals and family on cognitive interventions after brain injury or neuro-impairment.

TBI 404 SESSION IS VALUABLE FOR ANYONE WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS OR WITH YOUR: Counselors, general education teachers, SPED teachers, related service personnel, administrators, behavioral health, school psychologists, secure care (DOC), support staff, and parents/caregivers.
This virtual training will include advanced information on acquired brain injuries and how to utilize an understanding of neurodevelopment AND brain-behavior relationships in order to identify and effectively impact students in the classroom and in the community. Focus will be on neuro-imaging; the impact of early trauma; assessments to identify assets/deficits; appropriate academic strategies targeting executive skills; and the role of problem solving in academic coursework, STEM fields and transition. The adult education format will be lecture, dialogue, and open Q&A time.
Dates are: Tuesday, April 13th AND Thursday, April 15th, 2021.
Times: BOTH DAYS are from 1:00pm-4:30pm AZ Time (MST) via GoToMeeting.

TBI 303 - "Contemporary Issues" - Executive Functioning & Neurodevelopment
2021-04-12 13:00 - 2021-04-19 16:30 UTC
Training for professionals and family on impacts to executive functioning & neurodevelopment after brain injury.

TBI 303 IS VALUABLE FOR ANYONE WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS OR WITH YOUR: Counselors, general education teachers, SPED teachers, related service personnel, administrators, support staff, and parents. It is especially valuable for those working with youth in adolescence and young adulthood.
The format for these sessions will be short-format lecture with open discussion, ongoing question and answer sessions throughout, and include interactive opportunities (virtually) to review relevant assessments and resources. The first two modules will cover information related to Executive Functions. The second two modules will cover information related to neuro-development.
Dates are: Monday, April 12th AND Monday, April 19th, 2021.
Times: BOTH DAYS are from 1:00pm-4:30pm AZ Time (Mountain Standard Time) via GoToMeeting.

TBI 404 - "It's Not Just Academics" - Cognitive Interventions After B.I
2021-04-07 15:30 - 2021-04-28 17:00 UTC
Training for professionals and family on cognitive interventions after brain injury or neuro-impairment.

TBI 404 SESSION IS VALUABLE FOR ANYONE WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS OR WITH YOUR: Counselors, general education teachers, SPED teachers, related service personnel, administrators, behavioral health, school psychologists, secure care (DOC), support staff, and parents/caregivers.
This virtual training will include advanced information on acquired brain injuries and how to utilize an understanding of neurodevelopment AND brain-behavior relationships in order to identify and effectively impact students in the classroom and in the community. Focus will be on neuro-imaging; the impact of early trauma; assessments to identify assets/deficits; appropriate academic strategies targeting executive skills; and the role of problem solving in academic coursework, STEM fields and transition. The adult education format will be lecture, dialogue, and open Q&A time.
Dates are: (Wednesday’s) – April 7th, 14th, 21st, & 28th 2021.
Times: Each session will be from 3:30pm-5:00pm AZ Time (MST) via GoToMeeting.

Arizona Disability Law: Navigating 504’s and IEP for School Children with Sickle Cell
2021-03-29 18:00 - 19:00 UTC
Title:

Educational Rights of Students with Special Needs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
Synopsis:
This training will provide a brief overview of IDEA and Section 504, including the evaluation procedures, Individualized Education Program (IEP) and 504 planning and services. The training will discuss Arizona’s policies and procedures concerning students with chronic health needs within the education environment.
Presenters: Renaldo Fowler and Amanda

Hosted on Google Meetings
Link: meet.google.com/hfe-yrnj-zdr
Join by Phone: 224-357-7413 (PIN: [REDACTED])

The Iron is HOT: Using UDL in the Virtual Classroom
2021-03-25 14:45 - 16:00 UTC
It’s undoubtedly important to teach in ways that honor learning differences and to structure lessons that are engaging, varied, and appropriately challenging. However, in this era focused on universal design for all, it is also critical to explore the underlying habits of mind related to “teaching them all.” This presentation centers on big ideas related to teaching and learning.
ADE/ESS is pleased to present the IDEA Conference in a virtual format. This year’s conference will feature 24 sessions targeted to professionals in the education community and 18 sessions targeted to youth and families throughout the 2020–2021 school year.

TBI 100 - "School of Hard Knocks" Introduction to Concussion
2021-03-22 15:00 - 16:30 UTC
Educational session for professionals and families on returning to life and learning after concussion (mTBI)

The TBI 100 training is designed for professionals working with youth and adults, parents/caregivers of survivors of brain injury and any interested community members!
You will surely learn a lot about mild brain injuries (concussions) and how best to return students to the learning environment (and adults to life) and how to support their continued recovery, growth, and development, in the classroom and in the community.
At this LIVE, INTERACTIVE, VIRTUAL event, we will discuss the mechanisms of injury, current guidelines, appropriate assessments, practical interventions, community resources and prevention strategies (of course!)

Skills to Pay the Bills: Let’s Explore Enthusiasm and Attitude!
2021-03-16 16:00 - 17:00 (America/Phoenix)
ADE/ESS is pleased to present the IDEA Conference in a virtual format. This year’s conference will feature 24 sessions targeted to professionals in the education community and 18 sessions targeted to youth and families throughout the 2020–2021 school year.
Join the Arizona Youth Leaders of Diverse Ability Incorporated for an opportunity to highlight your strengths related to positive attitude and enthusiasm.

TBI 303 - "Contemporary Issues" - Executive Functioning & Neurodevelopment
2021-03-09 13:00 - 2021-03-11 16:30 UTC
Training for professionals and family on impacts to executive functioning & neurodevelopment after brain injury.

TBI 303 IS VALUABLE FOR ANYONE WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS OR WITH YOUR: Counselors, general education teachers, SPED teachers, related service personnel, administrators, support staff, and parents. It is especially valuable for those working with youth in adolescence and young adulthood.

2021 African American Conference on Disabilities
2021-02-01 - 2021-02-28
AZCAAR and the Arizona Center for Disability Law will again co-host the nation’s largest African American conference on disabilities. The virtual conference will feature 11 workshops scheduled throughout the month of February on a variety of disability topics, including: education, mental health, housing, and voting.
Stay tuned for registration and link information to sign up for the workshops of your choice.
For Info on 2021’s Conference Contact: Renaldo Fowler, Arizona Center for Disability Law, rfowler@azdisabilitylaw.org, 602-274-6287 x 215

IDEA Conference: Self-Advocacy: Initiative, Accountability, Respect
2021-01-19
Join the Arizona Youth Leaders of Diverse Ability Incorporated for an overview of self-advocacy and an opportunity to practice sticking up for yourself and shining out.

IDEA Conference: IEP Training
2021-01-05 16:00 - 17:00 UTC
Learn about the special education process and the Individualized Education Program (IEP). At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will understand who is required to attend the IEP meeting and the roles of each team member (including parents), review the required parts of an IEP, learn how parents can prepare for and be more effective during the IEP meeting, how to track their child’s progress, and discover the options available if the IEP team does not agree.
Participants must register 48 hours in advance to guarantee needed accommodations.

360Youth
2020-11-07 10:00 - 2020-12-19 12:00 UTC
360Youth provides high school students and young adults with support and real-world skills they need to navigate the transition to adult life. Sessions are led by peers who have successfully made the transition from school to independent living, employment, education and job training, and adult roles. The Fall Session of 360Youth will run November 7 – December 19, 2020.
Get involved!
360Youth meets during the school year on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM via Zoom.

November 7 – Money$mart$
November 14 – Nugget$-4-Budget$
November 21 – Almost Adulting: Least Restrictive Legal Options
December 5 –Civic Engagement: Finding Your Fit
December 12 – Systems Advocacy: Setting Your Trend
December 19 – Create Balance: Invest in Your Wellness

360Youth is a collaboration with Diverse Ability Incorporated. Workshops are facilitated by peer leaders who are graduates of Arizona Youth Leadership Initiatives.

Adulting: What It Means to Me and My Future (Virtual Workshop Series)
2020-08-01 - 2020-08-19
Sitio de registro en español
Adulting means to “act like an adult” and to be part of decisions and activities that involve daily life. It is about planning for today and the future. Making decisions and talking about what is important to the individual with a disability is part of person-centered planning, community life and inclusion.
Who Should Come:
The content of this webinar series is intended for youth and young adults (ages 14 and above) with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Family members, professionals and other individuals who provide support for youth and young adults are welcome to attend but are highly encouraged to participate in a supporting role for a youth/young adult participant.
Presenters:
The University of Arizona’s Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities team and adults who are part of Diverse Ability Incorporated, Special Olympics Arizona, and Artworks.
Presenter Biographies
Sessions:
You can choose to attend one or more of the following sessions. All sessions start at 10 a.m. and end at 11:30 a.m.

August 1: Person-Centered Planning
August 8: Health and Wellness
August 15: Employment
August 22: Community Living and Relationships
August 29: Wrap Up Discussion

All participants must register even if using the same device to join the online sessions. For example, if a youth and a parent will participate together on the same computer, please register for 2 people. Youth and young adult participants who attend all five sessions will be eligible for a single entry into a raffle for exciting giveaways!
Format:
The interactive workshops will be held through Zoom. Sessions will use worksheets and reference other pages from the Future Planning: A Roadmap of Our Futures, Our Wishes. These pages and session materials will become available the Monday before each event starts. You will receive a notification by email when it is available. If you would like to download the workbook, please visit https://tinyurl.com/OurFuturesOurWishes.
Live captioning in English and simultaneous interpretation in Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) will be available! Please note language access and other disability related accommodations in your registration.
If you would like assistance to register, please contact us.
Contact:
ucedd@arizona.edu
520-626-0442
