MISSION
To improve outcomes throughout the United States and its territories related to employment, advocacy, leadership, and community participation for transition-age youth with disabilities, by facilitating interstate collaboration and technical assistance to Youth Leadership Forums (YLF) replicating the California-Model of YLF.
The mission of each Youth Leadership Forum is to identify students with disabilities who have exhibited leadership skills and to equip them with the additional training so they may become leaders by example. Youth Leadership Forums are innovative, effective training programs for youth with disabilities, promoting leadership, advocacy, and empowerment. YLF specifically focuses on delivering improved services demonstrating successful and increased inclusion outcomes for youth with disabilities in the final years of high school and the transition to adult life, including independent living, post-secondary education, knowledge of resources, advocacy, leadership, and employment.
GOALS
AYLF’s main goal is to encourage replication of the Youth Leadership Forum throughout the United States, as well as provide support, technical assistance, resources, and mentorship to the YLF leaders across the nation. The Association works to preserve the history of the original YLF model and principles while providing the tools to new states who want to start a program. AYLF is based on peer support. Through monthly virtual meetings and yearly national events, AYLF brings together coordinators and alumni to support, brainstorm, and maintain active programs across the U.S. AYLF is a demonstration of the Youth Leadership Forum being a family and community on a national scale!
LEADERSHIP
The Association of Youth Leadership Forums (AYLF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It is completely led and staffed by volunteers. The AYLF Board of Directors is comprised of leaders who run YLF programs across the country. Meet our current Board of Directors.
HISTORY
The YLF was created by the (former) California Governor’s Committee for Employment of Disabled Persons in 1992. Many volunteers worked with the Governor’s Committee members and staff to develop the innovative YLF curriculum. It was based both on existing successful youth leadership projects and original concepts that teach young people how to effectively reach their career and personal potential. The YLF model has proven to be extremely successful as a teaching model for young people with disabilities. The California Governor’s Committee and its national partner, the (former) President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, strongly supported replicating it in other states, territories and nations. However, any project must maintain the integrity and tenets of the original project to be allowed formal affiliation and use of the name “California Model Youth Leadership Forum for Students With Disabilities (YLF).” This criterion was originally developed in 1992 and subsequently adopted as a formal requirement. All listed principles are required for all existing and new YLF projects.
View the AYLF by-laws.