College Students with Disabilities as Mentors of Adolescents with Severe Disabilities

2006

The Youth Transition Demonstration Project (YTDP) seeks to maximize the independence and self-sufficiency of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipient high school students, ages 16-19. College students with disabilities are recruited to be peer mentors and are expected to transfer self-advocacy skills to the SSI recipients. The peer mentor's responsibility for the success of this project is critical, both as models to emulate and as advisors. I will discuss the results of observation of peer mentor participation in training and in leading groups, where self-advocacy skills are expected to be transferred. I will also interview peer mentors to determine what they view as the impact of this work on themselves as well as on their trainees. Ongoing participant observation and interviewing for a period starting in December, 2004 and ending in October, 2005 will generate hypotheses concerning the experience of the participants.

Transition, mentors with disabilities, self-advocacy skills

Performing Technical Assistance and/or Training, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information

Employment-Related Activities, Other - Leadership

Family Members/Caregivers

Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Limited English, Geographic Areas, Urban

Mulit-County

N/A