May 2, 2012
May 2, 2012
Inside this issue:
1) Family Fun Day – May 5, Hattiesburg
2) A Case for Youth Leadership Webinar – May 8, 1 p.m. CDT
3) Be Your Best Treasure Quest – May 12, Jackson
4) Inclusive (Indoor) Camping Trip for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities – June 8-9, Long Beach
5) Summer Jobs Plus Bank
6) Improve Transportation for People with Disabilities
7) HHS and Education Launch StopBullying.gov
8) One Question
1) Family Fun Day – May 5, Hattiesburg
Save the date: Sat., May 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the 3rd Annual Family Fun Day at Kamper Park in Hattiesburg. Expect food, fun, games, music and prizes. Family Fun Day is presented by CommUNITY Cares. The theme for the day is The Future’s So Bright, Celebrating Children’s Mental Health Awareness. For more information, call CommUNITY Cares at 601.544.4641.
2) A Case for Youth Leadership Webinar – May 8, 1 p.m. CDT
Young people have been at the heart of every social justice movement. Register for this webinar to learn more about youth leadership in the Disability Rights Movement! Join Cindy Singletary and Stacey Milbern in this engaging presentation as they discuss youth leadership and how you can be an ally to youth with disabilities. These two youth experts will share the philosophy, various models and best practices in the youth leadership development field. Both speakers bring spark, passion and years of experience to the conversation so reserve your seat today! https://cc.readytalk.com/r/r27l2e6223wj
3) Be Your Best Treasure Quest – May 12, Jackson
Be Your Best Treasure Quest, a mental health awareness event, will provide a scavenger hunt for children of all ages to celebrate positive wellness in youth. Treasure Quest will be held on Sat., May 12 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fondren Park, at the corner of Northview Drive and Dunbar Street in Jackson, by the Mississippi Transitional Outreach Project. The event will include free food, space jumps, obstacle courses and more. The Quest is co-sponsored by The Arc of Mississippi, the City of Jackson Catholic Charities, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, the Mississippi Department of Human Services, the Greater Bethlehem Temple Church, Hinds Behavioral Health Services, the Mississippi Department of Education, Youth Engagement Solutions, NAMI Mississippi, NFUSION, Mississippi Families as Allies for Children’s Mental Health, and the Fondren Renaissance Foundation. Mississippi Transitional Outreach Project is funded through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in partnership with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health.
4) Inclusive (Indoor) Camping Trip for Youth and Young Adults with Disabilities – June 8-9, Long Beach
An inclusive, indoor camping trip for youth and young adults with disabilities will be held, Fri. afternoon, Jun. 8 through Sat. afternoon, Jun. 9 at the Technology Learning Center on the Gulf Park campus of The University of Southern Mississippi at 730 East Beach Boulevard in Long Beach. Activities include pottery, games, a cookout and more. For more information, call Jerry Alliston at the Institute for Disability Studies at 1.888.671.0051 (TTY) or e-mail him at jerry.alliston@usm.edu.
5) Summer Jobs Plus Bank
The U.S. Department of Labor recently opened the Summer Jobs Plus Bank, an online resource for young people to find jobs, internships, mentorships and training opportunities. Companies can list summer job opportunities through a three-step process. The bank is part of the federal Summer Jobs Plus Initiative, which asks businesses, nonprofits and government leaders to come together to provide 250,000 employment opportunities for low-income and disconnected youth this summer. The initiative has been supported by the Forum for Youth Investment along with Ready by 21 National Partners, such as SparkAction, Corporate Voice for Working Families and America's Promise Alliance. For more information, visit http://www.dol.gov/summerjobs/.
6) Improve Transportation for People with Disabilities
The Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund ( DREDF) is conducting research on what factors are most important to riders with disabilities when deciding which transit mode to use. The confidential survey results will be part of a national study called Transit Cooperative Research Project B-40: Strategy Guide to Enable and Promote the Use of Fixed-Route Transit by People with Disabilities. The goal is to develop strategies to improve bus and train systems for people with disabilities. DREDF's research partners are TranSystems Corporation, The Collaborative, and KFH Group. Please take the survey (http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/882523/TransitChoices ) and encourage others to do so.
7) HHS and Education Launch StopBullying.gov
The U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services and Education have launched a redesigned Stop Bullying website to encourage children, parents, teachers and communities to take action. The website includes a section dedicated to youth with disabilities and special health needs. The website also has a map with information on state laws and policies and videos for young people, along with practical strategies for schools and communities to make sure that environments are safe, as well as suggestions for parents and information on the dangers of cyber-bullying. Visit http://www.stopbullying.gov/at-risk/groups/special-needs/index.html
8) One Question
“If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?” was the question asked of 35 individuals with developmental disabilities from different backgrounds. Their answers are shared in a seven and a half minute documentary at Sproutflix.org. You can watch it for free. Don’t miss it. It just may make your day and week and more. http://sproutflix.org/content/one-question