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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

These are the questions which we get asked most often. You can look through all of them here or choose the specific area in which you are interested from those below. If your question is not answered here, please send it to us.

1. I'm new to this site. Where do I start?
   There are two places for you to start. You can select one of the Who Are You sections and discover information most relevant for you and your needs.
   
   You can also find a wealth of information in our Resources & Publications section, including Literature Reviews, Information Briefs, Jump Starts, and much more.
   
   
2. I've never heard of NCWD/Youth. What is it, what does it do, and who funds it?
   The National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) assists state and local workforce development systems to better serve youth with disabilities. NCWD/Youth, created in late 2001, is composed of partners with expertise in disability, education, employment, and workforce development issues. Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), NCWD/Youth is housed at the Institute for Educational Leadership.
   
   You can visit the About Us page to read more detailed descriptions about our work and our partners.
   
   
3. How can I be updated about new information on your website?
   NCWD/Youth sends out our e-newsletter, Intersection, to let our users know when we add new information to the website. You can click here to subscribe to Intersection. You can also click here to view current and past issues of Intersection .
   
   
4. I need to find nearby direct services for a youth with a disability. Where do I start?
   You have many sources for locating services in your community, city, or state. Three examples are:

• the Job Accomodation Network, which has a portal for individuals at http://www.jan.wvu.edu/portals/individuals.htm,
• the federal website with universal access to information on disability at http://www.disabilityinfo.gov/, and
• a database of One-Stop Centers at http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/onestop/ which you can search by state.

5. What law outlines the services available for youth with disabilities?
   There is no one piece of legislation that defines government services for youth with disabilities or for that matter, any youth. Instead, there are a number of acts that impact youth with disabilities. NCWD/Youth has gathered and highlighted information about nine of these acts. Read about them in our user-friendly tables on the Disability Central page.
   
   
6. What are "transition programs" for youth and what are the features that make them effective?
   Transition Programs are programs that help youth successfully move to the world of work. Research has identified the following operating principles as being vital in effective transition programs for all youth:

• Access to high quality standards-based education regardless of the setting;
• Information about career options;
• Exposure to the world of work;
• Opportunities to develop social, civic, and leadership skills;
• Strong connections to caring adults;
• Access to safe places to interact with their peers, and
• Support services to allow them to become independent adults.

Based upon these operating principles, NCWD/Youth recognizes the following four features of effective programs and services:

• Preparatory Experiences are those core activities that help youth become prepared for a successful future in careers or postsecondary education institutions. They include the career interest and vocational assessments, information about careers, income potential, and work-readiness skills.
  
  
• Work-based Learning occurs in supervised programs sponsored by an education or training organization and links knowledge gained at the worksite with a planned program of study. Experiences range in intensity, structure and scope and include activities as diverse as site visits, job shadowing, paid and unpaid internships, structured on-the-job training, and the more formal work status as apprentice or employee.
  
  
• Youth Development & Leadership are processes that prepare young people to meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood through a coordinated, progressive series of activities and experiences. These include providing structured relationships with adults and exposing every youth to personal leadership skills such as self-advocacy and self-determination.
  
  
• Connecting Activities provide necessary support services for youth and enrich program content. They include academic tutoring, adult and peer mentoring, and helping youth explore self-sufficiency issues like assistive technology, transportation, benefits planning, and health maintenance.

7. Can NCWD/Youth give me, as in individual, or my company/organization a grant?
   NCWD/Youth is not a grant-making institution and does not do direct funding. There are many places where you can find information about possible sources for private and public fund solicitation. One is the Foundation Center (http://fdncenter.org/) which offers a directory of funding opportunities. Another option is the Federal Register at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/ with a directory you can use to search for funding announcements.
   
   
8. I don't know how to act around a youth who has a disability. What do I need to know so I don't embarrass myself or the youth?
   Youth with disabilities are people first and should be treated with the same respect and consideration that people without disabilities receive. Each youth is an individual with unique assets and potential, so don't make assumptions based on a youth's disability. What works for all youth will work for youth with disabilities, although some youth with disabilities may need accommodations for certain activities. For more information on dealing with youth with disabilities, there are a multitude of resources such as disability etiquette guides and experienced youth service providers.
   
   
9. Do I need permission to reproduce publications I find on the NCWD/Youth website? Does it cost anything?
   You may use, copy, and distribute NCWD/Youth publications from this website, in whole or in part, for non-commercial use and without fee, provided that appropriate credit to NCWD/Youth and the support of federal funds from the Office of Disability Employment Policy at the U.S. Department of Labor is included in all copies. You can review our full copyright notice here.