Oh, the Places You Will Go: Bridging the Gap Between Transportation and Youth Transition
by Sydney
by Judy L. Shanley, Ph.D.
It is no secret that mentorship is important for young people. But only one in three youth in the United States currently has a mentor (Mentor, The National Mentoring Project). These numbers are even lower for youth with disabilities.
It is also no secret that mobility and transportation options are important for youth to transition from high school to work, college, and the community. Yet little support (like mentorship) is provided to youth to enhance their engagement as decision-makers in transportation planning.
For this purpose, Easterseals, in cooperation with Partners for Youth with Disabilities, established the Transportation Advocacy and Mentoring Initiative (TAMI) project.
TAMI paired youth with disabilities from Massachusetts with mentors from the MI PEAC Program. This mentorship program aimed to help youth with disabilities become active participants in planning and advocating for mobility and transportation services in their communities.
The mentoring pairs shared information about transportation options, barriers, solutions, and communication channels to influence transportation planning. The project also introduced youth with disabilities to careers in the transportation industry including mobility management. Data collected before and after the participation of youth in TAMI indicated that mentoring positively influenced youth knowledge about mobility challenges and options and increased confidence in their ability to use their voices to influence transportation and mobility services.
Findings from TAMI and descriptions of the materials and strategies used will be shared in an upcoming national Webinar. Join us to learn how mentorship, transportation, and more can aid youth with disabilities in their transition into adulthood.
Leveraging Peer Mentoring Strategies to Increase Transportation Advocacy among Young Adults with Disabilities: Results from the Transportation Advocacy Mentoring Initiative
Thursday, February 15, 2018 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM (EST)
The Transportation Advocacy and Mentoring Initiative (TAMI)is supported through a grant from the Administration for Community Living and the Community Transportation Association of America. For more information about TAMI please contact Judy Shanley at 312-551-7227.
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