Statewide Independent Living
Council of Illinois

Illinois Youth with Disability Leadership Summit 1999-2000

The Youth with Disabilities Leadership Summit is a project of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois and is co-sponsored by several organizations throughout Illinois.

The summit provides a concentrated educational and motivational experience to youth ages 16 - 21 selected as the result of a statewide process seeking students with leadership qualities and who as a group represent Illinois in terms of geographic regions, gender, ethnic backgrounds, and types of disabilities.

"Your Future is Now" was the theme for the first Leadership Summit held July 26-28, 1999 in Springfield. Forty-three young leaders, forty mentors, and several personal assistants, a few parents and a couple of support dogs gathered at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Springfield to attend a historic event in the making. At the two and a half day Summit the young leaders interacted with peers, discussed disability rights and the Independent Living movement. In addition, they attended workshops on advocacy, transition, and understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws that affect persons with disabilities.

July 17-19, 2000 marked the second annual Leadership Summit. The theme was "Nothing About Us Without Us." Thirty-nine young adults attended the Summit in addition to eleven peer mentors and fifteen adult mentors. The peer mentors were youth who attended last year's Summit and returned this year to assume a leadership role. The Summit offered many difference workshops and activities for the participants. Workshops were on such topics as basic training on the Americans with Disabilities Act, "Self Determination" and "Relationships and Sexuality."

If you or someone you know is interested in being considered as a participant, please contact Tara Dunning at 217-744-7777 v/tty.