Florida Youth Leadership Forum

The Florida Youth Leadership Forum (YLF)

The Florida Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) is an annual career and leadership training program that is both educational and motivational. Sponsored annually by The Able Trust, the YLF brings together rising high school juniors and seniors each summer to spend a long weekend in Tallahassee learning about community and academic resources, disability history, career options and personal leadership. They also take part in social activities which enable them to network, learn from each other and build friendships that will last a lifetime.

The YLF is one of three youth programs of The Able Trust that works to reduce the dropout rate of youth with disabilities and improve their participation in employment related activities. These programs focus on building self-esteem, developing personal leadership skills and preparing young adults with disabilities for life beyond high school.

The deadline to submit delegate applications has been extended to March 1, 2012

YLF 2012 – The Journey Begins

Applications for the 2012 Florida Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) are now available.

High school students with disabilities across the state of Florida 18 years old and under have the opportunity to experience a life-changing event. For four days in July, they will be exposed to leadership and social training events geared to increase their self-confidence while preparing them for academic success.

Kyle Chubb, a 2009 YLF participant has come back to serve as a volunteer for the past two years. A freshman at Hillsborough Community College, Kyle credits his experiences at the forum as a catalyst in striving toward achieving his educational goals.

"It's an awesome, one-of-a-kind experience," Kyle said. "It has helped me with my goals ever since I graduated from high school. YLF has encouraged me to continue to put myself in new situations and challenges every day."

Leaving the confines of homes and family, venturing out into the unfamiliar can be a daunting task. For quite a few of the delegates, YLF represents the first time that they've ever been away from their communities. That alone is a step toward maturity, forcing students to take on personal responsibility and self-leadership even before the first event.

But the risk is well-worth it.

"I want this group of delegates to know more about friendship and how to be socially active," YLF volunteer and alum Renzo Burga said. "I want to encourage them to think about their goals, their strengths and weaknesses, and what they want to do when they grow up."

Many of the students that were first-time delegates less than a year ago are now vying for limited spots as junior staff members, looking to come back and lend a hand to the new crop of delegates scheduled to arrive on July 18, 2012. One of the many things they accomplished last summer was the completion of a Personal Leadership Plan (PLP). In this document, they laid out a blueprint for personal and academic success. One prevailing theme in the PLPs filled out by YLF 2011 delegates was a strong desire to help others who also struggle with disabilities.

"I feel that I and the others around me who have disabilities have the right to stand up for ourselves," 2011 delegate Evan Geistfeld said.

YLF 2012 will begin on July 18 and run through July 22. For more information about YLF 2012, or to download an application, visit our website at www.floridaylf.org.