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Do you have to call yourself disabled to do the Young Leaders Program?

in Disability 1 min read •   19 Sep 2022

YDAS Posted by YDAS

My name is Safe, I’m 20 years old and I’m a disabled artist and youth worker, and I love to skate. I’m also a facilitator for YDAS’ Young Leaders Program!

Young Leaders is a leadership program that is most often described as being for disabled young people. But I want to talk about disability and language.

When most people hear the word “disabled” or “disability”, their definitions are usually going to be limited. You don’t have to identify as being disabled or as having a disability to be a perfect fit for Young Leaders.

You might be a young person that has a disability but are not yet comfortable identifying with the disabled community. You might have a diagnosed or undiagnosed chronic illness, neurodivergence, or a mental, physical, or psychosocial condition. Maybe you’re hard of hearing or autistic and you’re not sure if that’s a disability!

If any of this sounds familiar or feels like something you identify with, and you’re a young person that is passionate about leadership, then our Young Leaders Program might be perfect for you!

Click here to learn more and apply for the Young Leaders Program

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YDAS

The Youth Disability Advocacy Service (YDAS) is an advocacy organisation that works with disabled young people aged 12 to 25.

We work with disabled young people in Victoria to make sure you can speak up and are being treated fairly. You can access our free advocacy service if you need advice or support.

We run programs so that you can learn to speak up for yourself and others. We talk with disabled young people about what matters most to you. We then help the government and other organisations understand those issues so they can treat disabled young people fairly.

YDAS is a core agency of Youth Affairs Council Victoria (YACVic). YDAS was established in 2006 and is funded by the Victorian Government.