Mary Lee Ahern
Youth Coordinator – Fast Track & YIELD Coordinator
Workshops to engage and empower students with disabilities
YIELD the Power Workshops teach students with disabilities self-advocacy and leadership skills. By learning about disability culture and the disability rights movement, YIELD students become empowered members of the disability community.
Program Criteria
- YIELD must be offered through a public, private, or charter school
- The classroom must be comprised entirely of students with disabilities
- Participating students must fill out the YIELD enrollment packet prior to the first workshop (packets can be emailed to teachers in advance).
- Students must be at least 14 years old
YIELD Workshop Basics
- Workshops are two hours long and are scheduled by teachers and Access Living staff
- Workshops take place once a week for four consecutive weeks (Note: if a class requires a shorter workshop or has specific needs, the program can be customized for the teacher and students.)
Workshop Sessions
- Session 1: A YIELD Coordinator comes to the school to get to know the students, evaluate how best to help them learn, and determine how to tailor the program to meet students’ needs.
- Sessions 2 to 4: Students learn about autonomy and choice, the disability rights movement, disability leadership, accommodations, disability language, and more.
- Additional topics and lesson plans can be added as needed.
How do I get YIELD at my school?
If you are an educator, student, parent, or guardian interested in having a YIELD Workshop in your school, please contact our Youth Team or fill out the form below.
Youth Programming Interest Form