News from INDEx
Working for Independence, Equity and justice!
GETTING READY FOR APRIL IN OCTOBER
The Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) is a national grassroots, nonprofit membership organization consisting of over 260 members from centers for independent living, their satellites and branch offices, statewide independent living councils, other organizations and individuals concerned with the independent living issues of people with disabilities living in rural America.
This event will begin with a Pre-Conference and Youth Conference on October 12th, and will end with an annual banquet on October 14th at 9 PM Pacific Time. Workshops, speakers and a vendor fair are included. But it’s more than an opportunity to attend trainings and great speakers. This is a chance for young people with a disability to make connections nationwide with peers, learn about each other, and stay connected long after the conference is over. And after years of remote events during the pandemic, it is wonderful to be back in person. This year the conference is held in Orange County, California.
APRIL is committed to youth with disabilities. They have been leading the charge to bring youth on board in the IL Movement for the past couple of decades, and will continue for as long as their are young people interested in getting involved. They host monthly peer support meetings on Zoom. The APRIL “Lead On” Collaborative is a step two leadership program from APRIL in which young adults with disabilities get to build their skills, connect with their community, and work to become current and future leaders. Participants meet weekly on Zoom for six weeks to learn from experts (and each other) in areas they identified important to their growth during the application process. Some of these areas may include career development, boundary setting, conflict resolution, and more.
If you are interested in attending APRIL, contact your local Center for Independent Living to find out about scholarships. The Conference will be October 13-14 with the Youth Conference on October 12th.
INDEx
25 W Main, 3rd floor Room C-1
Spokane, WA 99201
509-606-INDx