Back to School, Back to Barriers: What you really need this year

Hey, you. Yeah—you getting ready for another school year. Whether you’re headed into high school, your final year, or starting college or training, here’s the truth: this year isn’t just about classes. It’s about you. Your future. Your independence. Your power.

If you’re a disabled student in Idaho, you already know school can feel like a series of hurdles. Maybe the bus doesn’t get you close enough to the door. Maybe people make decisions for you instead of with you. Maybe no one ever asked what you want to do after graduation.

This year, we want to flip the script.

At your local Center for Independent Living (CIL), we’re here for more than paperwork and programs. We’re here for you. That means helping you learn the skills you actually need—how to speak up for yourself, how to make decisions, how to find your first job, your first apartment, or your first real taste of independence.

Being a self-advocate doesn’t mean you have all the answers. It means you ask the questions. You take up space. You decide what your future looks like.

So this August, when everyone’s talking about back-to-school clothes and class schedules, ask yourself something bigger:

• What do I want my life to look like after school?
• What am I good at, and how do I build a future around it?
• What support do I need to make it happen?
• And who can help me get there?

Spoiler alert: We can. Idaho’s CILs are run by people with disabilities who’ve been where you are. We won’t talk down to you—we’ll walk with you. You can join youth groups, get life skills training, explore work and college options, and start building the future you want.

Take your power back this year. Don’t wait for someone to hand you a plan. Create your own. You’ve got more control than you think—and more people in your corner than you know.

Want to get started? Reach out to your local CIL and ask about youth programs. Let’s make this year about more than surviving school. Let’s make it the year you start running your own life.

Call or text: (208) 335-3336 Email: info@lincidaho.org Visit: www.lincidaho.org

LINC has three offices to serve you. www.lincidaho.org

1182 Eastland Drive North Suite C
Twin Falls ID 83301
(208) 733-1712 VOICE
(208) 733-7711 TDD

1878 West Overland Road
Boise ID 83705
(208) 336-3335 VOICE
(208) 336-3335 TDD
(208) 384-5037 FAX

703 S. Kimball Ave
Caldwell ID 83605
(208) 454-5511 VOICE
(208) 454-5511 TDD
(208) 454-5515 FAX