activities · 17
what they do
direct service · 14
- American Indian Youth Disability SummitHosts the Annual American Indian Youth Disability Summit virtually to amplify the voices of American Indian youth with disabilities.
- Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA) Youth Civic Leadership TrainingOperates the Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA) to empower graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) to become peer leaders. This program trains these graduates to facilitate events, present workshops, represent the organization, conduct outreach for youth leadership programs, and collaborate at community, state, and national levels.
- Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA) Youth Civic Leadership TrainingOperates the Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA) to empower graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) to become peer leaders, facilitating events, presenting workshops, and conducting outreach for youth leadership programs.
- Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) Youth Civic Leadership TrainingOperates the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF), a multi-day, peer-led conference for youth and young adults with disabilities (ages 14-22) to develop leadership skills, explore the disability experience, set goals, learn about community resources, and practice self-advocacy. This includes hosting virtual informational sessions and providing food and technology support for participants.
- Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP)Administers the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP), which trains and matches young adults (ages 18-26) and families as "Advisors" with organizations seeking their expertise, compensating them for their contributions with a $350 stipend upon completion of training and agreement.
- Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP)Administers the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP), which trains and matches young adults (ages 18-26) and families as "Advisors" with organizations seeking their expertise, compensating them for their contributions. This includes providing initial training and ongoing support for Advisors and offering a stipend upon completion of training and signing an agreement.
- Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP)Administers the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP), which trains and matches young adults (ages 18-26) and families as "Advisors" with organizations seeking their expertise. The program provides initial training and ongoing support for Advisors, matches them with Placement Agencies, and offers a $350 stipend upon completion of training and signing an Advisor Agreement.
- Family Transition Navigation Services Disability Transition Support ServicesProvides Family Transition Navigation services to support families and transition-aged youth (ages 14-22) with disabilities in planning for post-high school life, including guidance on employment, education, independent living, and connecting with services.
- Peer Navigation Services Independent Living Skills TrainingProvides free Peer Navigation Services to most young people with disabilities, where trained Peer Navigators help youth and young adults discover local resources and programs, offering personal insights and information about organizational opportunities.
- Peer-Based Person-Centered Planning Services Independent Living Skills TrainingProvides Peer-Based, Person-Centered Planning Services to help youth and young adults with disabilities create future plans, express wishes, build on strengths, and set goals with the assistance of trained Peer Leaders. This service is offered through school partnerships, community training and events, and individual requests for various student populations, with each plan taking approximately ten hours per student.
- Person-Centered Planning Services Independent Living Skills TrainingProvides Peer-Based, Person-Centered Planning Services to help youth and young adults with disabilities create future plans, express wishes, build on strengths, and set goals with the assistance of trained Peer Leaders. This service is offered through school partnerships, community training and events, individual requests, and as part of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum, with each plan taking approximately ten hours per student.
- School-Based Peer Programs Independent Living Skills TrainingEmpowers students with disabilities transitioning to adulthood through peer-based programs in schools, utilizing trained Arizona Young Adult Leaders to educate, motivate, and equip students via hands-on learning, including Person-Centered Planning and Skills to Pay the Bills programming.
- Skills to Pay the Bills ProgramOffers the "Skills to Pay the Bills" program virtually, consisting of six sessions over three weeks, led by Peer Leaders, to teach youth and young adults essential workplace interpersonal and professional skills through hands-on activities.
- Skills to Pay the Bills ProgramOffers the "Skills to Pay the Bills" program virtually, consisting of six sessions over three weeks, led by Peer Leaders. This program teaches youth and young adults essential workplace interpersonal and professional skills, including communication, teamwork, networking, problem-solving, and professionalism, through hands-on activities.
advocacy · 2
- ADA Celebration Participation ADA Advocacy and CommemorationOrganizes or facilitates attendance of DAI leaders at the 34th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Celebration.
- Advocacy for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ADA Advocacy and CommemorationOrganizes or facilitates attendance of organizational leaders at the 34th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Celebration.
capacity building · 1
- Advisor Training and SupportProvides initial training and ongoing support for Advisors in the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program.
strategies · 16
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Community engagement for systemic participation community engagementCreates opportunities for young adults and families, including those with disabilities, to actively engage in organizations and systems that affect their lives, promoting inclusion and influence at structural levels.
- Culturally Grounded Leadership Development culturally_grounded_leadership_developmentThe organization develops young adult leaders with disabilities from Indigenous communities through culturally grounded leadership programs, recognizing the importance of cultural context in fostering effective leadership.
- Culturally grounded leadership development for Indigenous youth culturally-grounded leadership developmentBuilds leadership capacity among young adults with disabilities from Indigenous communities through culturally responsive programs that honor lived experience and community identity.
- Culturally grounded leadership development for Indigenous youth culturally-grounded leadership developmentThe organization develops leadership skills among young adults with disabilities from Indigenous communities through culturally grounded programs that honor lived experience and cultural identity.
- Experiential Involvement for Lasting Impact experiential_involvementDiverse Ability Incorporated ensures lasting impact by involving individuals with firsthand experience in the design and implementation of its initiatives, leveraging their unique perspectives to create relevant and effective programs.
- Experiential and community engagement experiential involvementDiverse Ability involves individuals with lived experience in the design and implementation of programs and creates opportunities for youth, young adults, and families to engage in systems and organizations that impact their lives, fostering leadership and systemic inclusion.
- Experiential involvement in program design experiential involvementEnsures programs and initiatives are designed and implemented with the direct involvement of individuals who have lived experience with disability, increasing relevance, authenticity, and long-term impact.
- Family-Centered Advocacy and System Navigation family_centered_advocacyDiverse Ability Incorporated empowers families of children with disabilities by providing advocacy training and support for navigating complex systems, ensuring they can effectively advocate for their children's needs.
- Family-centered advocacy and system navigation family-centered advocacyDiverse Ability empowers families of children with disabilities by providing advocacy training and support to navigate complex systems, enhancing family capacity to support their children’s development and independence.
- Family-centered advocacy and systems navigation family-centered advocacyStrengthens family capacity by providing advocacy training and system navigation support to families of children with disabilities, enabling them to better support their children’s development and access services.
- Peer-Based Empowerment and Leadership Development peer_based_empowermentDiverse Ability Incorporated empowers youth and young adults with disabilities by utilizing a peer-based model where programs, services, and training are led by young adults with similar lived experiences. This approach fosters independence, builds leadership skills, and provides culturally grounded support, leveraging personal insights for effective guidance and mentorship.
- Peer-led model for youth empowerment peer-led programsUses a peer-led approach where young adults with disabilities, particularly graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum, serve as compensated Peer Leaders and Navigators to deliver programs, facilitate skill-building, and support their peers in achieving independence and leadership.
- Peer-led programs and services peer-led programsDiverse Ability Incorporated uses a peer-led model where young adults with disabilities, particularly graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum, lead programs, deliver training, and serve as compensated Peer Leaders and Peer Navigators to support their peers in achieving independence and self-advocacy.
- Person-Centered Planning person_centered_planningThe organization employs a person-centered planning approach, involving a two-step process of Discovery and Goal Setting, to help youth and young adults with disabilities articulate their vision for the future, express self-determination, practice self-advocacy, and set clear, individualized goals based on their strengths, wishes, and dreams.
- Person-centered planning approach person-centered planningThe organization employs a two-step person-centered planning process (Discovery and Goal Setting) that supports youth and young adults with disabilities to identify their strengths, express self-determination, set goals, and create actionable plans with timelines and resources, guided by trained Navigators and Peer Leaders.
- Person-centered planning for self-determination person-centered planningEmploys a structured, two-step person-centered planning process (Discovery and Goal Setting) that helps youth and young adults with disabilities identify their strengths, express their goals, and create actionable plans with support from trained peers, fostering self-advocacy and individualized pathways to independence.
named programs · 6
what they call their work
Arizona Youth Engagement Academy (AZYEA)
Empowers graduates of AZYLF to become confident peer leaders through hands-on training and skill development.
Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF)
A multi-day, peer-led conference that empowers youth and young adults with disabilities to become confident advocates and leaders.
Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP)
Offers opportunities for young adults and families to engage as Advisors with organizations, providing their insights and expertise.
Peer Navigation Services
Assists youth and young adults in discovering valuable resources and programs through trained Peer Navigators.
Peer-Based, Person-Centered Planning Services
Helps youth and young adults create personalized plans outlining their vision for the future with support from trained Peer Leaders.
Skills to Pay the Bills
A curriculum designed to prepare young people for success in the workplace by teaching essential interpersonal and professional skills.
relationships · 14
who they work with
- ADHS/Bureau of Women’s and Children’s Health Funder — Provided funding for the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program through the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant.
- ADHS/Bureau of Women’s and Children’s Health Funder — The Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP) is funded by the ADHS/Bureau of Women’s and Children’s Health through the Title V Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant.
- Arizona Department of Education/Exceptional Student Services Partner — Collaborative partner for providing Person-Centered Planning Services at no cost.
- Arizona Youth Leadership Forum Partner — AZYEA empowers graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF).
- Arizona Youth Leadership Forum Partner — Peer Leaders for Diverse Ability Incorporated's programs are graduates of the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum.
- Encircle Families Partner — Administers the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program (EFYAP) in partnership with Encircle Families.
- Encircle Families Partner — Collaborative partnership that helps provide Peer Navigation Services.
- Encircle Families Partner — Manages the Engaging Families and Young Adults Program in partnership with Diverse Ability Incorporated.
- Encircle Families Partner — Partners with Encircle Families for Family Transition Navigation services.
- Gila River Indian Community Partner — Engages members of the Gila River Indian Community in youth leadership and disability advocacy programs.
- Rehabilitation Services Administration/Vocational Rehabilitation Services Funder — Provides funding support for eligible youth to participate in AZYLF at no charge.
- Rehabilitation Services Administration/Vocational Rehabilitation Services Funder — Provides funding that allows youth to participate in the Skills to Pay the Bills program at no charge.
- Rehabilitation Services Administration/Vocational Rehabilitation Services Partner — Collaborative partner for providing Person-Centered Planning Services at no cost.
- University of Arizona Partner — Host location for the Arizona Youth Leadership Forum (AZYLF) 2026.