All people need to have and be able to make choices. Like so many things, making good choices is a learned skill. It does not happen without practice. It's never too late - or early - to start practicing. Whether the people that you care about are transitioning to adulthood or preschool, you can give them the right to decide for themselves what their lives will be like and what they need to do to make their dreams come true. Here's how.

A self-determined person is one who sets goals, makes decisions, sees options, solves problems, speaks up for himself or herself, understands what supports are needed for success, and knows how to evaluate outcomes. The capabilities needed to become self-determined are most effectively learned through real-world experience, which inherently involves taking risks, making mistakes, and reflecting on outcomes. These experiences help a young person test his or her strengths and limitations and identify appropriate short- and long-term goals.

Youth who actively direct their own lives are more likely to successfully transition into adult life. In addition to real-world experience, youth benefit from open, supportive acknowledgement and discussion of their options. Too often, families, teachers and other well-intentioned people protect youth from making mistakes and avoid discussing the details of negative outcomes from possible choices. Instead, they focus on the positive and steer the youth away from many experiences where there is a potential for failure.

However, in order to direct their own futures, youth need to know themselves and understand how choices might affect academic learning, relationships, employment, participation in their communities and need for supports. With this knowledge, they are better positioned to develop plans, make decisions and learn from experience. There can be a fine line, however, between experiencing the real world and losing one's sense of personal empowerment.

Supporting a young person in becoming self-determined is not about simply removing limits and structure. It is, rather, about providing opportunities so a young person can make meaningful decisions about his or her own future. For families, teachers and other adults, supporting self-determination requires being open to new possibilities and taking seriously youths' dreams for the future.

While Cortland County offers a variety of services for its youth, the 900+ disadvantaged youth and youth with disabilities remain underserved. Fortunately, the Cortland Area Communities That Care (CACTC) Coalition provides a forum for a number of key community organizations to work earnestly to close these gaps in services. This is essential in order to ensure that those youth avoid risks that lead to problem behaviors, including substance abuse, delinquency, teen pregnancy, school drop-out and violence. Access to Independence of Cortland County, Inc. is a proud supporter and contributor to the CACTC Coalition.

As Cortland County’s foremost disability resource, Access to Independence empowers people to lead independent lives in their community and strives to open doors to full participation and access for all. Access to Independence believes that all people with disabilities should have nothing more, nothing less than equal opportunity. All people have the right to control their own lives, make their own decisions and to participate fully in society.

Over the past three years, ATI has applied its independent living philosophy to an array of unique services for the community (parents, teachers, service providers and youth consumers). Furthermore, ATI is collaborating with the area’s providers of youth transition services to lead the way in developing and implementing a set of programs that complements existing resources by promoting the development of life and independent living skills, including self-determination and self-advocacy. ATI is committed to empowering youth to overcome barriers and to leading productive, independent lives in the community. ATI offers peer counseling and mentoring opportunities to help youth learn to think critically, make independent decisions, manage common adolescent anxieties, and to communicate effectively with parents, friends and authority figures.

For more information on transition services for youth with disabilities, contact Access to Independence at 607-753-7363.