Our Mission And Vision
You’re With Us! creates inclusion opportunities for young adults with disabilities. The program identifies and trains college clubs, groups, and teams to be welcoming and supportive peers to the differently abled. The college group then creates a Positive Experience Design (PED) customized for the young adult to help one’s transition from school to adult life in the community. You’re With Us! believes that a meaningful life includes a home, a job, family, friends, and social opportunities with their peers - able and otherwise.
Our program is customized on an Individual-by-individual basis. Once we meet the individual and their family and learn more about their goals for their adult life and what they're hoping their life will look like, we will determine the support and skill development needed to reach those goals. All individuals who are receiving CBDS support from YWU are also connected to peer mentors through YWU to help facilitate opportunities for skill development and social inclusion in a college community. We match and support peer connections based on the individual’s interests and hobbies.
We locate possible opportunities through our college mentors to join college groups, teams, and clubs. YWU coordinates recruitment into the group; acts as the liaison between the family, school, and college/university; trains mentors of the college groups to welcome participants into their groups as they are, facilitates communication between all parties; facilitates group education and development of Positive Experience Design; gather data on impact and quality of life; create and coordinate social connections across campus for participants and families; facilitate possible job/career opportunities through college career resources; offer support services as needed through our licensed clinicians, and generally problem-solve to make these opportunities sustainable for the rest of our peer’s lives.
