Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice

Go to CYVYC website

The Center on Youth Voice, Youth Choice (CYVYC) is a national resource center on alternatives to guardianship. CYVYC supports research, training, and systems change initiatives, and emphasizes engagement with a wide range of communities. A strong partnership of youth with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD), family members, practitioners, and researchers contributes to expertise and effectiveness of the Center. It is guided by an Advisory Committee composed of at least 75% youth and young adults with IDD.

The goals of this Center are to ensure that:

  1. people with a vested interested have more information about alternatives to guardianship
  2. an increased number of youth have more decision-making options
  3. fewer students are subject to guardianship

Major activities of the Center:

  1. Research that provides a national overview of the policies and practices related to guardianship and its alternatives
  2. Development of a national coalition of key partners that endorses and shares information about alternatives to guardianship
  3. Support for multi-partner teams in 11 states, that are working to increase the use of guardianship alternatives
  4. Implementation of a Youth Ambassador program that provides support, mentorship, and leadership development to up to 45 youth with IDD who will co-lead state teams, serve on the advisory board, and be a resource in their states
  5. Resource development and dissemination for a broad group of people with a vested interest in guardianship alternatives
  6. Evaluation that is ongoing and facilitates sustainability

Visit CYVYC to learn more!