Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the Networking Project for Young People with Disabilities?
A: The Networking Project for Young People with Disabilities out of the
YWCA of the City of New York is a weekend workshop program that teaches
self-advocacy skills and encourages independence for teens with disabilities.
Starting right after Labor Day, the program meets every second Sunday
until the end of June.
Q: How long has the Networking Project been going on?
A: The Networking Project began in 1984 and has been running continuously
for twenty-three years. At first, it was a program for girls only, but
expanded to include boys in the '90s.
Q: Where does the Networking Project meet?
A: The Networking Project meets at the YWCA of the City of New York headquarters,
located at 52 Broadway @ Exchange Place in downtown Manhattan. The meetings
take place in a large accessible room on the sixth floor. The day begins
at 11 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m.
Q: What kind of workshops and activities does the Networking Project
offer?
A: Each year, The Networking Project holds approximately twenty meetings
from September through June. These meetings are grouped into modules or
topics of interest to young people. These modules are: Advocacy,
Career Exploration and Work Readiness, Healthy and Independent Living,
Sex, Dating and Healthy Relationships, and Travel Skills Training.
At the beginning of each meeting, we invite special guests who are experts
on these topics to share their knowledge and experiences with our participants.
Often these guests or speakers are people with disabilities.
Q: Who is eligible for The Networking Project for Young People with
Disabilities?
A: Any young person with a documented disability who is between 13 and
21 years of age can join our program.
Q: If I'm 12 years old but will turn 13 sometime between September
and June, may I join The Networking Project?
A: No. You must turn 13 first and then enroll in the program.
Q: What happens when I turn 21?
A: If you turn 21 sometime during September through June, you can stay
in the program until you turn 22. After that you can still return to the
program as a mentor. A mentor participates in all Networking
Project activities but also shares his or her personal experiences with
the younger people in the program.
Q: Is there an age limit for being a mentor?
A: No.
Q: How do I apply for The Networking Project?
A: Fill out our application packet. This packet includes a form that asks
basic questions, like name, age, address and phone number, among other
questions. If you're under 18, a parent or guardian must sign the application,
and you must also provide a medical form from your doctor that states
your diagnosis, and provide a release form that allows us to include you
in any photographing we might do of the program. Once you complete your
application, you are free to attend Networking Project meetings.
Q: How do I get an application for The Networking Project?
A: There are several ways to obtain an application. Get one online here,
or call 212.735.9766 and request a copy to be mailed or faxed to your
home or school.
Q: Do I have to wait until the beginning of the school year to join
The Networking Project?
A: No. When you complete your application, you are welcome to join The
Networking Project anytime between September and June.
Q: How much does it cost to join The Networking Project?
A: All activities at The Networking Project are provided free of charge.
Q: Does The Networking Project provide transportation?
A: Yes. For those participants who are unable to take Access-a-Ride or
other forms of public transportation, The Networking Project provides
vans to pick you up and bring you home again.
Q: Does The Networking Project provide food?
A: Only on special occasions like our annual holiday party. Usually, participants
bring their own food or buy food when they arrive for a meeting.
Q: Do Networking Project participants go on trips?
A: Yes! Every year, participants visit several colleges and other recreational
and cultural sites around the city.
Q: How does The Networking Project find new members?
A: Every year, we go to local high schools and talk to groups of students
with disabilities about The Networking Project. We also receive referrals
from other organizations and people who work with young people with disabilities.
Often, The Networking Project participants will spread the word to their
friends with disabilities.
Q: Can my parents come to a Networking Project meeting?
A: We encourage parents to sit in on the first meeting that their child
attends. After that, parents may drop off their child, but are not encouraged
to attend further meetings. However, parents and siblings are invited
to special events during the year.
Q: Does The Networking Project offer any sports activities?
A: No, not at this time.
Q: Are there Networking Project activities offered at local high schools?
A: No. The only site for The Networking Project is at the YWCA-NYC headquarters,
located at 52 Broadway in lower Manhattan.
Q: Are there any summer activities at The Networking Project?
A: The meetings begin in September and run through the end of June. There
are not scheduled activities during July and August. Meetings begin again
the following September.
Q: When I become a Networking Project participant, is attendance mandatory?
A: No! Young people come to The Networking Project to learn something
new, to meet new friends and to have fun. If you need to leave The Networking
Project for any reason, you are always welcome to come back.
Q: Are there volunteer opportunities at The Networking Project?
A: Yes. If you are over 21, and are interested in working with youth with
disabilities, there are volunteer opportunities for you at The Networking
Project. Please contact Katinka Neuhof at kneuhof@ywcanyc.org
for more information.
Q: Who do I contact if I still have questions?
A: Call The Networking Project at 212.735.9766. We would be happy to answer
any further questions you may have.