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Louisiana Youth Leadership Forum resumes on college campuses; organizers seek more applicants and staff with disabilities
Summary
Organizers told the SEEK panel that the Louisiana Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) returned in recent years, is the only ACA‑accredited cross‑disability youth leadership camp in the state, and had 13 delegates this past summer; staff and organizers urged broader local outreach for applications and staff recruitment.
Nicole Flores, executive director of Family, Social, and Families of Acadiana, briefed the SEEK panel on the Louisiana Youth Leadership Forum, a cross‑disability leadership program for high school students that returned after earlier pauses and that organizers say is uniquely accredited and campus‑based. Flores told the panel the program resumed in 2023 and this past summer had 13 delegates who attended on a college campus. "We are the only youth leadership forum in the country that are accredited through American Camp Association," Flores said, noting the forum’s safety and program standards.
What YLF does: Flores described a weeklong, campus‑based program that aims to teach self‑advocacy and leadership skills. Delegates participate in sessions led by adults with disabilities, a financial‑decision exercise called the "game of life," a Capitol‑Day mock debate on the legislative process, and social events to build peer networks. Organizers maintain a 1:1 staff‑to‑delegate ratio for safety and accessibility; Flores said the staff team for the most recent session included 16 nonexecutive staff, two nurses and one direct support worker.
Participation and selection: Flores said delegates must meet the ADA definition of disability, apply by a selection process that includes interviews and meet‑and‑greets, and that applications were open from December 2024 through March 2025 for the most recent cycle. She said organizers try to ensure diversity across geography, disability type and gender and that many delegates later return as staff or go on to other leadership roles. Flores asked the panel to help broaden outreach to districts and local schools.
Why it matters: the program exposes students to college environments and civic processes while emphasizing representation: Flores said most speakers are adults with disabilities so delegates see role models who reflect their experiences. Panel members thanked organizers and asked about district outreach; Wells and others said the department can include event notices on listservs and at office hours to expand local awareness.
Ending: YLF organizers plan to return to LSU Eunice next summer; dates were not yet set. Application windows and staff recruitment information will be posted on layouthleadershipforum.org and shared with panel members and district contacts.
