Dare to Dream Leadership Program

Dare to Dream (D2D) is a learning pathway for youth with special healthcare needs and diverse learners in grade 8 to age 21. The D2D Initiative focuses on creating and providing resources and activities to assist youth in developing and leading healthy lives as they move through transitional periods.

The Rhode Island Department of Health, in collaboration with State partners including the Office of Rehabilitation Services and Rhode Island Department of Education, have held an annual D2D youth leadership conference for more than ten years. In May 2019, RIDOH is collaborating with these partners to build on this momentum and facilitate a D2D 2.0 Youth Conference, which will provide youth with opportunities to explore individualized strengths that support social and emotional health.

Objectives:

• Focus on social and emotional health learning areas, by introducing programming that will serve as ongoing foundations of knowledge and skill building.
• Provide a conference design that includes participatory pre-work to inform event-day programming and tailor activities to individualized abilities.
• Engage 500 youth with special healthcare needs and diverse learners by providing a fun, rich learning experience and creating leadership frameworks participants can pull from before, during, and after the conference.

For more information, click here: Dare to Dream Leadership Program