about
Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) started in 1999 as a White House initiative to promote career development for students and job seekers with disabilities. The program began at the White House to increase the profile and impact of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), celebrated every October. DMD national initiatives and events are organized by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), while regional and local events are coordinated by organizations like Centers for Independent Living (CILs) to promote career development for youth and young adults through events like job shadowing, mentor relationships, job skill workshops and hands-on career exploration. Partnerships often include organizations like local community colleges, local government agencies, employers and businesses, services agencies and educational groups.
For this year’s Independence, Inc. Disability Mentoring Day, we are partnering with local trades operators, Kansas City Kansas Community College, Kansas City Kansas Fire Department and the Youth Transition Alliance of Wyandotte County to bring a day of hands-on trades exploration, classroom visits, demonstrations and presentations to help youth and young adults create a pathway to an education and career in the trades industries.
Youth and young adults between the ages of 14-24 are welcome to attend and we encourage systems-involved youth, homeschool or other alternative education students, youth or young adults who are working on or having received their GED, or other youth/young adults interested in learning more about continuing their education and looking into trades as an option for long-term, competetive, integrated employment.
We do not ask for any documentation on disability status. If you identify as having any type of disability you are welcome to attend. Types of disabilities include but are not limited to:
- Mental/emotional
- Behavioral
- Physical
- Developmental/neurodevelopmental
- Learning/cognitive
- Sensory
- Invisible/hidden
- Chronic illness
Date, Location, Time
- Tuesday, October 27, 2026
- 8:00-1:30 (setup/volunteers – 7:00 – 2:30)
- Kansas City Kansas community College, Dr. Thomas R. Burke Technical Education Center
- 6565 State Ave, Kansas City, KS 66102
Get Involved!
There are many ways to get involved in DMD.
Schools – if you haven’t yet received an invitation from us to bring students/classes to our event, reach out to us for more information or fill out this registration form. Space is still available!
Foster Care Group Homes – bring your teen or young adult residents to discover career pathways in the trades.
Homeschool Cooperatives – identify youth that may be a good fit for DMD.
Individual Families – if you have a child/children with a disability not part of a school that is already registered, reach out to us and let us know you would like to attend.
Tentative Schedule
- Volunteer arrival: 7:00-7:15
- 8:00 – student drop off
- 8:00 – 8:30 registration
- 8:30-9:00 welcome, settle in, MC/opening speaker
- 9:00 – break out into designated groups
- 9:05-9:10 get to station
- 9:15-9:45 start first rotation
- 9:45-10:15 rotation 2
- 10:15 – 10:45 rotation 3
- 10:45 – 11:15 rotation 4
- 11:15 – 12:15 lunch – Keynote Speaker and/or KCKFD speaker/ therapy dog presentation
- 12:15-12:45 rotation 5
- 12:45 – 1:15 rotation 6
- 1:15 – 1:30 meet back in main room for closing and swag bags
- 1:30-2:00 loading/departing
- 2:00 – Volunteer take down/clean up
How to Register
Schools/educators – register with this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdnUBaXK_zWtHMjLWNXAZh9CBAJthcT4UxoREnQUS2uLGsbgQ/viewform
Wyandotte County Service Providers, Employers, Disability Organizations – register to host a resource table: https://forms.gle/pRH8MLdQ8Y9miRmT8
Individuals, families, those not associated with a school – reach out to us directly to sign up: Elle Jennings, rjennings@independenceinc.org or 785-371-1634
Interested in being a volunteer? Register to see if there are ways you can help serve: Trade Up! Disability Mentoring Day – Volunteer Sign Up
Questions?
Give us a call or send us an email! Amy Ballinger, Kansas Youth Transition Network Program Manager aballinger@independenceinc.org | 785-371-1646