At the annual meeting of the Youth Programs Division of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State, MIUSA joined representatives of international exchange organizations to discuss trends and best practices in sponsored youth programs, including the Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) and Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) programs.
During the meeting, MIUSA moderated a panel discussion on best practices for placing and supporting students with disabilities on sponsored programs. Representatives from American Councils, AFS USA, and ACES addressed questions such as:
- What is your organization’s first step in placing a student with a disability with a host family?
- In your experience, is it important for a host family to have disability related experience?
- What steps and strategies do you use when approaching a school about enrolling a student with a disability?
- What have you found to be key to giving your students with disabilities the best possible support and access to opportunities?
