Youth Programming

Inspiring and encouraging young people to embrace inclusion and become advocates in their communities is some of the most powerful work Capitalizabilty and the Igniting Inclusion initiative does. Because so many of our core beliefs and approaches to the world are formed when we are young, youth programming is essential to creating a better world for everyone

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Community Youth Programming

• Teaching Teens to be Advocates
  From the start, Igniting Inclusion has been blown away by the passion that teens bring to inclusion advocacy. This program helps teens see themselves as advocates for inclusion, learn to identify and eliminate barriers, and provide guidance for putting theory into practice within the context of your community.
• Conversations on Disability
  At some level inclusion is about embracing those who appear different than we are so that we can benefit from what they have to offer. While teens tend to have an instinctive appreciation for this idea, it is only natural that they have their own curiosities and conceptions about disability. Left alone these may become either barriers or comfort issues as your teens seek to become advocates. This program allows them to ask all the questions in a safe environment to igniting inclusion personnel who will answer them honestly, compassionately and with over 30 years of experience
• Youth of Faith Inclusion Address
  Similar to an Igniting Inclusion pulpit speech, but tailored to your youth population. The keynote that Matan gave at NFTY convention in February 2015, found at the top of this page, is a good example of one of these addresses. The presentation includes a Q&A that transitions into an in-depth collaboration with the kids to figure out how they can be the types of catalysts for inclusion, which teens and young adults are uniquely suited to.

Summer Camp Programming (ages 7yrs to staff)

Summers spent away at camp were central not only to Matan Koch’s youth, but to the direction he took into adulthood. The camp experience is unique and provides a golden opportunity to introduce young people to the ideas difference and inclusion.

• Disability in a Religious Context
  Given that many camps have a religious perspective, this program, which can take the form of a presentation, workshop, or both, is an age- and faith-appropriate look at a particular religion’s liturgic and modern perspectives on disability from an inclusivity angle.
• Disability Exposure & Empathy
  Teaching empathy to children and young adults is often far easier than doing so for adults, who are often already set in their ways. This presentation and Q&A is tailored to campers’ age group and background, and presents them with the insights they need to understand the lived experiences of people with disabilities. Through relating disabled people’s lives to their own, the campers develop the empathic tools that are so vital to an inclusive world.
• Inclusion Advocacy at Camp and at Home
  Campers play a large role in shaping the camp experience both as attendees and for many as eventual counselors. This collaborative workshop provides campers with guidance and tools to advocate for inclusion at camp and beyond.