Running Head: EDU 63 1 EDU 635 4 EDU 635 Marcus Coleman Ashford University Initial Assessment My initiative is generally meant to benefit the youth who will be the future leaders of this country and the students with disabilities. As we all know the youth face one major problem, which is unemployment and this is mainly because the population grows much faster than how the economy is growing. As I focus on the youth, I also have a soft spot for students with disabilities because I totally understand what they are going through. For this reason my other initiative is to ensure that the students with disability receive education properly just like the other normal students. This initiative is as a result of my own experience as I was diagnosed with Dyslexia and learning how to read and write became a challenge. Students with disabilities lack the assistance they need because most institutions in Ohio have knowledgeable trained instructors who understood a students with disabilities. Indicators of success For the initiative to assist the youths, one of the key success indicators will be witnessing the youth engaging in activities that benefit them financially rather than job seeking. I don’t mean to say that job seeking is not good but I am aiming at changing the perspective of the youth. They don’t have to be employed to show that they have are successful. They can use the knowledge they have gained in the universities and engage in self-employment. A key success indicator here will be the reduction of the number of youth seeking jobs because they will have self-employed themselves and they will be making money. Success indicator for my second initiative will be based in the testimonies of students with disabilities. Nothing will make me happy than seeing more people with disabilities joining various levels in education and receiving education. More of the will graduate and find job to do rather than stay in the house and depend on other people or beg (Ferriter, 2011). Evaluation and Report of the Outcomes The outcomes of my initiatives will be measured according to the impact they will have on the youth of the state of Ohio. The youth are expected to participate more on community based programs because youths are a powerful and energetic resource of the community. Results should indicate that more youths are participating in community development and none of them are idol. The success of this may take a while but a long journey starts with a single step. Also, the success of this initiative will be based on the outcome of the performance of students with disabilities. Their performance in school will be celebrated and recognized to encourage them to pursue even higher studies (Berkas, & Hong, 2000.

1. Running Head: EDU 63
1
EDU 635
4
EDU 635
Marcus Coleman
Ashford University
Initial Assessment
My initiative is generally meant to benefit the youth who will
be the future leaders of this country and the students with
disabilities. As we all know the youth face one major problem,
which is unemployment and this is mainly because the
population grows much faster than how the economy is growing.
As I focus on the youth, I also have a soft spot for students with
disabilities because I totally understand what they are going
through. For this reason my other initiative is to ensure that the
students with disability receive education properly just like the
other normal students. This initiative is as a result of my own
experience as I was diagnosed with Dyslexia and learning how
to read and write became a challenge. Students with disabilities
lack the assistance they need because most institutions in Ohio
have knowledgeable trained instructors who understood a

2. students with disabilities.
Indicators of success
For the initiative to assist the youths, one of the key success
indicators will be witnessing the youth engaging in activities
that benefit them financially rather than job seeking. I don’t
mean to say that job seeking is not good but I am aiming at
changing the perspective of the youth. They don’t have to be
employed to show that they have are successful. They can use
the knowledge they have gained in the universities and engage
in self-employment. A key success indicator here will be the
reduction of the number of youth seeking jobs because they will
have self-employed themselves and they will be making money.
Success indicator for my second initiative will be based in the
testimonies of students with disabilities. Nothing will make me
happy than seeing more people with disabilities joining various
levels in education and receiving education. More of the will
graduate and find job to do rather than stay in the house and
depend on other people or beg (Ferriter, 2011).
Evaluation and Report of the Outcomes
The outcomes of my initiatives will be measured according to
the impact they will have on the youth of the state of Ohio. The
youth are expected to participate more on community based
programs because youths are a powerful and energetic resource
of the community. Results should indicate that more youths are
participating in community development and none of them are
idol. The success of this may take a while but a long journey
starts with a single step. Also, the success of this initiative will
be based on the outcome of the performance of students with
disabilities. Their performance in school will be celebrated and
recognized to encourage them to pursue even higher studies
(Berkas, & Hong, 2000).
Plan for Growing and Sustaining the Initiative
I plan to grow and sustain the initiative by creating job
opportunities for the youth and the students with disabilities.
Also I plan to have more instructors with knowledge of dealing
with students with disability posted in all schools in Ohio so

3. that all students have the same advantage. Some of these
undertakings require funding and therefore, I will have to look
for sponsors who share a common interest and persuade them to
offer a hand of help. I also plan to grow this initiative by
influencing other youths from other states to follow the example
that I will have set in Ohio. I understand that there are more
youths out there undergoing bigger challenges than those that
youths in Ohio go through. As I try and establish an initiative
that crosses all lines, I must first assess the need for a specific
program without creating redundancy in the community. The
success of these initiatives in Ohio will mark the beginning of
great initiatives that will completely transform the lives of
students with disabilities and youth all across the United States
of America (Berkas, & Hong, 2000).
References
Ferriter, B. (2011). Communicating and connecting with social
media. Retrieved from,
http://issuu.com/mm905/docs/ccwsm_look-inside/6 on April 19,
2015.
Berkas, T.H. & Hong, K.L. (2000). First steps in evaluation:
Basic tools for asset-building initiatives. Retrieved from
http://www.academia.edu/830272/FIRST_STEPS_IN_EVALUA
TION on April 19, 2015.
Running Head: EDU 63
1
EDU 635
4

4. EDU 635
Marcus Coleman
Ashford University
Initial Assessment
My initiative is generally meant to benefit the youth who will
be the future leaders of this country and the students with
disabilities. As we all know the youth face one major problem,
which is unemployment and this is mainly because the
population grows much faster than how the economy is growing.
As I focus on the youth, I also have a soft spot for students with
disabilities because I totally understand what they are going
through. For this reason my other initiative is to ensure that the
students with disability receive education properly just like the
other normal students. This initiative is as a result of my own
experience as I was diagnosed with Dyslexia and learning how
to read and write became a challenge. Students with disabilities
lack the assistance they need because most institutions in Ohio
have knowledgeable trained instructors who understood a
students with disabilities.
Indicators of success
For the initiative to assist the youths, one of the key success
indicators will be witnessing the youth engaging in activities
that benefit them financially rather than job seeking. I don’t
mean to say that job seeking is not good but I am aiming at
changing the perspective of the youth. They don’t have to be
employed to show that they have are successful. They can use
the knowledge they have gained in the universities and engage
in self-employment. A key success indicator here will be the
reduction of the number of youth seeking jobs because they will
have self-employed themselves and they will be making money.
Success indicator for my second initiative will be based in the

5. testimonies of students with disabilities. Nothing will make me
happy than seeing more people with disabilities joining various
levels in education and receiving education. More of the will
graduate and find job to do rather than stay in the house and
depend on other people or beg (Ferriter, 2011).
Evaluation and Report of the Outcomes
The outcomes of my initiatives will be measured according to
the impact they will have on the youth of the state of Ohio. The
youth are expected to participate more on community based
programs because youths are a powerful and energetic resource
of the community. Results should indicate that more youths are
participating in community development and none of them are
idol. The success of this may take a while but a long journey
starts with a single step. Also, the success of this initiative will
be based on the outcome of the performance of students with
disabilities. Their performance in school will be celebrated and
recognized to encourage them to pursue even higher studies
(Berkas, & Hong, 2000).
Plan for Growing and Sustaining the Initiative
I plan to grow and sustain the initiative by creating job
opportunities for the youth and the students with disabilities.
Also I plan to have more instructors with knowledge of dealing
with students with disability posted in all schools in Ohio so
that all students have the same advantage. Some of these
undertakings require funding and therefore, I will have to look
for sponsors who share a common interest and persuade them to
offer a hand of help. I also plan to grow this initiative by
influencing other youths from other states to follow the example
that I will have set in Ohio. I understand that there are more
youths out there undergoing bigger challenges than those that
youths in Ohio go through. As I try and establish an initiative
that crosses all lines, I must first assess the need for a specific
program without creating redundancy in the community. The
success of these initiatives in Ohio will mark the beginning of
great initiatives that will completely transform the lives of
students with disabilities and youth all across the United States

6. of America (Berkas, & Hong, 2000).
References
Ferriter, B. (2011). Communicating and connecting with social
media. Retrieved from,
http://issuu.com/mm905/docs/ccwsm_look-inside/6 on April 19,
2015.
Berkas, T.H. & Hong, K.L. (2000). First steps in evaluation:
Basic tools for asset-building initiatives. Retrieved from
http://www.academia.edu/830272/FIRST_STEPS_IN_EVALUA
TION on April 19, 2015.
Running head: EDU 635 WK3
1
EDU 635 WK3
5
EDU 635 WK3
Marcus Coleman
Ashford University
3/29/15
The vision of my project is to create a positive impact to the
community with regards to status. A community with proper
enlightenment has confident methods of facing life challenges.
The youth should be empowered in the line of 40 Development
Assets to be able to acquire development skills and proper
economically (Fitzsimons, 2011). The mission of my project is
to create an awareness of the existence of avenues for economic
prosperity apart from the common one’s. When the youth are
made to be aware of alternative methods of engaging in
different economic activities, they develop interest in
undergoing personal development. The initiative aims at
encouraging the youth to have a positive mindset creating jobs

7. and being self-reliant rather than following traditional
perceptions of being employed.
It is realized that a big percentage of the youth is not employed.
There is increasingly high number people scrambling for a few
opportunities. The population is putting pressure on the limited
economic resources. The case results for the fact that the rate of
increase in population is not proportionate to the rate of
increase in economic resources. Definitely, new survival
techniques have to be developed by the community. A possible
option is reducing reliance on being employed by others and
focus on self-employment and job creation (Curtis, 2008). The
youth should participate in invention and innovation forums to
create jobs for themselves as well as help in improving the
living standards in the community. The youth can also engage in
different business opportunities to create self-employment and
reduce the high rate of unemployment.
The case can be related to some of the 40 Development Assets.
Community Value Youth is one of the assets that directly relate
to the case. The youth makes up a big percentage of the society
apart from being relied upon for the perpetuity of the
community. The youth also forms the major percentage of
energetic and working members of the community. Secondly, is
youth as resources. The youth is a valuable property of the
community (Fitzsimons, 2011). They have time to participate in
research activities that can help in improving status of the
community. The third asset is service to others. Young people
are energetic and should spend time in serving the community.
They should be dedicated to finding ways of improving
livelihood of the community. Working with youths means
physically involving them in nurturing activities and allowing
them to be the boss. On the other hand, working for them
involves doing a task on their behalf. With this kind of
involvement, they will never be independent and will always
rely on someone else.
It is possible to build a positive impact in my school and

8. community. It mainly involves shifting perception of people
towards job creation rather than job seeking. The youth should
be encouraged to take up the responsibility of creating new jobs
in the community (Curtis, 2008). I feel that I can make the best
impact in my school because it contains the right people that are
in the process of defining their future. Youths are young,
energetic peopling whose energy if put to great investment will
greatly benefit a society. Youths can readily work since they are
not held up with family responsibilities and have a lot of leisure
time at their disposal. To understand the difference between
working with and for youths, these simple terms should be
clarified.
Working with youths means physically involving them in
nurturing activities and allowing them to be the boss. On the
other hand, working for them involves doing a task on their
behalf. With this kind of involvement, they will never be
independent and will always rely on someone else.
It would be easy for them to direct their objectives towards
creating new jobs. The circumstances that makes me to believe
that is that the youth have the opportunity to undertake research
projects that would enable them to achieve the goal. As a result,
the future of the society would look bright.
References
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Top of Form
Bottom of Form
Curtis, K. (2008). Empowering youth: How to encourage young
leaders to do great things. Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute

9. Press.
Fitzsimons, A. (2011). Empowerment and participation in youth
work. Exeter: Learning Matters.