Youth Voices for a Unified Generation Blog

This summer, the 50th Anniversary of Special Olympics celebrates the organization’s global impact on the lives of millions of individuals both with and without intellectual disabilities. As we commemorate this important event, we are excited to launch Youth Voices for a Unified Generation. This blog seeks to share the voices of youth leaders throughout the movement.

In many countries, the movement for inclusion is being led by young people who choose to include in their schools, on the playing field, and in their communities. These youth are setting a powerful example where individuals with different abilities are valued and celebrated. These leaders have launched creative projects from the ground up that promote acceptance and invite others to join the movement.

This blog encourages youth leaders — from Mauritius to the Philippines (and everywhere in between) — to share what it means to be part of the Unified Generation. We hope this blog will provide a platform where youth can share their own stories and find inspiration in the stories of others. Through Youth Voices for a Unified Generation, youth leaders will have the opportunity to connect with one another through a common vision of inclusion around the world.

If you are looking for inspiration for your blog post, consider these questions:

• What does it mean to be part of the Unified Generation?
• How have you been involved with Special Olympics?
• How has Special Olympics impacted your life?
• Have you developed and activated a project that promotes inclusion? Describe your project further and its impact.
• What are the general perceptions of people with intellectual disabilities in your community? Are they accepted or isolated?
• What is your vision for the Unified Generation in the next 10 years?

If you have a story, video, photo, poem, essay, (or anything else) to share, you can post directly to Medium or email your post to youthvoices@specialolympics.org. Please follow the directions below if you choose to post directly to Medium. Please send an email to youthvoices@specialolympics.org if you have any questions!

Posting on Medium (https://medium.com)

1. You will need to join Medium and create an account. Click the Get started button on the top right corner of the home page.

2. You will be presented with two options:

Sign up with Google (you have to have a Gmail account)

Sign up with Facebook (you have to have a Facebook account)

3. If you do not have a Google or Facebook account, then you can send your post directly to: youthvoices@specialolympics.org

4. If you have a Google or Facebook account, you will be able to proceed and within a few seconds, you will have a Medium account! You will then have to answer a few questions regarding your interests before continuing.

5. To post your Unified Generation blog submission, click on the blue icon on the top right corner of the new page that appears. The icon may already be your Facebook profile picture if you signed in with Facebook.

6. From this blue icon, a drop down will appear. Click New story.

7. Now, you can copy and paste a story that you have already been working on directly into Medium or start typing on the page that appears.

8. To include a photo and/or video, click the (+) where you would like one inserted.

9. Once you have completed your post and have included a title, click on the Publish button on the top right of the page.

10. Send an email to youthvoices@specialolympics.org with a link to your published blog post. Special Olympics will add you as a contributor to the Special Olympics Medium Playbook.

11. Once you have published your post and have been added as a contributor to the Playbook, follow the three easy steps in this link to have your story shared and highlighted under the Unified Generation page of the Special Olympics Medium Playbook.

12. If you have any questions or encounter any problems in the process of writing and posting, please email youthvoices@specialolympics.org