What is KASA?

Kids As Self Advocates (KASA) is a national grassroots network that….

  • Helps youth with special needs and their friends become self-advocates.
  • Helps other people in the community understand what it’s like to live with special health care needs.
  • Allows youth to address topics they feel are important through support & information.
  • Provides an avenue for youth to educate society about issues concerning youth with a wide spectrum of disabilities.

CT KASA is a "chapter" of National KASA

CT-KASA got its start in 2002 when some of the members of the national KASA project came to Connecticut to help us form our own statewide “chapter.” They worked with us to identify what our main issues were and what support we needed to accomplish our goals. Through the years, we have received support from the CT Council on Developmental Disabilities, the CT Youth Leadership Project and the CT Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, as well as many others. Currently we have our office at the University of Connecticut Center for Excellence in Disabilities. We also use meeting space at two of the Independent Living Centers in the state and we’re forming new partnerships every day. We maintain our connection with the national KASA group through board membership, email and teleconference calls. Our membership has grown to include more than 30 members, from over 25 different towns in Connecticut. Anyone between the ages of 13 and 24 is welcome to join us! We are always looking for new members who want to socialize, have new ideas, want to learn how to help themselves and want to educate others.

CT KASA’s current topics of interest are:

  • Who we are
  • Where we’ve come from
  • Where we are going

CT KASA activities to address these topics include:

  • Presentations on self-advocacy
  • Presentations on the transition from high school to higher education or employment
  • Articles for national & regional publications
  • Participation on boards & committees
  • Maintenance of the CT-KASA list serve & website
  • Employment of youth in key leadership roles as CT-KASA Youth Organizers & Chairperson
  • Hosting speakers at meetings
  • Mentoring & social support within members of the group