The ENIL Youth Network has published the “Lead On” Training Manual, a new resource designed to help youth organisations, trainers and activists deliver accessible, rights-based leadership programmes for young disabled people. Developed as part of the Lead On project with the support of the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe, the manual captures the methodology, activities and lessons from the international training course held in Istanbul, Türkiye, in April 2026.
The Lead On project was created to strengthen the skills, confidence and leadership of young disabled people across Europe. Bringing together participants from Council of Europe member states, the five-day residential course focused on human rights, disability rights, leadership, facilitation, project planning and non-formal education.
Rather than being a report on the project, the manual is intended as a practical toolkit. It contains complete session plans, facilitation methods, accessibility guidance and reflections on programme design so that others can adapt and reuse the activities in their own contexts. The resource encourages trainers to tailor activities to participants’ needs while maintaining a strong focus on human rights education, peer learning and disability justice.
One of the manual’s defining features is its emphasis on accessibility. Alongside detailed training sessions, it shares the principles that shaped the course, including flexible participation, multiple ways of contributing, accessible communication, sensory supports, planned rest, and embedding disability justice throughout every aspect of the programme. It acknowledges that accessibility is an ongoing process and offers practical suggestions for adapting activities for participants with different access needs.
The publication also reflects the wider mission of the ENIL Youth Network to strengthen leadership, peer support and advocacy within the disability rights movement. By making the Lead On methodology openly available, the network aims to enable more organisations and young leaders to create inclusive learning spaces and strengthen human rights education in their own communities.
The Lead On Training Manual was developed by the trainers team, consisting of Nina Portolan, Ralu Baciu, Emmy Sefentin, Zara Todd and Fatma Yazıcı, and was produced by the ENIL Youth Network with financial support from the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe. It represents one of the lasting outcomes of the Lead On project, ensuring that the knowledge and experience developed during the training can continue to support future generations of disabled youth leaders across Europe.
You can download the manual here.
