Partners in Policymaking is an innovative leadership training opportunity designed to involve and empower people with developmental disabilities, parents of young children with disabilities and other family members. People with developmental disabilities and parents of young children with developmental disabilities are the primary target groups of the Partners program (However, other family members are strongly urged to apply.) Partners in Policymaking will primarily focus on two subjects: community building, and state-level advocacy.
The program seeks participants from varying ethnic and cultural backgrounds, different geographic regions of the state and various disabilities, as are persons not actively involved in existing advocacy efforts.
All About Developmental Disabilities will issue applications to interested individuals throughout the year. Thirty-five (35) persons will be selected to participate in the twentieth Partners class in Georgia. Scholarships for travel, childcare and personal assistance services needed for attendance at Partners sessions are available to all participants.
Partners will attend two weekend-long sessions (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). The first weekend will be held March 23rd – 25th, and the second weekend will be held April 20th – 22nd. Attendance is mandatory and all of the session’s dates will be announced prior to the deadline for applications. Both weekends will be held in Decatur, Georgia.
Advocates strengthen communities. The Partners program teaches the skills needed not only to affect change in individuals’ lives, but also for those people that walk behind. Graduates from Partners have gone on to serve their communities as: Regional Boards Chairperson, Director of the ADA Exchange, Organizers of parental support groups in local communities, members of state wide task forces, Coordinator of the Advocacy Alliance, coordinators and participants in many conferences related to issues of disability.
Partners will hear from subject matter experts on topics like the History of the Disability Movement, Building Accountability and Commitment, and Person Centered Planning during the first weekend. The second weekend will focus on state-level advocacy. Participants will understand the process of a bill becoming a law, the state budgeting process, and will meet with former legislators to help hone their advocacy skills.
The deadline to apply to the 2012 Partners in Policymaking course is February 1st, 2012. To apply, click the link below.
For more information, please contact Ryan Johnson at rjohnson@aadd.org or 404-809-2927.
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