Family Voices of Minnesota's Family Leadership Institute Application 2021-2022

Family Voices of Minnesota and the University of Missouri Institute for Human Development, University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities are offering a Family Leadership Institute for families raising children with extra needs and disabilities.

This program is designed for families who are interested in enhancing their leadership skills. Participants will build their core competencies in family advocacy to be successful as family leaders partnering to make change.  This is professional development for family leaders. 

This Family Leadership Institute will include six sessions, held monthly from October 2021 to April 2022 (no formal December meeting)

Deadline for this application is Friday, October 8, 2021.

Core Competency modules include:

The past three decades has seen a growing recognition of the need to involve families as partners. Family involvement is critical in policy development and in the planning and delivery of services for children and special populations at the national, state, and local levels. Current policies in health and education promote, and at times mandate, collaboration and partnership between professionals and family members. Federal and state policy-makers and systems recognize the critical role of parent and family leaders in transforming and sustaining services and supports that better serve everyone.

Families must be prepared to serve in these roles, as a voice for their own family, but also as a collective voice that advocates for the benefit of all families. Systems that are family-centered and family-driven require strong, well-prepared family leaders. Families are vital colleagues at all levels of policy development. Families provide a perspective critical to the successful development of effective policies and practices. Families can identify gaps while suggesting possible solutions. Communities are strengthened when the voice of the family is heard and valued. 

Each family’s experience and perspective are unique, but there are core skills or competencies that better enable them to be strong leaders and a collective voice for all families. Families serving in leadership roles are enhanced by the development of specific skill sets, knowledge, values, and personal qualities.

Sessions run 12:00pm to 1:30pm Central Time on the following dates:

Parents who fully participate in each session will receive a stipend upon completion of the Leadership Institute.

If you are interested, please complete this application, by Friday, October 8, 2021.  For more information, please contact Carolyn Allshouse: Carolyn@familyvoicesmn.org or 612-440-1609. 

This program is made possible with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services and the Maternal Child Health Bureau.