Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities

PARTNERS IN POLICYMAKING™ LEADERSHIP GROUP

The Partners in Policymaking Leadership Institute is a training initiative of the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities. The Institute is designed to provide adults with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities with the latest information on disability policy issues, and to help them become advocates for themselves, and for others in their communities.

The ultimate goal is to create a productive partnership between people with disabilities and the people who make the policies that affect their lives, and the lives of their loved ones.

Curriculum includes state and federal laws, assistive technology, community inclusion, personal futures planning, employment, history of disability, supported living and family supports. With every new class, an effort is made to incorporate topics that are currently relevant to our class members. Sessions are conducted by local and national experts in the field of disability.

  

PARTNERS CLASS 2001-2002

Each year, a class of 25-30 participants is selected from across the state. To recruit the class, the director of the program distributes flyers and applications throughout the state, by mail, by e-mail, and by making these items available at meetings, conferences and workshops related to disability issues. Outreach extends to advocacy agencies statewide, and an effort is made to utilize the word of mouth network of all Partners graduates since 1993. The majority of our referrals come from our current and previous Partners classes. To read about one Partner's experience click here.

The criteria for acceptance into the program require that each participant is either a person with a disability or a parent (or other family member) of a child with a disability. Potential Partners must also have an inclination toward leadership in their communities. Participants are expected to commit to attending all seven Friday-Saturday sessions, September through November, and January through April, and completing homework assignments related to topics covered at each session. Individuals who are selected for the program sign a contract agreeing to the terms listed above.

During the final selection process, a team of individuals including the director of Partners, the Executive Director of the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, and representatives from the Executive Committee of the Council review submitted applications. The goal is to create a class with diversity in the following areas: self-advocate/family member, geographic location (especially representation from East, Middle and West Tennessee), ethnicity, gender, and type of disability.

Ned Andrew Solomon

Director, Partners in Policymaking

Council on Developmental Disabilities

Cordell Hull, 5th Floor

425 5th Avenue North

Nashville, TN 37243-0675

Phone: (615) 532-6556/Fax: (615) 532-6964

TTY: (615) 741-4562

E-mail: ned.solomon@state.tn.us

The Council sponsors a leadership program similar to Partners in Policymaking for 10th, 11th and 12th graders who have disabilities. For information on the Tennessee Youth Leadership Forum, click here.