PARTNERS IN POLICYMAKING

The North Carolina Partners in Policymaking™ program, an NCCDD initiative, has helped open the door for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and family members to participate in the public discussion of principles and policies that affect their lives and their role in the community.

The current class of 23 accepted applicants has completed two of the eight weekend seminars where they are learning how to build partnerships with elected officials, legislators, agencies and opinion leaders so that they can better express their views on the policy decisions affecting the services they and their families use.

The Partners program is all about systems change, from creating a shared vision of a system that promotes full inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in the community, and making it a reality by working with leaders to base public policy decisions on the experiences ofthose who need and use services.

ADVANCING STRONG LEADERSHIP

Building strong leaders in the I/DD field helps to continue the work of promoting inclusive and integrated communities. This is an important area of advocacy for NCCDD and the future of the disability community.

Emphasizing innovation and collaboration, the Advancing Strong Leadership Initiative was developed to offer participants the opportunity to come together with a faculty of national experts on progressive supports for people with disabilities. This year's class, which has met once so far in 2015, has 28 participants.

The initiative offers a formal self-assessment of leadership strengths and needs, group problem solving, lectures/presentations, small group work aimed at accomplishing personal and organizational goals and activities designed to identify and enhance individual leadership skills.

Advancing Strong Leadership is open to early career professionals in the I/DD field in North Carolina.
The current class is underway, and applications will be available in December 2015.