People with developmental disabilities and their families and caregivers will have an opportunity to learn how to become more effective advocates thanks to a statewide program offered by the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council.
Designed to educate, train and provide individuals with the skills they need to become community leaders and catalysts for systems change, Florida’s Partners in Policymaking® (PIP) is a premier program for those who are looking to impact their communities. The program is now seeking applicants for its 2021-2022 class.
PIP teaches individuals how to become advocates to effectively influence systems change and help obtain the best available services for themselves and others. During the program, participants meet and speak with national leaders in the field of developmental disabilities, hear presentations about current issues and state-of-the-art practices and learn how to effectively advocate for policymaking and legislative processes at local, state and national levels.
A recent graduate of the Partners program stated, “Never before have I felt more empowered and emboldened to take on the world and passionately seek the services my son and others in our community so desperately need. This program provided me with the tools and skills to ensure that he is included in school, provided support to make meaningful progress and given access to employment opportunities that will help him find the quality of life that he chooses.”
Each year applicants undergo a competitive application process administered statewide by a panel of PIP graduates. Following the screening process, 35 applicants from throughout the state are carefully selected to represent a range of experience, demographics and abilities.
Applications for the 2021-2022 class can be found online at www.fddc.org/partners-in-policymaking.
As an internationally recognized program, PIP has developed some of the strongest disability advocates in the world. Currently, the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council fully funds the program in Florida. There is no financial cost to participate in PIP and accommodations and alternative materials are provided as needed.
The 2021-2022 class will begin in September and run through February. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2021.
About FDDC
The Florida Developmental Disabilities Council (FDDC) is a government-funded organization that works to affect policy and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families and their supports through education, advocacy and partnerships.
