Parent Leadership Hub
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Wisconsin Personnel Development System (WPDS)

Parent Leadership Hub Weekly
E-Newsletter

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Parent Leadership Hub Weekly E-Newsletter for April 9, 2009

The attached "Parent Leadership Hub" Weekly Email Update is sent to you from WSPEI and WI FACETS.   The Parent Leadership Hub supports parents/family members, educators and other community partners to build capacity regarding meaningful family involvement.   The Hub serves three primary purposes:
(1) To support parents of children with disabilities between birth and 26 years of age to participate as partners in the professional development activities of each of the other Statewide Initiatives as they design, deliver and support professional development experiences; and
(2) To facilitate opportunities for parents/family members to build leadership skills; and
(3)  To provide Content Focused technical assistance concerning family involvement.

Parent/Personnel Development Opportunities

  1. Health Care Coverage/Community Supports Training in Monroe and Green Bay
    Come meet other families and professionals to learn about health care, community and state resources. “Did You Know, Now You Know,” is an introduction to Health Care Coverage and Community Supports for Children and Youth with Disabilities and Special Health Care Needs.  Parents, Grandparents, Caregivers, Teachers and Aides, Health Care and Human Services Staff should attend.

    In Monroe:  Sponsored by Family Voices of Wisconsin at the Monroe Public Library, 925 16th Avenue, on Wednesdays, April 15, 22 & 29 from 6pm-9pm with registration and dinner at 5:30. For information and to register, contact Sharon Myhre myhre@waisman.wisc.edu or 608-265-8955.

    In Green Bay: The Southern Regional Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) Regional Center, Family Voices of Wisconsin, and Family and Childcare Resources of N.E.W, Green Bay, WI will host the training on  Saturday, April 18 from 9:00 am-2:30 pm. at  Family and Childcare of N.E.W, 201 W. Walnut Street, Green Bay, WI.  For more information, and to register, contact Jane Shatswell at 920-432-8899

  2. Youth Leadership Summit:  June 22-26 or July 13-17, 2009 in Milwaukee

    This is a week-long leadership development opportunity for high school students with disabilities from Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha Counties. Participants will network with other youth and learn about self-advocacy, independent living, safe & healthy relationships, disability rights and voting, transition after high school, money management, employment, college, and more.

    Applications and brochure available at www.wifacets.org/wiyitrc/ until May 4th. Stipend opportunities. For more information contact: Alie Kriofske-Mainella from IndependenceFirst at 414.266.8112 or akriofske@independencefirst.org.

Trainings On The Web

  1. Web Based Course on Self-Employment Planning - Overview of Self-Employment for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities

    Start-Up USA is offering a new web-based course on self-employment planning with people with disabilities. The first 20 individuals to register online will receive a free registration. After this number registers, the cost will be $60 per person.  Technical questions should be directed to Doug Erickson at 804 827-0760 or doerickson@vcu.edu. Content and other questions about course requirements should be directed to Katherine Inge at 804 828-5956 or kinge@vcu.edu. http://www.worksupport.com/training/webcourses/self_employment_
    course.cfm

Family Involvement Opportunities

  1. Parent Leadership Advanced Training/Mini-Grant Opportunity
    The Waisman Center Natural Supports Project is offering an advanced parent leadership training/mini-grant opportunity to parents of children and youth ages 5-21. Parents commit to six Saturday training sessions over a calendar year, starting this July. The mini-grant includes all training materials, meals, overnight accommodations if needed, travel expenses and a $1,000 stipend to conduct a Community Conversation about an inclusion issue in their home community. Parents are encouraged to apply with a teammate (could be a spouse, significant other, relative, agency or community member, etc.)   The deadline for applying has been extended to April 30, 2009.  Contact Beth Swedeen at swedeen@waisman.wisc.edu or (608) 263-6745 for more information or a Mini-Grant Application.
  2. ICDR Seeks Your Recommendations on Emerging Disability Research Topics
    This year for the first time, the federally mandated Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR) is utilizing an innovative Web-based approach to collect online disability research comments to assist in developing a federal disability and rehabilitation 2010 research agenda. This technology-driven approach gives the public a three-week timeframe from March 27th through April 17th to submit their recommendations. Additionally, registered participants will be invited to review all comments submitted and vote on their top 10 concerns in each topic area during the one-week period from April 22nd through April 29th. Public comments from stakeholders are the focal point of the disability research recommendations in the ICDR Annual Report to the President and Congress.  Comment Period: March 27 - April 17, 2009
    Voting Period: April 22 - 29, 2009   For more information, please visit www.icdr.us/stakeholders.
  3. Circles of Life: Help Say Thanks to Julie & Katie Beckett
    Julie and Katie Beckett will be the keynote speakers for Wisconsin’s Circles of Life Conference this year as we celebrate our 25th Year Anniversary. And, this is the year that Julie will be leaving her position as Policy Director with Family Voices. The members of the Circles of Life Conference Planning committee are asking for your help.

    Please visit http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/~rowley/SayingThanks2.pdf to download a letter from the COL committee asking for families and organizations to be part of our plan to recognize Julie Beckett for enduring advocacy. Please consider being part of our effort to say "THANK YOU" to Julie for her extraordinary contributions to the wellness of our children. Be a part of this effort to thank Julie by developing a page for our scrapbook to present to Julie at the conference.

    For more information on Julie's 20+ years advocating for services for children with special health care needs, please read the article located on the website:  National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions
    http://www.childrenshospitals.net/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home
    page&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=14069

Family Involvement Resources

  1. Website Offers GED Support
    The E-Learn, Inc. web site has numerous free articles and information developed to support adult learners preparing for the GED and the networks that serve them. The articles include frequently asked questions, GED eligibility, study skills, test tips, scores and how to get motivated and manage test anxiety. Articles also address GED benefits and resources, from where to take tests and why they're valuable, to guides for finding financial aid and support. To view the articles visit: http://www.passged.com/


DISCLAIMER
Inclusion of information in this e-mail does not constitute an endorsement by the Wisconsin Statewide Parent-Educator Initiative, Wisconsin FACETS, the Department of Public Instruction, the U.S. Department of Education, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.