Partners in Policymaking is a program sponsored by the Governor’s Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities through the University of Wyoming, Wyoming INstitute for Disabilities (WIND). Nationally, more than 8,600 Partners graduates are part of a growing network of community leaders serving on policymaking committees, commissions, and boards at local, state and national levels. In October 2001 Wyoming implemented their Partners in Policymaking program. Currently there are 52 Wyoming Partners Graduates and the Cheyenne Partners has 24 participants that will graduate in May 2005.

• Are you an individual with a disability or the parent of a child with a disability or a sibling?
• Do you want to learn new ways to be a successful advocate?
• Would you like to learn more about disability issues and solutions?

Apply today to participate in the next Wyoming Partners in Policymaking!

Download the application

Partners in Policymaking is a leadership training program, not an organization that you join. Partners in Policymaking teaches best practices (up-to-date) and state-of-the-art (best ways of doing things) over a wide range of issues, and helps participants acquire the skills necessary to make changes to the systems that affect their lives. Partners participants become capable to change their own lives and work for changes that will affect others with disabilities at the local, state and national levels. The end result of the training is an increased independence, productivity, integration, inclusion and self-determination for all Partners participants and their family members.

The design of Partners is based on national speakers who keep their presentations up-to-date so they contain the most current information of best practices/state of the art. The sessions of Partners in Policymaking cover the following topics:

History of Disabilities, Inclusive Education, Employment, Service Coordination, Case Management, Assistive Technology, Community Organizing, Federal & State Legislation, Housing

What are the requirements for Partners in Policymaking?

• Sessions will be held in the area where the most applications are received.
  Those applications received by March each year will determine where Partners will be held for the next year. Applications can be submitted at any time of the year.
• Training sessions are held one weekend a month, September to May. (No session held in December.)
• Participants are expected to attend all 8 sessions and complete homework assignments.
• 20 participants will be selected each year by the Partners Advisory Committee.

Who should attend this training?

• Adults with disabilities (both men and women 18 and older) who would like to learn more about advocating for themselves and be more involved in their community should attend this program.
• Parents, (both men and women) of young children who have developmental disabilities should apply.
• Siblings (18+) should apply.
• Persons not active in advocacy organizations are encouraged to apply.

Partners in Policymaking needs participants who are Eager to learn and Open to new ways of thinking!

CAN SELF-ADVOCATES UNDERSTAND THE MATERIAL?

Self-advocates do understand the material! Everyone learns by “hands-on” activities at most of the sessions. A variety of different learning methods are used to acquire the necessary skills.

CAN SELF-ADVOCATES DO THE HOMEWORK?

Self-advocates are able to do the homework. The homework sheet gives you at least 4 choices from which to select one item for homework.

HOW CAN THEY DO THE HOMEWORK?

• They can work with another Partners to do their homework together.
• They can videotape their report.
• They can record their homework on a tape recorder.
• They can memorize their report and give it to the group during the homework time.
• They can take pictures and tape the pictures to paper, to explain their homework.
• They can draw pictures to tell their information.
• They can have someone else write or type their paper, as long as it is in their words.
• They can call the Project Coordinator and she will type their information for them and bring a report for them to sign at the next session.

WHY DO SELF-ADVOCATES NEED TO ATTEND PARTNERS?

Parents of a child with a disability and the self-advocates will learn from each other as they get to know each other and work together at each session. Friendships and relationships between parents and self-advocates in the Partners class are encouraged.

Self-Advocates can help parents to see that their younger child has a future when they become an adult. Self-advocates help parents to see that people with disabilities can learn leadership skills.

Self-advocates need to learn leadership skills to advocate for themselves and others in their communities, and to influence public officials.

• All costs of the program are covered by a grant sponsored by the Governor’s Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities through the University of Wyoming, Wyoming INstitute for Disabilities.

The deadline to apply for Partners in Policymaking is June 1 each year.

To apply, please download the application here, fill it out, and either Mail, Fax, or E-mail to:

Partners in Policymaking
Diane Magill, Project Coordinator
7412 Cox Road
Cheyenne, WY 82009
Phone: (307) 772-8792
Fax: (307) 635-5999
wypartners@bresnan.net

The application requires Acrobat Reader to view or print, download a free Acrobat Reader here.

College of Health Sciences, Wyoming Institute for Disabilities is funded in part by a grant from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities. Persons seeking admission, employment, or access to programs of the University of Wyoming shall be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or political belief.