Texas Advocates — Leadership Academy

Statewide Need
The Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, in partnership with agencies, advocacy groups, parent organizations, and other groups at the state and local level, creates avenues for systems change and advocacy through direct demonstration of promising and best practices, structured training, and support of innovative programs. Structured educational programs provide opportunities for strengthening advocacy skills, broadening understanding of issues and trends, disseminating current knowledge, networking, and facilitating the creation of new and innovative ways of thinking and planning.

Project Goal
Train self-advocates to gain the skills needed to become leaders in changing the disability service system.

Project Summary
Texas Advocates proposed to implement a leadership academy that would result in a network of self-advocates throughout the state. Participants would advocate for their own rights and interests by making their own decisions and choosing services and supports that allow them to live life the way they want to live. The project was to teach self-advocates how to become leaders in changing the disability service system. Self-advocates would learn how to be a part of policymaking, work with other groups for systems change, learn the vocabulary used in the disability service system, and learn how the service systems are managed and financed, as well as how to teach other self-advocates.