Developing Engaged Leaders

Partners in Policymaking®

Partners in Policymaking® is an eight-month program where adults with disabilities and family members learn to become leaders in their communities.

They Learn About:

• Disability laws and services
• Best practices
• How to work with decision-makers to create change

Real World Impacts

• One graduate hosted a disability resource fair in her county. Three other graduates joined her and set up information/resource booths.
• Nine graduates spoke at Tennessee’s largest disability conference.
• Many met with their state representatives on Disability Day on the Hill to discuss issues that matter to them.

What Our 2025 Graduates Told Us

• 100% are taking more leadership roles
• 100% know more about disability services and where to get help
• 95% feel more confident making choices and solving problems in the system

Real Impact: YMCA Changing Tables

When one Partners graduate asked her local YMCA to add adult-sized changing tables, staff were hesitant at first. She kept asking questions, shared information about accessibility grants, and stayed in touch. The YMCA eventually agreed to add two adult-sized changing tables as part of their renovation plans.

Conference Scholarships

Our Scholarship Fund helps people with disabilities and family members attend conferences and trainings they couldn’t otherwise afford.

40  people with disabilities attended conferences

119  family members attended conferences

"Attending the conference was a life-changing experience. I had an opportunity to learn about resources to help me navigate through life with my blindness." — Participant

Leadership Academy for Excellence in Disability Services (LAEDS)

LAEDS trains state employees who work in programs that serve people with disabilities. We partner with the Tennessee Department of Human Resources to bring together employees from many different state agencies to grow their leadership skills and disability expertise.

12  agencies participated

24  employees trained

100%  satisfaction rate

97%  commitment to implementation

“LAEDS really helped me see how connected all the departments are/should be to make sure that disability service delivery is done as effectively as possible.” — Participant

Advocates in Motion (AiM)

Advocates in Motion (AiM) is a self-advocacy training program led by and for people with developmental disabilities who receive disability services. The Council funds these sessions as part of our commitment to grassroots leadership.

This Year

14  AiM sessions funded (exceeded goal of 12)

20  people trained

29  board/council openings shared

Participant Gains

• 100% said their leadership skills increased
• 96% felt more able to decide for themselves
• 93% felt better able to set and reach their own goals

Board & Council Service

A Partners graduate who spoke to her county health board about what she was learning in Partners in Policymaking was invited to join the board. She now regularly shares disability resources and perspective in her role.

Thomas’s Next Steps

Thomas, an AiM trainer in Middle Tennessee, wanted a full-time job. Through AiM workshops, he practiced sharing his vision: less staff “hovering” over him and more support to move toward living in his own home. He used the skills he teaches (self-advocacy, goal-setting, and problem-solving) to complete job applications and interviews on his own. He’s still searching for the job that fits him best, but now he’s directing that search himself.