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The Partners in Policymaking Program is an advocacy training program for parents of children with disabilities and self-advocates with developmental disabilities. Program staff hold several two-day training sessions each year in Houston and Austin. The program is designed to teach participants how to advocate for themselves and their loved ones within their communities. The people at Partners in Policymaking are working hard to meet the needs of Texas' Latino community.
Program Coordinator Laura Buckner says, "The Partners in Policymaking program is designed to teach people how to influence public officials." She adds, "While the goal of the project is public education to bring about societal change, most participants become empowered and make changes in their personal lives as well."
Dawn Thurmond, a Latina parent from El Paso says,
"In my region there is a lack of training opportunities. There are a lot of people who do not have opportunities to move forward or advance in their careers. The Partners training impacted my life tremendously and has shown me ways I can make a positive impact on others in my community."
Luis Enrique Chew, a self-advocate from El Paso said, "Many Latino parents and self-advocates recommend other states start similar programs. These services are needed within the Latino community across the country."
There has been a significant rise in the number of Latino applicants to the program, particularly in the last couple of years. Staffs actively recruit Latino applicants and written program materials are provided in English and Spanish in print and online.
Laura states, "The Partners program staff is committed to making the program as accessible as possible to Spanish-speakers." While the training sessions are presented in English, Spanish-speaking participants can receive simultaneous translation from a qualified interpreter familiar with the program.
"There are typically several bilingual participants in any given class who can assist monolingual Spanish speakers to become comfortable in the group, " said Luis Enrique Chew. He added, "Partners taught us how to advocate and educate public representatives on the issues that are important to us. I think Partners has done a great job outreaching to the Latino community by making the program bilingual and bicultural."
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