The Family Mentorship leadership assignment is designed to
give trainees a first-hand understanding of what life is like for a family raising a child, adolescent
or young adult with a disability. Trainees will arrange one in-person visit, either in the
community or in the family home, with a designated volunteer family. During this visit, you will
learn about the family’s perspective on disability and special health care needs, as well as some
of the challenges they face when advocating for their family member.
The goal of this activity is to deepen your understanding of how disability impacts family life,
how families interact with professionals across different disciplines, and how responsive service
systems are to their needs and priorities. We hope that you will have an opportunity to hear
about how families work in partnership with their school district, health providers, and other
formal systems of support, and to gain insight into areas of family life you may not have
previously considered.
Leadership Competencies:
• Self-Reflection
• Communication
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility
• Honoring Lived Experiences
• Teaching, Coaching and Mentoring
Tasks/Activities:
This section highlights the key sessions and activities. To learn more about the full Family
Partnerships training, please refer to the Family Partnerships Module description  (add link).