Project Description:
The Missouri Family to Family (MoF2F), housed within the University of Missouri – Kansas City – Institute for Human Development (UMKC-IHD), serves as a resource to assist families, caregivers, and others in becoming more informed and empowered to support those they care for by providing information, peer support, and leadership opportunities. The MoF2F proposes it's second year of the Leadership and Engagement Academy. The Academy, based on the Charting the LifeCourse Framework (CtLC) and principles, assists Jackson County residents with developmental disabilities (DD) learn to apply CtLC across multiple life areas, including relationships, employment, education, and housing, among others. In 2025, MoF2F will offer three distinct tracks designed to enhance participant leadership and advocacy skills while fostering personal growth for up to 30 individuals with DD.
1. Charting My LifeCourse Peer Learning Collaboratives: These cohorts will provide participants with the opportunity to learn how to apply the Charting the LifeCourse framework in their own lives. Through guided peer discussions, participants will explore their personal strengths, and how to best support them while identifying personal goals and creating actionable steps around how to use these tools in their person-centered planning meetings. The peer-led model fosters shared learning, support, and empowerment, allowing participants to reflect on their life experiences and plan for the future in a supportive environment.
2. Vision Exploration Peer Learning Collaboratives: These groups will focus on helping participants explore and develop a vision for their future based on their unique strengths, preferences, and life experiences. Each participant will work through exercises and group activities designed to clarify their long-term goals and the supports they need to achieve them. They will also be introduced to self-determination and their rights. The aim is to provide a structured space for participants to think critically about their personal and professional aspirations and the role they want to play in their communities.
3. Leadership and Advocacy Peer Learning Collaborative: This specialized collaborative will focus on equipping participants with the skills needed for leadership roles and advocacy within their communities. Participants will learn how to advocate for themselves and others, understand their rights, and develop the confidence to engage in policy discussions and decision-making processes that affect their lives. The goal is to cultivate future leaders who can champion the needs and rights of individuals with developmental disabilities at both local and broader levels. These activities are designed to empower participants to take control of their own life course, build leadership skills, and engage actively in their communities.
