University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

Iowa Family Leadership Training Institute

Are you raising a child who needs more health care, therapies, or educational assistance than most other children?

Do you wish you had more skills and resources to be able to talk to your child's health care providers and teachers?

Do you want to find ways to help more families in similar circumstances?

Parents and primary caregivers of children ages 3 to 19 with special health care needs are invited to participate in a special leadership training. The goals of this training are to:

  • Understand how to work with partners
  • Become aware of one's own path to leadership
  • Discover strategies for advocacy
  • Prepare a Community Service Project that impacts the community or system with the support of experienced family leaders

2025 Training Schedule

  • February 28-March 1, 2025 - Session 1: In-person in Ames (Friday afternoon to Saturday)
  • March 22, 2025 - Session 2: Virtual Saturday morning
  • April 5, 2025 - Session 3: Virtual Saturday morning
  • April 19, 2025 - Session 4: Virtual Saturday morning
  • May 10, 2025 - Advocacy Day: In-person in Des Moines
  • May 31, 2025 - Presentation Day virtual

 

Click here to apply. Application deadline January 15, 2025.

 

Click here to watch an informational video about the Iowa Family Leadership Training Institute.

Questions? Contact  diane-brenneman@uiowa.edu or rachel-charlot@uiowa.edu or allison-drew@uiowa.edu.

 

Summer 2021 Archived Webinars

July 1, 2021 - Family Leader: Stories of Hope for the Future - Click here to watch the recording.

July 8, 2021 - Leading with a Health Equity Lens - Click here to watch the recording.

July 15, 2021 - Cultural Stories from the Road - Click here to watch the recording.

July 22, 2021 - Systems Thinking - Click here to watch the recording.

July 29, 2021 - Facilitation Tips and Tricks - Click here to watch the recording.

August 5, 2021 - Shared Decision-Making: Families as Experts - Click here to watch the recording.

August 12, 2021 - Elevator Speeches for Improving Advocacy - Click here to watch the recording.

August 19, 2021 - Resonant Leadership: Letting Your Values Lead - Click here to watch the recording.

August 26, 2021 - Family Stories of Inspiration - Click here to watch the recording.

 

Summer 2020 Archived Webinars

June 26, 2020 - ​Finding Your Way in the World of Special Needs - Click here to watch the recording

July 10, 2020 - Improving Communication Skills - Click here to watch the recording

July 24, 2020 - Organizing Information - Click here to watch the recording

August 7, 2020 - Finding Reliable Resources - Click here to watch the recording

August 21, 2020 - Navigating School - Click here to watch the recording

September 18. 2020 - Exploring Care Coordination - Click here to watch the recording