2016 CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The call for proposals for two incredible events is now open! We invite you to submit a proposal to share your knowledge and passion at one or both of the following:
We are not seeking to simply host events; we aim to create experiences that inspire and empower attendees. Our goal is to find speakers that can help us create a meaningful and memorable experience. Presentations should reflect the spirit of The Arc and Inclusion International’s missions and presenters should be eager to actively engage with our networks leading up to, during, and after the event.
THE IDEAL PRESENTER:
- Is experienced in presenting to diverse audiences;
- Knowledgeable about a topic of importance to the disability community;
- Has a presentation on a topic of importance to the disability community;
- Has a presentation that is interactive and allows attendees to contribute their perspectives (we encourage all presenters to have an interactive component in their presentation);
- Shares concrete examples of actions that attendees can take back to their country or region;
- Is able to incorporate the event theme into the session; and
- Has a desire to not only present on a topic but be an active participant in our events, making lasting connections that can serve the disability community globally.
The 2016 NCE Summer Leadership Institute
The 2016 NCE Summer Leadership Institute brings together The Arc’s chapter leaders to work through the disability and nonprofit sector’s biggest challenges and engage in substantive discussion and knowledge sharing while networking with leaders at the forefront of disability issues.
For leaders and practitioners in the I/DD field, person-centered planning is a well-recognized and oft-used maxim for how we approach our work with people with I/DD. But there is growing discontent among many in the person-centered planning community that the work many organizations are engaged in is not representative of true person-centered thinking. Join us as we explore this issue and address other questions that include:
- What are the implications of maintaining traditional service-centered models in an era of federally mandated person-centered supports and services?
- What are the necessary skills leaders must have to better align organizational mission and practice with authentic person-centered principles, values, and practices?
- How do we as leaders keep our organizations at the forefront of leading change?
- How are resources used to create truly person-centered, community-based supports/networks, and experiences?
- What are promising practices in research, advocacy, programs, and policy?
Those are just some of the questions we seek to explore this July in Palm Springs, California.
We invite proposals for breakout sessions from community leaders, self-advocates, researchers, professional providers, and policy advocates addressing one (or more) of the following topics:
Access to Justice | Building Strong Organizations | Community Inclusion/Deinstitutionalization | Development | Employment | Future Planning and Person Centered Planning | Grassroots Advocacy | Health | Intimacy | Public Policy | Supporting Families | Technology
In addition to the opportunity to engage in productive dialogue, we are also looking to provide attendees workshops offering skill building and tools to take back to their organizations. Proposals are being accepted for 2-hour sessions offering replicable and evidence-based tools in the following areas:
Person-Centered Planning | Use of Social Media | Grassroots Advocacy | Attracting/Retaining DSPs | Board|/Governance | Policy (State and Local) | Diversity, Inclusion and Cultural Competence | Quality Assurance and Measurement | Research to Practice
SELECTION TIMELINE FOR THE NCE SUMMER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
| Action Item |
Description |
Deadline |
| Submit Proposal |
Provide working title, short description, delivery style, outcomes, etc. |
Friday, March 18, 2016 |
| Final Decision |
Notifications sent to submitters |
During the week of April 4, 2016 |
The 2016 National Convention and International Forum
This year’s theme is “Shaping the Future: Today’s Challenges, Tomorrow’s Opportunities.” The 2016 National Convention and International Forum provides a unique opportunity to bring The Arc together with Inclusion International for a global conversation about best practices, struggles, successes, and hopes for the future of supports and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families.
While systems vary across geography, today’s challenges faced by people with I/DD and their families are universal: future planning, community integration, education, housing, employment, self-determination, access to justice, advocacy, empowerment of self-advocates, health disparities, and preparing practitioners, to name a few. The Arc and Inclusion International have long stood together at the forefront of advocacy for the human rights of people with I/DD around the world.
With over 660 chapters of The Arc in the United States and over 200 member federations in 115 countries represented by Inclusion International, we are uniquely positioned to identify issues, seek and implement solutions, and raise global awareness of the challenges facing people with I/DD as they strive to realize their place as equal participants and valued citizens in all aspects of community life.
Our organizations work diligently to address these challenges, approaching them as opportunities to effectively meet the needs of a diverse, ever-changing, international I/DD community. Questions we’d like to explore in Orlando include:
- What are the skills professionals need to support the changing landscape in services and supports?
- How do we effectively support emerging leaders and champions?
- What are some of the cutting-edge promising practices being explored and how can they be replicated?
- What is new in the evidence base about supports and services?
- How can our organizations continue to effectively meet the issues facing people with I/DD and their families?
- How can we strengthen our global voice to shape the future and open opportunities to educate, empower, and energize the movement?
- How is research informing advocacy, practice, and policy?
We invite proposals for breakout sessions from families, self-advocates, community leaders, researchers, professional providers, and policy advocates which will address one (or more) of the following topics:
Access to Justice | Building Strong Organizations | Community Inclusion/Deinstitutionalization | Development | Employment | Future Planning and Person Centered Planning | Grassroots Advocacy | Health | Intimacy | Public Policy | Supporting Families | Technology
SELECTION TIMELINE FOR THE NATIONAL CONVENTION AND INTERNATIONAL FORUM
| Action Item |
Description |
Deadline |
| Submit Proposal |
Provide working title, short description, delivery style, outcomes, etc. |
Friday, April 15, 2016 |
| Final Decision |
Notifications sent to submitters |
During the week of May 16, 2016 |
Thank you for your interest and your work to advance the rights of individuals with I/DD!
DOWNLOAD SUGGESTED TOPIC AREA DESCRIPTIONS
DOWNLOAD SELECTION PROCESS DETAILS 
