You advocate in your state to improve state and local systems for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and their families. Now you can build skills to take your advocacy to the national level.
Join Family Voices for the Julie Beckett Policy Academy, a year-long online national leadership program designed to help youth and adult advocates develop national-level advocacy skills and pave a path to influencing national policies and systems.
What You’ll Learn
Through 12 interactive online sessions, you’ll:
- Build on previous leadership training.
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- Extend your family and youth leadership development experiences from programs like YASA, LEND, and Family-to-Family Health Information Centers (F2Fs).
- Strengthen your foundational understanding of advocacy and policy work.
- Expand from state to national advocacy.
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- Stretch from engaging in state-level policy efforts to understanding and influencing national policy.
- Unify state and national voices and purpose among advocates (“from the state ‘we’ to the national ‘we’”).
- Develop policy and advocacy skills to:
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- Understand and navigate the policy and political environment.
- Use research and personal stories to drive change.
- Build coalitions and develop strategies.
- Design and promote legislation.
- Receive structured learning and peer support with opportunities to learn from others.
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- Participate in 8 learning sessions and 4 peer-to-peer communities of practice over a 12-month period.
- Prepare to influence national outcomes.
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- Get the tools and confidence to engage with national stakeholders and legislative processes.
- Practice real world advocacy situations to promote policy change at the national level.
Program Highlights
- January to December 2027
- 12 monthly 90-minute online sessions with about one hour of work between sessions
- A supportive community of national leaders and advocates
- Opportunity to develop your own policy and legislative proposals and advocacy strategies
What You’ll Gain
- Practical skills for influencing national policy
- Connections with other youth and family advocates with similar experiences
- Tools and strategies to help improve policies and systems for families
- A clearer path for growing your leadership and exploring new opportunities
- Greater confidence to meet with federal policymakers and leaders
- A certificate of completion and a tangible plan to advocate for a policy of your choice
- Access to the Family Voices network and partners to learn about future advocacy and engagement opportunities
Who Should Apply?
Youth, young adult, or adult advocates with disabilities or special health care needs who:
- Have previous experience advocating for policy changes at the state level
- Want to grow as an advocate for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) and their families
- Are interested in moving to national-level advocacy
- Want to connect with like-minded advocates
About Family Voices
Family Voices is a family-led organization that transforms systems of care to work better for all children and youth, especially those with special health care needs or disabilities. By putting families at the forefront and centering their leadership and lived expertise, we build a culture that includes everyone and fosters equitable outcomes.
How to Apply
- Fill out our application: [will be available in September 2026]
- Application deadline will be in November.
- We will notify applicants by mid-December.
Questions?
Email Wesley Wei, wwei@familyvoices.org
