Calling all families with a child under the age of 18 who has a disability!
Would you be willing to share your day-to-day experiences with a future leader? Willing to help make a difference in the experience of a LEND Trainee? Will you consider becoming a LEND Host Family?
What Is The LEND Program?
The Center for Disabilities Studies at the University of Delaware was awarded funding to begin a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) Program. This program brings together trainees from a number of disciplines to learn with and from each other with the goal of becoming providers of interdisciplinary, culturally competent, and family centered services.
LEND Trainees will have a year of diverse learning experiences through this special Center for Disabilities program. Included in the training is a very special segment called “A Day In Our Life,” which connects Trainees with families who have children with disabilities.
Trainees will spend 15-20 hours throughout the program connecting with families where at least one member is a child with a neurodevelopmental disability.
The primary purpose of these times together is to enable LEND Trainees to better know and understand these families, thus helping the Trainees to become more sensitized to the circumstances families encounter when raising their children with disabilities.
Who is a LEND Host Family?
A LEND Host Family welcomes a LEND Trainee into their home and provides the Trainee with an “up close and personal” view of their family life. These times together can occur where ever the host family spends time, including at home, at doctor or other healthcare visits, at school, as well as in the community.
To become a host family, one must meet the following requirements:
- Include a child under 18 who has a neurodevelopmental disability.
- Be able to attend a short orientation session.
- Be willing to open your lives and homes to a LEND Trainee.
- Allow and respond to Trainee questions about your experiences.
- Allow the Trainee to take pictures or short video clips that will be included in a reflection assignment.
Note: Pictures and videos will not be shared outside the LEND program.
Host families who complete the Day-To-Day experience will receive $400 as a token of gratitude for your participation as a Host Family.
Can You Help the LEND Program?
If you are interested in becoming a Host Family and help shape the family-centered perspective of an up-and-coming professional, please complete the LEND Family Application Form and return to:
Beth Mineo, Center for Disabilities Studies LEND Co-Director
University of Delaware
461 Wyoming Road
Newark, DE 19716
If any questions, please contact Beth Mineo directly at (302) 831-1589 or via email at mineo@udel.edu.