MADISON — The Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (BPDD) is excited to launch the Internship Application for the of the Wisconsin Disability Policy Program, an innovative paid experience to empower people with developmental disabilities and their family members to engage in policy advocacy and leadership. This program is funded by the Inclusa Foundation, with an aim to foster inclusive communities.
BPDD is dedicated to improving the independence and inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in all aspects of community life. Through advocacy, capacity building, and systemic change, BPDD works to ensure that individuals with disabilities are valued and included in their communities. The new project fits perfectly within the agency’s goals.
The Wisconsin Disability Policy Internship aims to train future leaders by equipping people with the knowledge and skills necessary to impact disability policy and advocate for change through a short-term (4-6 month) part-time paid internships. This program focuses on professional development, offering valuable work experience and mentoring to create early career-level opportunities in the disability policy and advocacy field. By fostering a better statewide understanding of disability issues, the program seeks to expand inclusive policies in Wisconsin.
“We are excited to launch the Internship application and expand the number of people with disabilities and family members in the state who are equipped to pursue disability policy careers,” said BPDD Executive Director, Beth Swedeen. “Our goal is to develop the next generation of disability policy advocates.”
BPDD will begin accepting applications for the Wisconsin Disability Policy Internship on October 1, 2024, with an application deadline of October 28, 2024, at 5 p.m. The internships provide people with disabilities and their family members the opportunity to develop their skills in policy analysis, advocacy, and leadership. Interns will work closely with experienced mentors and have access to a range of professional development opportunities.
The Board will offer an informational session on October 9 from 12-1 p.m. People interested can register at Informational Session Registration.
Please visit WI Disability Policy Leadership Program – Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities (wi-bpdd.org) for the application or contact Sally Flaschberger at sally.flaschberger@wisconsin.
