Family Connection Academy Needs You!

Are you a parent, grandparent or sibling that has done an incredible job with your relative with special needs and is ready to take the next step as a leader for other families currently going through what you have experienced? Family Connection of South Carolina (FCSC) would like to invite you to be a part of the inaugural Family Connection Academy. Family Connection is a parent-to-parent organization that believes in the principle that parents/relatives with shared experiences are uniquely qualified to help each other. This Academy is for parents or immediate relatives who are strong leaders or advocates, and desire to enhance their knowledge base on important issues like insurance and statewide resources. You will receive special parent driven training to equip you with even more information and skills and to build on your already established leadership abilities.

FCSC will select only 30 parents/relatives statewide to attend the Academy. Anyone interested in participating in the Academy is required to submit an application (see attachment) and provide references. We see this as an incredibly important volunteer endeavor that could greatly multiply the capacity of parents supporting other parents in our many rural communities and across our state.

The first two-day training will be in conjunction with our ‘Of Hopes and Dreams Conference’ on February 22-23, 2008. FCSC will cover the expenses for all meals, travel and hotel. The only expense Academy participants will need to pay is the registration fee for the conference on Saturday, February 23^rd ($30).

Please call or e-mail W.C. Hoecke (parent of child with Down syndrome) at 800-578-8750 / wchoecke@familyconnectionSC.org for more information. All applications must be received in the FCSC office by Friday, January 21, 2008.

We are very grateful for all parents that dedicate their life to improving the lives of our greatest gifts. If you are not able to participate, but know another person who would fit perfectly with this opportunity please pass along the information.

Click on the following link or cut and paste into your web-browser for the application:

http://www.familyconnectionsc.org/public/files/docs/PARENT_INFORMATION_FORM.doc