National Training Initiative

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It is well documented that the United States is becoming an increasingly racially and ethnically diverse country. By 2050 there will be no ethnic majority in the United States (U.S.). There is a need to ensure that the disability community keeps pace with and is responsive to the rapidly changing demographics of the country and the UCEDDs should play a critical role in such an effort. The DD Act recognizes the important role that UCEDDs play in enhancing the diversity of the workforce, requiring that UCEDDs enhance efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented groups at all levels in order to respond to the needs of nation’s burgeoning diverse communities. It is essential now more than ever to ensure that UCEDDs are well positioned to address the unprecedented growth of diverse communities, including the growth in the number of people with disabilities, to ensure the future yields prosperity for all. To this end, UCEDDs need to know how to align their training programs and overall UCEDD organizational framework to truly reflect and respond to our nation’s rich diversity. AIDD plans to award on a competitive basis a one-year National Training Initiative grant to create a blueprint for the national network of UCEDDs that will enhance the overall diversity of the workforce and promote - through training - cultural competence at all levels. The goal for this project is to identify for the national network of UCEDDs an overall vision and goal for and strategies and structures that can be implemented to enhance diversity through training. It is anticipated that the project will engage key national organizations including the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and organizations representing culturally and linguistically diverse populations to provide a foundation for implementing the blueprint in the future.

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