What is PARedu?
PAR is dedicated to enhancing lives by empowering providers and other stakeholders in Intellectual Disability and Autism services by delivering high-quality learning opportunities rooted in exceptional training and continuous development. At the heart of this commitment is PARedu—an innovative platform offering a comprehensive suite of educational trainings, professional development programs, and informative webinars.
Designed specifically for stakeholders in the Intellectual Disability/Autism (ID/A) field, PARedu equips professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to provide outstanding person-centered care support and services. Led by subject matter experts, our dynamic learning opportunities cover essential topics like Leadership Development; Person-Centered Approaches; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and emerging trends and best practices in the ID/A community.
By investing in education and professional growth, PAR is building stronger, more inclusive communities where individuals with ID/A can truly thrive.
Click here for a list of past trainings.
Interested in becoming a part of the PARedu lineup? Fill out the below PARedu Proposal Form.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Freeing Individuals to Live Their Most Independent Lives
Thursday // August 14
9:30 am - 12:30 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Do you feel like, sometimes, your staff create more dependence than independence?
We all know that the goal for the individuals we serve is to increase independence through skill acquisition, but in those day to day moments when decisions are made and supports provided, the needle sometimes doesn’t move any closer to independence, if it moves at all.
In this workshop agency leaders will learn how to teach staff to support individuals in ways that:
- Expand Individuals’ independence
- Empower individuals to develop decision making skills
- End unnecessary dependence on staff
- Make it clear when success is achieved (both for the individual and the staff)
- Support staff to create a full company culture of empowering individuals
This training is designed for trainers, frontline supervisors, managers, directors, and executives.
 Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors.
Healthy Meal Planning
Tuesday // September 9
9:30 am - 12:30 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
We recognize nutrition as the foundation of good health and as the source of sufficient energy to power through our days, yet we often don't give sufficient time or attention to planning and preparing healthy meals. The typical American diet is recognized as too high in sugar, sodium, and carbs, and too lacking in fruits, vegetables, and lean protein.
We ask our Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) to assist individuals to prepare healthy meals, but we don't often give DSPs the instructions they need in order to accomplish that task. The result is that DSPs can only implement their own personal meal practices, and if those practices are not in line with federal healthy eating standards, individuals do not have access to the benefits of a healthy diet.
The result is that individuals are often eating the same things repeatedly, meals are not balanced, individuals do not have access to the best possible health, and they don't experience the full enjoyment and benefit of healthy foods.
In this hands-on, train-the-trainer style workshop participants will learn:
- The basics of healthy meal planning - how to create a diverse menu, shop, and prepare meals based on an individual's preferences and a budget
- How give the individuals you serve the maximum level of ownership possible over their own meal planning and preparation, and subsequently their health
- How to accommodate busy schedules into the meal planning process
- How to develop expectations for staff around meal planning and incorporate those expectations into your agency's internal QA process
- And more...
This training is designed for trainers, frontline supervisors, managers and other stakeholders.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors.
How to Have Difficult Discussions and Productive Conflict Part II
Monday // September 15
9:30 - 11:30 am EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Conflict resolution and management is an essential skill of any leader. For an organization to grow and thrive, diverse opinions and thoughts must be welcomed and encouraged. These diverse opinions and thoughts will often result in conflict. Will this conflict propel your organization forward or bring it down?
Learning Objectives:
- Learn tactics and methods that promote and support healthy and productive conflict
- Learn the HEAT method to turn down the temperature of difficult situations
- Learn the DESC method (Describe, Express, Specify and Consequences) to hold someone accountable in under three minutes
- Learn how to be aware of your body language, tone and overall presence so you may cultivate “Cowboy Energy”
- Learn how to create effective communication expectations where your staff feels safe to say what is on their minds in a respectful manner while recognizing that difficult discussions are an essential part of any healthy organization
HRCI and SHRM CEUs will be offered for this training.
This training will be recorded and shared with all registrants. The recording will be valid for 30 days!
Developing a Positive Culture for Staff and Individuals
Monday // September 29
9:30 - 11:30 am EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
A high quality, positive culture is critical for your Agency’s success. In this post pandemic world filled with staff recruitment and retention issues and general societal negativity, it has become imperative to have a culture which is positive, supportive, and responsive. A culture YOU and your Staff brag about to family, friends, stakeholders and others!
In this training, participants will learn how to:
- Teach staff the “true value” of their efforts.
- Design positive messaging to Staff.
- Create a daily positive interaction diet.
- Construct an “OREO” communication message to ensure positive messaging is used when Individuals are the focus.
- Take care of self during the “stressful” times.
- Use the three secrets of positive engagement with Individuals and other stakeholders.
- Avoid the five “no-no’s”!
HRCI and SHRM CEUs will be offered for this training.
This training will be recorded and shared with all registrants. The recording will be valid for 30 days!
Stinkers! How to Motivate, Manage, and Deal with Difficult and Toxic Staff Members
Monday // October 20
9:30 - 11:30 am EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Discover effective strategies for managing 'Stinkers'—employees whose toxic behaviors negatively impact your organization. This session provides insights on navigating challenging attitudes and fostering a positive work environment with proven effective methods.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify characteristics of difficult employees and understand their impact on workplace culture.
- Learn strategies to motivate and improve the behavior of challenging employees.
- Develop skills to manage difficult employees in a manner that is both empathetic and effective.
HRCI and SHRM CEUs will be offered for this training.
This training will be recorded and shared with all registrants. The recording will be valid for 30 days!
Improving Inclusive Relationships Skills with Cultural Humility
Thursday // October 23
9:30 am - 12:30 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Interpersonal relationships can affect organizational engagement, performance, and culture. Given the influential impact they are, many leaders struggle with communicating with people who don’t look or think like them. In this workshop, we’ll introduce the concept of cultural humility. Cultural Humility is a philosophy where you meet people where they are at, don't make assumptions about someone based on their identity, and understand the power balances in relationships. Approaching this philosophy can improve interpersonal relationships between your employees.
How to Effectively Navigate Confrontation
Monday // November 3
9:30 - 11:30 am EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
A not so secret, secret – CONFLICT permeates our lives! From mild disagreements to “finger pointing” hostility, we deal with conflict all the time. Most persons avoid conflict like the flu or a root canal, yet conflict can be constructive, informative and manageable! Are there ways to positively deal with conflict and can we manage it – YES, THERE ARE, AND YES, WE CAN!!!!
Learning Objectives:
- What conflict is and what it is not!
- The three (3) types of disagreement.
- To identify conflicts in their present positions.
- How to respond objectively and positively to conflict.
- Five (5) general conflict concepts.
- How to use the four (4) steps of conflict resolution!
- Five (5) tips when managing conflict situations.
- Three (3) strategies to use to reduce/prevent workplace conflict.
HRCI and SHRM CEUs will be offered for this training.
This training will be recorded and shared with all registrants. The recording will be valid for 30 days!
Appreciology
Tuesday // December 9
9:30 - 11:30 am EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Nearly 40% of staff report leaving their jobs because of feeling “underappreciated!” The old styles of leadership are no longer effective given a new staff generation, new technologies and new issues never before encountered. Through a seriously humorous presentation Mr. Speaks and Dr. Greg will discuss the art and science of appreciation which will assist in expanding your LEADERSHIP TOOL KIT!
Learning Objectives:
- The six (6) principles of appreciation.
- Four (4) practical ways to demonstrate appreciation.
- How to hold staff accountable while using appreciative techniques.
- How to appreciate and assist with recruitment, retention and agency reputation.
HRCI and SHRM CEUs will be offered for this training.
This training will be recorded and shared with all registrants. The recording will be valid for 30 days!
Creating an Equitable Staff Retention Plan
Thursday // December 18
9:30 am - 12:30 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Unfortunately, our sector continues to struggle with staff retention even though we know that retention strategies result in cost-effective and impactful outcomes for the agency. However, if staff retention does not take into consideration employee needs and equity issues, the retention might not be as influential and may unintentionally cause more harm than good. In this workshop, join us as we explore why staff retention plans fail and don’t center on diversity, equity, and inclusion. We’ll also explore frameworks and strategies that you can implement, focusing on employee needs, strengths, and inclusion.
Activating and Empowering Your Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Thursday // February 12
9:30 am - 12:30 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Employees who embrace their strengths are proven to be more engaged, productive, and authentic in the workplace. We know that not everyone is the same and learns in the same way. This is crucial for your diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) committee members. For your committee to achieve its goals, strategies, and objectives, ensuring they can capitalize on its strengths can lead to enhanced DEI success.
Creating an Inclusive Organizational DEIB Change Management Plan
Thursday // April 9
9:30 am - 12:30 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is complex change, and complex change requires intention, vision, engagement, and a plan. In addition, DEI may evoke strong emotions that could derail the process. In this session, we will delve into how human services professionals can develop a trauma-informed and inclusive action plan to achieve their DEIB goals. Regardless of your position in your organization, you can walk away with ideas on how you can plan for DEI success in the new year.
PARedu Trainings are an initiative of Pennsylvania Advocacy and Resources for Autism and Intellectual Disability, a 501(c)3 organization.
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