Barbara Popper Family Leadership Institute

The Institute is a collaborative, action-oriented experience—so space is limited. But don’t worry, we’ll include as many people as we can! We’re not looking for just one “type” of person. In fact, we want a mix of people with different skills and experiences who can learn from and support one another.

To build that kind of group, we need to get to know you. That’s why part of the process includes conversations with potential participants.

First Cohort Timeline
Applications are open now through July 27, 2025
Everyone who applies by the deadline will hear from us by August 1, 2025
Interviews for selected applicants will take place between August 1 and August 8

Final invitations to join the cohort will be sent by August 15, 2025
If you aren’t selected this time, please don’t be discouraged! We’d love for you to apply again. The next application round is expected to open in October 2025. You can also sign up for our mailing list to get updates about the Institute.

Questions or need help with your application?
Reach out to Meghan Chapman at mchapman@fcsn.org—she’s happy to help!

As a participant, you will gain the knowledge and hands-on experience you need to become an effective changemaker—working collectively with a cohort of participants to shape policies, programs, and practices that affect students with disabilities across the state of Massachusetts.

With your cohort, you will work toward improving a real issue. This is not a passive learning experience. Focusing on a shared purpose, you will gain experience with collaboration, build on each other’s skills, and strengthen your own. Everyone who participates has made a commitment to dedicating their time and talent to enact change.

The institute includes 36 hours of instruction plus activities to complete individually and with your team. Session topics include:

• Foundational knowledge on relevant special education laws and policies
• Types of advocacy
• Problem identification
• Power mapping
• Goal setting
• Project management skills
• Communication skills
• Teamwork and leadership skills
• Campaign planning
• Coalition building

Through interactive learning, teamwork, mentorship, and guidance from experts, informed advocates will become powerful leaders, capable of creating lasting change to systems. You will also build your network and connect with established leaders, community organizers and systems-level experts.

This Institute is very action-driven. The goal is to learn what you need to know to take action as a group, now and over time. In addition to attending workshops, participants will have opportunities to discuss content, network with each other, create action plans, and take advocacy actions.

The first Leadership Institute cohort will launch Saturday, September 20, 2025 with an in-person session, and there will be 3 additional in-person Saturday sessions. There will also be an in-person Graduation on Saturday, December 13, 2025.

All in-person sessions will be held at the Federation for Children with Special Needs’ offices at the Schrafft Building in Charlestown, MA. The rest of the sessions will be held on Zoom, on Wednesday evenings from 6-8pm.

Full Schedule

• Saturday, September 20  |  8:30am–2pm |  in-person session (Charlestown, MA)
• Wednesday, September 24 | 6–8pm | Zoom session
• Wednesday, October 1 | 6–8pm | Zoom session
• Wednesday, October 8 | 6–8pm | Zoom session
• Saturday, October 11 | 8:30am–2pm | in-person session (Charlestown, MA)
• Wednesday, October 15 | 6–8pm | Zoom Session
• Wednesday, October 22 | 6–8pm | Zoom Session
• Wednesday, October 29 | 6–8pm | Zoom Session
• Saturday, November 1 | 8:30am–2pm | in-person session (Charlestown, MA)
• Wednesday, November 5 | 6–8pm | Zoom Session
• Wednesday, November 12 | 6–8pm | Zoom Session
• Wednesday, November 19 | 6–8pm | Zoom Session

No Sessions Thanksgiving Week

• Wednesday, December 3 | 6–8pm | Zoom Session
• Saturday, December 6  | 8:30am–2pm | in-person session (Charlestown, MA)
• Wednesday, December 10 | 6–8pm | Zoom Session

In-Person Graduation & Coalition Launch:
Saturday, December 13 — 10am-12pm 

The Barbara Popper Family Leadership Institute seeks a diverse group of Massachusetts caregivers from around the state.

• Participants must be the parent or primary caregiver responsible for day-to-day care for children or youth ages 3-21 who have special health care needs. Special health care needs can be medical, behavioral, developmental. You are warmly welcomed if you have a child with any disability that requires specialized supports.
• Our 2025-26 Institute will be held in English. Therefore, participants must be comfortable with written and spoken English.
• Participants must be able to commit to attending four in-person Saturday sessions in Charlestown and 14 virtual sessions.
• All participants must have reliable access to transportation and technology in order to access required Zoom sessions.
• Participants must be willing and able to dedicate 16 hours per month during the session
• Participants must commit to continued collaboration with members of the cohort for eight months following the program’s completion. (The structure and time commitment will be decided upon by participants. )

The cost to participate is as follows:

• Parents: $295
• Professionals: $350

In addition, you will need to provide your transportation and arrange for childcare during scheduled sessions. We will provide refreshments on in-person days.

Because we have limited seats in each cohort, we do not offer refunds after the start of the course.

We have a limited number of need-based scholarships for parents and caregivers of children and youth with disabilities, provided on a first come, first serve basis.  Please contact Meghan Chapman at mchapman@fcsn.org for more information.

Optional internships are available to those who complete the Institute and wish to assist the coalition as it continues its work beyond graduation. Interns will be scheduled to provide 25 hours of assistance in the four months after graduation.

The coalition continues!

All applicants are required to commit to working on their cohort’s shared purpose for a total of 12 months (with varying intensity) to create the changes you collaboratively decided upon. The goal of the institute is to create leaders who are ready to take action and make change. More about the shared purpose for each cohort will be discussed during the interview process.

In 1971, Barbara Popper founded Children in Hospitals, a non profit organization that advocated for the rights of parents with hospitalized children. She continued this work as a Project Director for The Federation for Children with Special Needs, forming the Family Voices program with fellow advocate Nora Wells.

Barbara and Nora were instrumental in establishing the legal right of parents to stay with their children at the hospital. Working in coalition with other parent leaders, they helped to shift the culture of healthcare from one that devalued parents’ insights to one that actively pursues partnerships with families.

The Barbara Popper Family Leadership Institute is supported by the Barbara Popper Foundation. Our work is guided by Barbara’s belief in the power of parent and caregiver advocacy. She said:

“There are parents who call us every day seeking support and information- often distraught as they tell their stories of dealing with medical systems and school systems that simply won’t respond to the needs of their families. They call because their instincts tell them to persist, to be tenacious, and to keep trying to help get what their child needs, but they have been met with policies, programs, and attitudes that confound and block them. What they need is affirmation that their instincts are good and that as parents they can trust those instincts as they work with those systems.”