Learn more about what it means to be a Va-LEND Trainee in the video below!
Are you interested in being a Va-LEND Trainee? Email valend@vcu.edu for more information.
About Va-LEND
Va-LEND is an online interdisciplinary leadership training program offered through the Partnership of People with Disabilities within the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Education. The Va-LEND program is part of a larger network of 60 other LEND programs across the nation, which are federally funded through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The Va-LEND faculty represent 16 disciplines from 6 Schools at VCU and the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Longwood University.
The interdisciplinary program provides 12-24 months of interactive seminars, clinical and community-based practice, planned community grassroots, and systems level policy activities, and a family mentorship experience. The curriculum emphasizes all aspects of neurodevelopmental and related disabilities, social and family environments across the life course, the interdisciplinary approach, leadership, and research and includes:
- Interactive Seminars
- Clinical and Community-based experiences
- Family Mentorship Experience
- Grassroots and Systems Level Policy Activities
Learn more about the three different LEND tracks here: Long-Term Academic, Long-Term Non-Academic, and Advanced Medium-Term Track.
Long Term Academic
- Enroll in 12 credit hours of graduate classes and get a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Disability Leadership.
- Trainees must attend classes on Wednesdays from 4:30-7:00PM. With additional work during the week.
- Length of Time: 300 hours, completed in 1 or 2 academic years.
- Requirements for Admission: Have an undergraduate degree and work in the field of Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Family, or Self Advocate. OR are currently enrolled in a Master's or Doctoral program at VCU.
Long Term Non-Academic
- Do not enroll in classes.
- Trainees have an individualized program
- Trainees work with their advisors to develop a training and clinical experience plan that yields the required number of hours.
- Length of Time: 300 hours completed in 1 or 2 academic years.
- Requirement for Admission: Work in a Va-LEND Discipline, Family, or Self Advocate.
Advanced Medium Term
- Trainees have an individualized program.
- They do not enroll in classes.
- Trainees work with their advisors to develop a training and clinical experience plan that yields the required number of hours.
- Length of Time: 300 hours completed in 1 or 2 academic years.
- Requirement for Admission: Work in a Va-LEND Discipline, Family, or Self Advocate.
We accept applicants for the following disciplines:
- Audiology
- Education/Special Education
- Family Member
- Genetic Counseling
- Law
- Medicine
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Occupational Therapy
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Physical Therapy
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Self Advocates
- Social Work
- Speech-Language Pathology