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 the Intellectual Disability/Autism (ID/A) field, PARedu equips professionals and other stakeholders 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 and Supports; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and emerging trends and best practices in the ID/A community.
PAR offers training in collaboration with the Alabama Service Providers Association (ASPA) and the Tennessee Community Organizations (TNCO). By investing in education and professional growth, we are 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
Management Skills Basics - Supervisor Bootcamp
Wednesday // January 28
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Agencies serving individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism remain faced with significant challenges in recruiting and retaining a new generation of staff. National turnover rates range from 40% to 70%, making service continuity and quality difficult at best. A major variable in staff retention is the quality of your frontline supervisors. Do they have the basic skills to help minimize turnover or have they been “thrown” into their positions with little training? In this dynamic and humorous training, staff will learn the basics of supervision, characteristics of positive supervision, how to handle conflicts and behavioral correction, and more.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
 Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Top 25 Strategies to Support Individuals to Live Their Best Lives (New!)
Tuesday // February 3
9:00 am - 12:30 pm EST // In-Person
BOLD, 2595 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17110
Speaker Bio
Is your support building skills…or dependence?
We all know that the goal for the individuals we serve is to increase independence through skill acquisition. But in the day-to-day moments when decisions matter the most, the needle toward independence often stays stuck.
The minutes of life are passing, individuals aren’t growing, and outcomes aren’t being reached.
In this training, staff will learn how to:
- Expand individual independence…and make life so much more exciting!
- Teach choice…then get out of the way
- Stop doing for individuals that they can learn to do for themselves…and have an easier workday!
- Plan for risk, without panicking about it
- Spot success and celebrate it!
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors.
Implementing Recruitment Strategies to Engage Diverse Audiences
Thursday // February 12
10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Recruiting should be a comprehensive strategy that includes human resources, marketing, and leadership. In order to truly attract talent from a diverse talent pool, especially at the leadership level, develop a comprehensive recruiting strategy. In this workshop, attendees will:
- Learn how to track and prioritize demographics
- Develop creative strategies to conduct outreach and recruitment
- Explore community partnerships to support your recruiting and other organizational goals.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
How to Have Difficult Conversations and Productive Conflict. The Good, The Bad, and the Total Train-Wrecks
Friday // February 27
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
As a leader, or soon to be leader, you must know how to successfully navigate conflict and how to have difficult discussions that are productive. Let’s face it, most people hate conflict! The thought of disciplining someone makes your palms sweat and your heart pound so loud you can hear it in your ears! Conflict and difficult discussions can be hard! Yet, to be a successful leader you must learn how to handle conflict and embrace difficult discussions. We will show you how!
In this session participants will learn:
How to Deal with Difficult People
- How to Confront and Address Undesirable Employee Behavior
- How to model behavior that others will WANT to follow
- How to clearly communicate and reinforce the behavior that you desire
Examples and role play scenarios will be presented around issues such as call off/scheduling conflicts, not wanting to take individuals served out on an outing (because it’s too hot, too far, too inconvenient), not respecting individuals' rights, punctuality, and non-compliance with documentation.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Frontline Supervisor Training - Two Day
Wednesday & Thursday // March 11 & 12
10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
You’ve just received a big promotion, a new set of keys, access to approve timesheets, and an eager team to supervise, educate, support, and lead. Problem is, nobody’s shown you how. As a frontline supervisor you are a pivotal link in the service delivery chain and the key to your organization’s effectiveness. (No pressure.) You are now completely responsible for the performance of your team, regulatory compliance, translating instructions from upper management, and staff development, all while performing a multitude of administrative tasks and helping to ensure the health and welfare of those we serve. Chances are, you could use a few new tools in your management toolbox. In these two half-days of hands-on training with Sara Sherman, supervisors will:
- Learn the 10 Fundamentals of Supervision
- Discover the secret to finding and addressing the root cause of performance issues
- Identify their own supervisory strengths and vulnerabilities
- Understand two of the most challenging employee personality types, and learn how to stop them in their tracks
- Leave with a written Supervisory Success Outline
This training is a 6-hour training split over two days. Attendees should plan on attending both days of this two-day, two-part training.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Change is Hard! How to Overcome Organizational Resistance to Important Change (New Class!)
Thursday // March 19
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Explore effective strategies for managing organizational resistance to change. This session offers techniques to communicate changes clearly and implement them in ways that encourage acceptance and ownership by staff members.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify common reasons for resistance to change within organizations.
- Develop clear communication strategies to articulate changes to staff.
- Implement change in a way that promotes staff acceptance, ownership, and engagement.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Creating a Psychologically Safe Organization
Thursday // April 9
10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Despite many well-intentional leaders and a strong commitment to inclusion and belonging, many organizations still struggle with advancing initiatives and creating change to positively impact their organization. A main cause of the struggle: psychological safety. All employees, clients, and community members must feel safe discussing essential issues affecting the agency, providing feedback, learning from their mistakes, and suggesting new ideas. Providers attending this workshop will learn what psychological safety is, strategies to increase it, the benefits for organizations, and resources to help your organization navigate tough topics.
Learning Objectives:
- Understanding of psychological safety and its benefits for the organization
- Discover practical strategies to increase the different types of psychological safety
- Practice and apply these skills in engaging activities
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Creating an Internal Compliance Plan - Two Days
Tuesday & Wednesday // April 14 & 15
10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
You know the rules, and your team is trained on the expectations; but your organization still struggles with compliance. There are too many panic moments, too much chaos, and internal and external audits reveal errors. How can this be?
The problem is that you don’t have an effective internal quality assurance system.
With an effective internal QA system, you will:
- Catch errors quickly…before they become big problems.
- Quickly return to your QA system after an emergency or crisis. (Never get permanently derailed again.)
- Use a straightforward system of checks and balances to maintain compliance and catch errors, instead of just relying on 1 or 2 key personnel.
- Practically eliminate the new staff learning curve that inherently creates risk for your agency.
- Meet the compliance requirement of having an internal compliance system.
In this training participants will map out a high-level compliance blueprint that can easily be adapted for each agency’s unique needs.
This training is a 6-hour training split over two days. Attendees should plan on attending both days of this two-day, two-part training.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Boomer Said What? How to Manage, Motivate, and Communicate with Diverse Generations
Wednesday // April 22
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
"Boomer said What?" Attendees will discover the defining characteristics of different age groups, master effective communication strategies tailored to each, and learn motivational techniques that transcend generational divides. This session promises to dismantle age stereotypes, fostering enhanced team collaboration and cooperation in a fun, interactive setting.
Learning Objectives:
- Dismantling age centered stereotypes.
- Enhance team collaboration.
- Improve communication between generations.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Recognizing and Reporting Abuse (New!)
Wednesday // April 29
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
This session crosswalks to the NADSP competency area of “Direct Support”.
This class empowers professionals to protect the safety, rights, and dignity of individuals they support by strengthening their ability to recognize and respond to abuse, neglect, maltreatment, and rights violations. Participants will learn to actively observe staff interactions and service environments through an advocacy lens, identify early warning signs, and take immediate, appropriate action to safeguard individuals. The training emphasizes clear understanding and application of reporting requirements, while centering the voices, rights, and well-being of participants before, during, and after an incident, reinforcing a culture of protection and responsibility. In this session, participants will learn the following:
- Recognize indicators of neglect, maltreatment, or rights violations.
- Actively observe staff interactions and environments with an advocacy lens.
- Take immediate, appropriate actions to safeguard participants.
- Apply legal and organizational reporting requirements.
- Support individuals’ voices and rights during and after incidents.
- Model advocacy and accountability for their teams.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
How to Create a Year's Worth of Meaningful Activities on Just a Few Interests
Tuesday // May 5
10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Is everybody a little bored?
Does it seem like the individuals you serve end up doing the same activities week in and week out?
Is it a struggle to come up with new ideas to keep life fresh and interesting for the individuals you serve and keep your DSPs busy and creative?
It’s not easy to come up with new ideas day in and day out, but with a little know-how it is possible to leverage an individual’s likes and hobbies to create a robust list of things to do.
In this hands-on session supervisors and managers will learn how to:
- Turn just a few interests of the individuals you support into a full calendar year of meaningful activities.
- Use an individual’s interests to naturally connect to the community
- Empower DSPs to take the reins in planning, organizing, and implementing these activities.
- End “same old, same old” forever.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Effective Communication Between Staff and Supervisors
Tuesday // May 19
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
The key to present and future agency success will be how well communications are performed between supervisors/managers and staff. Let’s remember that Staff are a key to positive PR with individuals, stakeholders and the community. What they say reflects on YOUR agency and reputation, and will directly reflect how well your supervisory staff are trained in handling interpersonal interactions.
In this training, participants will learn:
- How to identify key communication issues using focus groups!
- The four (4) steps in fairly and empathetically interacting with stressed/angry staff.
- The four (4) steps in objectively and fairly managing and directing staff.
- At least one (1) strategy to use in building a positive workplace culture.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Essential Self Care Tips to Make Sure You are in the Game for Your Team, Those you Serve, and Yourself (New Class!)
Wednesday // June 17
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Description Coming Soon!
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Ongoing Training Techniques
Tuesday // June 23
10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
One of the biggest challenges providers face as they work to maintain regulatory compliance is to ensure staff receive continual and ongoing training. The challenge is further compounded because employees are spread across service settings, counties, have differing schedules, and often work alone. Lack of ongoing training can be key reason for citations and regulatory non-compliance. Creativity and innovation are required in order keep staff on their toes and stay in compliance with requirements. In this online interactive session with Sara Sherman, supervisors and leaders in your organization will learn:
- The tools and techniques to implement ongoing staff training, even across multiple and diverse service locations.
- The biological barriers that make learning new information a challenge, and how to surpass those challenges.
- How to create a work culture that expects and strives for compliance.
- Methods to measure and track progress and identify shortcomings for quick remediation.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Developing a Positive Culture for Staff and Individuals
Tuesday // July 14
10:00 am - 12:00 pm 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”!
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
Frontline Supervisor Training - Two Day
Wednesday & Thursday // July 29 & 30
10:00 am - 1:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
You’ve just received a big promotion, a new set of keys, access to approve timesheets, and an eager team to supervise, educate, support, and lead. Problem is, nobody’s shown you how. As a frontline supervisor you are a pivotal link in the service delivery chain and the key to your organization’s effectiveness. (No pressure.) You are now completely responsible for the performance of your team, regulatory compliance, translating instructions from upper management, and staff development, all while performing a multitude of administrative tasks and helping to ensure the health and welfare of those we serve. Chances are, you could use a few new tools in your management toolbox. In these two half-days of hands-on training with Sara Sherman, supervisors will:
- Learn the 10 Fundamentals of Supervision
- Discover the secret to finding and addressing the root cause of performance issues
- Identify their own supervisory strengths and vulnerabilities
- Understand two of the most challenging employee personality types, and learn how to stop them in their tracks
- Leave with a written Supervisory Success Outline
This training is a 6-hour training split over two days. Attendees should plan on attending both days of this two-day, two-part training.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Direct Support Professionals and Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
The Fine Art of Mentoring
Wednesday // August 12
10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST // Virtual
Speaker Bio
Time is perhaps the most valuable commodity in the Intellectual Disability and Autism system today. Keeping up with rules, regulations and ISP compliance as well as staff scheduling is a significant stressor. Figuring out how to free up time to train new hires or staff who are in need of “positional refreshing” can be almost impossible. BUT, you have a resource that can help alleviate this stress and help improve the skills of new hires. MENTORING by using more senior staff to train and support less senior staff.
In this training, participants will learn:
- The four (4) positive reasons to become a mentor.
- The four (4) wrong reasons to become a mentor.
- What a mentor is and what mentoring involves.
- The CRITICAL statement that mentors must use constantly!
- The do’s and don'ts of mentoring.
- The basic steps of teaching a task!
- How to teach a skill and demonstrate to participants.
Can't make the training live? All registrants will receive a recording valid for 30 days after the conclusion of the training.
Provisionally accredited by the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) for Frontline Supervisors.
Discounted pricing is available to members of PAR, ASPA, and TNCO members! Please register below using the button that corresponds with the state you operate in:
PARedu Trainings are an initiative of PAR ID/A Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization.
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