"Imagine, Inspire, Innovate" 

2021 Vermont Family Network Annual Conference

FREE EVENT - Register Here!

 

Please join us for our 2021 Annual Conference, held over two days on Thursday, April 8^th 9:00-2:30 and Friday, April 9^th 9:00-2:30. As we all adapt to life during the pandemic, this year’s event is free of charge and will be held online over Zoom. We hope that this format will allow greater accessibility for our attendees.

This year our theme is “Imagine, Inspire, Innovate” and we are featuring two wonderful Keynote speakers.

On day one, Rachel Callander will join us from Australia to speak about "Life, Love and Awesomeness: The Impact and Implications of Language." Rachel will share her story as the mother of Evie, a daughter with complex medical needs, and her years as a patient (and Rachel’s as a parent) in the healthcare system. Rachel unpacks the Health Language Matrix, showing how different communication styles affect patients, parents, and healthcare professionals in their efforts to collaborate.

On day two, Karen Gaffney will speak about overcoming limitations and about what can be accomplished with positive expectations. Karen is the President of a non-profit organization dedicated to championing the journey to full inclusion in families and across all settings for people with intellectual disabilities. She is a long-distance open water swimmer with some incredible achievements to her name including a 9-mile solo swim across the width of Lake Tahoe and an 8.5-mile swim across Lake Champlain. Karen tackles any challenge she faces with determination and commitment, knowing she has limits, but not allowing them to limit her drive to succeed. Oh, and by the way…. Karen Gaffney has Down syndrome. 

Both of our keynotes will surely inspire you! 

We have a fabulous line-up of six workshops on topics including: a special two-hour workshop on using the “Charting the Life Course” tool, Resiliency and Self-care, Transition to Adulthood from both the young adult and parent perspectives, navigating Care Conferences, and Anxiety with our Puppets in Education program! There will also be an opportunity for parents to chat over lunch. 

After you register, you will receive a Zoom link closer to the day of the event that will cover both days. With this link, you will be able to join at any time for any part of the conference that you wish.

For a full schedule of events and keynote/workshop descriptions please visit our VFN Annual Conference page.

We look forward to "seeing" you on April 8^th and 9^th! 

 

Register Now!