Impacting education, business, housing, healthcare and public policy.
Developed by distinguished leaders in this highly specialized field, the Leadership Institute is focused on pressing concerns for accessibility to more community, housing and independent living options for individuals with autism and other neurodiversities. It serves as a multidisciplinary, hands-on training center for professionals, educators, support staff and medical personnel, as well as a robust site for research and advancements in public policy.
The First Place Global Leadership Institute’s five centers facilitating the critical work and impact of First Place include collaborates with international experts and industry leaders through its five centers:
Compromised
“Handicapped,” dependency mindset
Limited options, high cost/demand, dwindling government resources
Scarcity of proven outcomes, replicable programs and private capital
Low wages, limited training, high turnover
Dated; limited innovation and integration
Need for large-scale initiatives defining best practices
Too few practitioners on the cutting edge of autism servicing/supporting patients
Too varied and ever-changing; need for leveraging and maximizing
Broad range of diversity; lack of segmentation
The Global Leadership Institute hosts an annual symposium, attracting pioneers in a variety of fields from across the country and around the world. Attendees gather to share ideas for advancing a new wave of home and community solutions through replicable, sustainable models and public, private, nonprofit and philanthropic collaboration.
D.I.G. (Define, Investigate, Ground)™ is a framework offered through the First Place Global Leadership Institute for advancing local community and real estate development. Various levels of consulting include lessons learned, toolkits, ways to save you time and money—and reduce mistakes along the way.
As a resource to organizations committed to serving special populations and their families, the Leadership Institute has developed a variety of toolkits addressing specific areas to meet an organization’s needs— throughout specific or all stages of the project.
Under the auspices of the Leadership Institute and in partnership with Arizona State University’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, the First Place Doctoral Fellowship focuses on an applied approach to research, assessment and intervention, family support, service coordination, community integration, community development and public policy. Fellowships aim to develop leaders in the fields of education, training, research and services for adults age 18 and older with autism and other neurodiversities.