The program was founded in 1987 by Colleen Wieck, Ph.D., director of the Minnesota Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Ed Skarnulis, Ph.D., of the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Partners participants learn about current issues and best practices and become familiar with the policymaking and legislative processes at the local, state and federal level. The overall goal is to achieve a productive partnership between people needing and using special services and those in a position to make policy and law. Each session is devoted to specific topics with nationally known experts as presenters. Partners participants must complete assignments between sessions and commit to one major assignment, such as serving an internship, organizing a letter writing campaign, organizing special receptions or town meetings for public officials.
Partners takes place one weekend a month for eight months.
Travel and respite care expenses are reimbursed, and overnight accommodations, meals and personal assistance are provided at no cost. The primary goal of Project Take Charge is to guide each participant to an enhanced sense of self worth, and to offer the tools needed to improve communication skills, so that each participant may better advocate for themselves. Each participant identifies their goals and vision for the future, and then designs a road map to get there. A secondary goal of Project Take Charge is to provide participants with an opportunity to have fun, learn to use humor and meet others who are interested in self-empowerment. Each session varies, according to the needs of the group.