Sibling Symposiums:
Siblings with a Mission organizes and hosts Sibling Symposiums on a national level to help siblings and families find a strong network of support, as well as to celebrate and raise awareness of the unique aspect of the sibling voice. Sibling Symposiums are supportive social and educational events open to all siblings who have brothers and sisters with complex health conditions, as well as sibling supporters. Sibling Symposiums offer support to families through 1.) presentations on the sibling experience, 2.) sibling workshops for siblings and sibling supporters, and 3.) resource fairs where siblings and families can connect with support groups that serve individuals in the special needs community.
Sibling Symposiums are open to siblings of all ages, as well as sibling supporters (parents, family, friends, health care providers, etc.) of all backgrounds. By organizing Sibling Symposiums, we hope to
1.) Support Siblings and Families,
2.) Help Families Form a Strong Network of Support
3.) Raise Awareness of the Unique Sibling Experience To Others
Upcoming Sibling Symposiums:
July 17, 2021 - Calling all siblings and families! Siblings with a Mission and Cincinnati Children's Hospital are hosting our 5th Annual Sibling Symposium on Saturday, July 17 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm EDT on Zoom. The theme of our event is "Building Community," and attendees will have opportunities to connect with each other, exchange insights and stories, and find resources through breakout sessions for young and adult siblings, discussion sessions for parents and sibling supporters, a sibling panel, and a resource fair with local, national, and international organizations. Attendance at the Symposium is free, but registration is required in order to receive the conference link. Participation in all sessions is not mandatory; feel free to attend any session you can. Please register by Friday, July 2nd by completing the quick registration form here at https://forms.gle/RXtrhNWomdpgchHS7. All siblings and sibling supporters are invited, and we can't wait to see you there!
Siblings with a Mission organizes and hosts Sibling Symposiums on a national level to help siblings and families find a strong network of support, as well as to celebrate and raise awareness of the unique aspect of the sibling voice. Sibling Symposiums are supportive social and educational events open to all siblings who have brothers and sisters with complex health conditions, as well as sibling supporters. Sibling Symposiums offer support to families through 1.) presentations on the sibling experience, 2.) sibling workshops for siblings and sibling supporters, and 3.) resource fairs where siblings and families can connect with support groups that serve individuals in the special needs community.
Sibling Symposiums are open to siblings of all ages, as well as sibling supporters (parents, family, friends, health care providers, etc.) of all backgrounds. By organizing Sibling Symposiums, we hope to
1.) Support Siblings and Families,
2.) Help Families Form a Strong Network of Support
3.) Raise Awareness of the Unique Sibling Experience To Others
Upcoming Sibling Symposiums:
July 17, 2021 - Calling all siblings and families! Siblings with a Mission and Cincinnati Children's Hospital are hosting our 5th Annual Sibling Symposium on Saturday, July 17 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm EDT on Zoom. The theme of our event is "Building Community," and attendees will have opportunities to connect with each other, exchange insights and stories, and find resources through breakout sessions for young and adult siblings, discussion sessions for parents and sibling supporters, a sibling panel, and a resource fair with local, national, and international organizations. Attendance at the Symposium is free, but registration is required in order to receive the conference link. Participation in all sessions is not mandatory; feel free to attend any session you can. Please register by Friday, July 2nd by completing the quick registration form here at https://forms.gle/RXtrhNWomdpgchHS7. All siblings and sibling supporters are invited, and we can't wait to see you there!
Learn more about our previous Sibling Symposiums here:
July 25, 2020 - 4th Annual (and 1st Virtual) Sibling Symposium - We organized our 4th Annual (and 1st Virtual!) Sibling Symposium for siblings of people with complex health conditions and sibling supporters in partnership with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Family Relations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, this year's symposium was held online on Zoom. This event focused on the importance of taking care of ourselves and staying connected through fun and engaging activities and discussions. There were workshops and discussion sessions for siblings, a breakout session for parents, and a remarkable panel where siblings of diverse backgrounds shared their stories (please see the picture of the agenda below). It was wonderful to be able to connect with many siblings and sibling supporters online, and this online format helped us connect with many new siblings from throughout the United States. We look forward to organizing more events, both in-person and online, again soon!
July 25, 2020 - 4th Annual (and 1st Virtual) Sibling Symposium - We organized our 4th Annual (and 1st Virtual!) Sibling Symposium for siblings of people with complex health conditions and sibling supporters in partnership with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Family Relations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, this year's symposium was held online on Zoom. This event focused on the importance of taking care of ourselves and staying connected through fun and engaging activities and discussions. There were workshops and discussion sessions for siblings, a breakout session for parents, and a remarkable panel where siblings of diverse backgrounds shared their stories (please see the picture of the agenda below). It was wonderful to be able to connect with many siblings and sibling supporters online, and this online format helped us connect with many new siblings from throughout the United States. We look forward to organizing more events, both in-person and online, again soon!
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Fall Virtual Event 2020 - Based on the feedback we received from our 4th Annual Sibling Symposium, we organized a Fall Virtual Event for siblings and sibling supporters on October 24, 2020. To learn more about our Fall Virtual Event and the resources shared during this event, please click here.
July 27, 2019 - 3rd Annual Sibling Symposium - Siblings with a Mission and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Family Relations hosted our 3rd Sibling Symposium on Saturday, July 27, 2019! Our Symposium was held at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Cincinnati, OH and over 100 people registered and attended the event! This year's theme was "Making Meaningful Connections." At the Sibling Symposium, siblings, parents, advocates, and providers were able to connect and share stories with others through sibling and family breakout sessions, a resource fair with local, national, and international organizations, presentations on sibling experiences and sibling support, and a sibling panel. Dr. Wendy Plante, sibling researcher and program expert from Hasbro Children's Hospital and Brown University, was our keynote speaker and presented on the needs of siblings and strategies to support siblings. At the end of the day, we held a special award ceremony to recognize the younger siblings in attendance. It was a wonderful day connecting with others and fostering lifelong relationships with siblings and families in our community. Please watch our video about our Symposium and hear what siblings and families had to say here!
Our 3rd Sibling Symposium was also featured on Local 12 news! Please see the incredible video and article about our event here! A special thank you to Local 12 for this amazing feature and for sharing information about our Sibling Symposium!
Our 3rd Sibling Symposium was also featured on Local 12 news! Please see the incredible video and article about our event here! A special thank you to Local 12 for this amazing feature and for sharing information about our Sibling Symposium!
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July 21, 2018 - 2nd Annual Sibling Symposium - Siblings with a Mission hosted our 2nd Sibling Symposium at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, OH. Over 100 people registered and attended the event! At the Symposium, siblings and families were able to meet each other and exchange stories through sibling workshops, a resource fair, and a sibling panel. There was also a presentation on the sibling experience given by Katie Arnold, Executive Director of the national Sibling Leadership Network. The stories shared at the event highlighted what it is like to have a brother or sister with special needs and were compiled in a book given to attendees to take home. There was also an award ceremony where we recognized the young siblings in attendance! Watch the video to see what took place at the Symposium and what siblings had to say here.
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July 15, 2017 - 1st Annual Sibling Symposium - Siblings with a Mission hosted our first ever Sibling Symposium at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, OH. Over 120 people from all over Ohio and Kentucky registered and attended! There were speeches on various topics related to sibling support, a panel presentation on the sibling experience throughout the life course, sibling workshops for siblings ages 7-16, and a resource fair where siblings and families could connect with support groups and organizations (such as the Sibling Leadership Network, Ohio SIBS, A Kid Again, Hamilton County DD, Clermont County DD, and much more!) that serve families around the country. To learn more about the event, please see our flyer, watch our video here, and view our photo gallery!
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Siblings with a Mission is a non-profit, international organization established to serve and support siblings of individuals with special needs. All images are found on Google images and are solely used for education purposes. The stories and advice provided by Siblings with a Mission are not to be replaced by professional advice and counseling but to be considered as an additional source of support.
