Building a Youth Specific,Building a Youth Specific, Youth Driven Transition Youth Driven Transition

ProgramProgram

Panhandle Independent Living Center

1118 S. Taylor Amarillo, TX 79101

AgendaAgenda The 5 W’s of a Youth Program

Why should youth have their own program?

Who should be our target?

What unique needs should it address?

Where should the youth specific activities take place?

When should youth be provided with services?

The “How” of Developing a Youth Program

Recruitment of Youth Participants

The Importance of Planning & Variety

How to Engage Community Support

Fundraising / Grant Writing

Enlistment & Role of Volunteers

Prepare Parents for Youth Programs

Evaluating Our Own Program

OverviewOverview

Suggestions Suggestions for Building for Building

a a

Successful Successful ProgramProgram

What?What? What is our YES program?

A program developed to assist middle and high school youth with disabilities in learning the skills and tools necessary to make healthy decisions as they approach adulthood.

It is designed to meet the unique needs that these youth face in their daily lives.

Our main focus is to give these students a positive, educational environment where they can learn from each other in a fun environment.

What our program IS NOT? We are not a day care or

day camp program.

We are not staffed to provide a full-time daily program.

We are not the answer to a parent’s childcare needs.

We are not equipped to offer transportation to and from our ILC.

Why?Why? Why does PILC offer a youth program?

Independent Living Centers’ staff are dedicated to providing education, information, and positive environment that empowers people with disabilities to make positive life choices on their own behalf.

We believe this is best done at a younger age before complacency and dependency has set in and become a way of life.

Who?Who? Who does PILC serve in

our transitional program? Our youth participants range

in age from 12 to 21. They must also be a student in middle or high school.

Students are allowed to remain in our program for one last summer of activities following their graduation from high school.

They then enter our adult program, if they choose, which allows:

them interaction with their older peers,

them to share their YES experiences with the older consumers as a source of true peer support/peer counseling

the staff to open YES enrollment to additional youth.

When?When? When do we offer our after

school program? YES meets the first and third

Monday of each month from 4:30-6:00 p.m.

This allows the youth time to get from school to our center, enjoy an after school snack, and engage in regular IL skills training, empowerment activities, and social and recreational events.

YES also meets each Monday and Wednesday during an 10-week extensive summer program.

This schedule allows for our rural county students to access our Panhandle Transit system, which only has routes to Amarillo on these days.

The students receive 4 hours of services/activities each of the two days.

It allows for equal calendar time between our youth and adult programs, which means that adult services are not interfered with during the summer months.

YES provides activities during special school breaks such as Spring Break to ensure the students do not become isolated during the extended school holiday.

Where?Where? Where should this youth

specific activities take place? Your ILC provides a perfect

location because: ILC core services provide

valuable skills training and opportunities at a young age.

The IL philosophy, the history, and culture of the disability community are valuable lessons for any person with a disability.

Your staff and board members provide an excellent source for positive role models who exemplify the lifestyles of independent individuals who have overcome their own obstacles and have learned how to “work around” or limit the impact of their own limitations.

The The “HOW”“HOW” of of

SuccessfulSuccessful

Program Program DevelopmeDevelopme

ntnt

Recruitment of Youth Recruitment of Youth ParticipantsParticipants

Establish eligibility and intake requirements

Identify appropriate allied agencies for referral purposes

Utilize assessments properly to gain valuable information

Plan Carefully /Plan Carefully / Provide Variety Provide Variety

Allow youth an opportunity to plan with staff.

Early exercise in consumer control consumer directed philosophy

Reinforces empowerment skills

Provides an exercise in decision-making

Plan a variety of activities that provide practice and discussion with essential skills Use hands-on activities and

real world applications

Utilize the ILC 4 core services:

IL Skills Training – Cooking, Money Management Skills, etc.

Peer Counseling – provide group discussions on an area of need or interest (example: overcoming obstacles or improving your self-esteem)

Advocacy Instruct students on becoming their

own self advocate by teaching them techniques to become assertive on their own behalf

Assisting parents to become a powerful, positive advocate for their child and their needs.

Information & Referrals – provide resources for a multitude of consumer needs including:

Transportation Employment Mobility Assistance Housing Medical Programs Adaptive Equipment Emergency food

Avoid getting in a rut Make each and every day

different Keep the youth guessing

Allow free socialization time for youth

Provide unstructured times for visiting to encourage the natural building of relationships

Lunch Time Outside Activities Board Games

Avoid the “classroom feel”

Ensure all activities are educational and FUN!FUN!

Educational Field Trips Motivational Guest

Speakers Role Playing Building Effective

Communication Skills Empowerment Activities Team Building Exercises Positive Peer Role

Models

Engage Community Engage Community SupportSupport

Network with business leaders and community organizations

Do not be afraid to “beg” for reduced rates and/or freebies

Most approached are willing to assist with most anything a program needs when it is aimed at assisting youth

Always say, “Thank You.” Ensure that all

contributors, speakers, donations, etc. receive a hand written thank you note signed by all youth participants

They will remember you next year because of this simple common courtesy.

Fundraising / Grant WritingFundraising / Grant Writing Consider asking local business

and charitable organizations for start up money

Provide them PR by placing their company logo on the back of t-shirts, which is then worn on all field trips

Find long-term funding to ensure longevity of the program

Utilize your funding to provide a completely free program since the majority of these youth come from low-income families. Ensure that there are NONO:

Registration Fees / Application Fees

Admissions fees for field trip expenses

Lunch expenses on outings outside your ILC

Enlistment & Role of Enlistment & Role of VolunteersVolunteers

Enlist as much free hands-on help as possible

Recruit individuals with and without disabilities

Consider high school age volunteers/mentors

Ensure mentors and volunteers have positive characteristics / comfort level with disabilities

Preparing ParentsPreparing Parents Avoid problems early

Prepare parents before program begins

Ensure they understand the purpose and mission of the program

Independence is taught, encouraged, and practiced.

NOT day care or camp

Invite parents to communicate their suggestions for activities and material to be taught

Consider implementing a parent support group

Provides parents with their own guidance and peer support as their children begin to exercise their independence.

Vital step to encouraging parents allow their children to practice the skills taught within your program

Evaluation ProcedureEvaluation Procedure Provide youth, parents, and community

and opportunity to provide you written feedback regarding the program itself and the activities provided.

Provide surveys before and during the program

Provide larger assessment to evaluate program at the end of each summer

Additional ResourcesAdditional Resources Building Youth Mentoring Programs –

Community Toolbox http://ctb.ku.edu/tools/en/sub_section_main_1197.htm

Partners for Youth with Disabilities http://www.pyd.org/

Foundations of Successful Youth Mentoring: A Guidebook for Program Development http://www.nwrel.org/mentoring/pdf/foundations.pdf

Building Relationships A Guide for New Mentors http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/29_publication.pdf

Ten Tips to Mentoring Youth with Disabilities http://www.prtaonline.org/PDF%20Files/Ten%20Tips%20to%20Mentoring%20YWD.pdf

Group Work A Counseling Specialty by Samuel T. Gladding (4th Edition)