Youth Transition Toolkit & Lesson Plans
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Transcript Youth Transition Toolkit & Lesson Plans
Transition
Toolkit:
Lessons Learned on
Supporting Youth
with Disabilities
Rachel Stewart,
Youth Program Manager
Overview
Project
Background
Youth
Transition Toolkit website design and features
Contents
Topics covered
Lesson
Plans and Activities
Overview of the format and materials
Pilot
Site Overview
Demonstration
of website
Funded
by a Medicaid Infrastructure Grant (MIG) from the
federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) –
administered by San Diego State University’s Interwork
Institute.
Overall
goal: increase employment of youth and adults with
disabilities
Numerous
projects geared towards youth with disabilities
Goal of empowering youth, developing self-advocacy skills,
and providing access to information and resources
Partner with a variety of state departments and non-profit
organizations
Youth Transition Toolkit Website
www.TKNLyouth.info
Website
Development and Refinement
Youth with disabilities
Subject matter experts:
Communities of Practice, CA Dept. of Ed, School District
Personnel, Transition Alliance
Dept. of Rehabilitation
CA Foundation for Independent Living Centers and State
Independent Living Council
Content
Target
audience is YOUTH!
Tips for Parents
Information relevant to teachers, transition
specialists, and service providers
Youth Transition Toolkit Website
Chapters
include:
Education
Independent Living
Employment
Finances
Healthcare
Social/Recreation
HTML
website pages and downloadable PDFs of
each “chapter” and worksheet
Education Chapter
Empowering
youth while in high school
Person-centered
transition planning, leading their
own IEP/ITP, etc.
Information
to assist in the transition to Postsecondary education: community college, 4year university, or vocational school
Understanding
and college
the differences between high school
Independent Living Chapter
Background
on disability history,
independent living movement
Information
on accessible/affordable
housing, transportation, and personal
assistance services
Worksheets
assisting with goal setting
and checklists to ensure preparation for
independence
Employment Chapter
Career
planning - Choosing a career and job search
resources
The
impact of employment on benefits
Job
accommodations and disability disclosure
Resume
writing and successful interviewing
techniques and preparation
Building
work experience, including volunteerism and
internship programs
Personal
assistant services at work
Finances Chapter
Tips
on money management, including basic
budgeting, how to balance a checkbook, pay bills,
etc.
Credit
cards and how to avoid getting into debt
Worksheets
Tips
on financial planning and budgeting
for parents on teaching their child to start
managing their own finances
Healthcare Chapter
Worksheets
on handling one’s own healthcare
needs
Keeping
track of medications, making doctors
appointments and communicating with the doctor
Insurance
information, including Medi-Cal,
healthcare through employment and continuance
of coverage under the family’s plan
Tips
for parents on helping their child transition
into independently handling their own healthcare
needs
Social/Recreation Chapter
Clubs/activities
specifically designed for youth
with disabilities
Available
adaptive sports programs
Ways
to become involved in the disability
community
Tips
on traveling with a mobility disability
Lesson Plans
Lesson
Plans have been developed with activities
for facilitators to lead in the classroom or in
workshops for youth participants
Activities
on the six topics covered by the Toolkit
(Education, Employment, Independent Living, etc.)
All
materials located in the secure section of the
Youth Transition Toolkit website – currently will
only be available to pilot sites
Will be available to everyone by June 2012
Lesson Plans
Main
goal of Lesson Plan goals is to lead activities
designed to:
Empower youth
Build self advocacy and self determination skills
Encourage youth to start thinking about and
planning for their future
Lead youth to www.tknlyouth.info to find additional
resources which can help successfully transition into
adult life
Complete
flexibility in how you choose to use lesson
plans:
Lead only certain activities or lesson plan chapters
Modify activities
Lesson Plans
“Lesson
Plan Overview” Document
Comprehensive summary on the lesson plans and tips
for how to utilize them
Tips on enhancing lesson plans/activities:
Inviting guest speakers
“Things are about to change” Video Vignettes
Youth/student co-facilitator
“Workshop
Planning Tips”
Guide for community-based organizations on how to
organize workshops – information on:
Participant recruitment strategies
Tips for success: finding a youth co-facilitator, providing
food, assisting with transportation, accessible venues,
etc.
Lesson Plans
Activity
format:
Objective
Suggested time frame
Format
Materials needed
Vocabulary/terms
Suggested facilitator preparatory activities
Creating context
Procedure
Closure
Education Lesson Plan Activities
Me, Myself and My IEP
Presentation and discussion on the purpose and importance of an
IEP
The Future’s Wide Open...
Filling out worksheets to prepare for leading their own IEP/transition
planning meeting
Planning For College
Learning about university and community college supports,
preparing for the transition to college and requesting
accommodations
Expanding My (Training) Horizons
Researching vocational training options other than a traditional
college setting, including ROP, trade schools, internships, and
volunteerism
Independent Living Lesson Plan
Activities
The
Untold History
Presentation on disability history (including the independent
living and disability rights movements) and discussion of
additional advocacy efforts
Models
of Disability
Understanding the difference between the medical and social
models of disability and how these impact how we perceive
disability
Thinking
About Disability
Thinking about how disability has impacted their life (both
positively and negatively) and learning about disability as a
shared experience
Independent Living Lesson Plan
Activities, Cont.
Living
on my Own and Reaching my Goals
Understanding and planning for what steps need to be taken
to live independently, including cost of living and finding
personal care attendants
Setting
Goals
Learning about different programs and services to assist with
gaining independence (regional center ILS, IHSS, Independent
Living Centers, etc.), and setting goals/next steps to transition
into living independently
Employment Lesson Plan
Activities
Work it Out
Understanding the difference between a job and a career, and
thinking about why going to work is personally important
Connecting the Dots…
Thinking about barriers to employment, and learning about services
which can help break down some of these barriers (i.e. Department
of Rehabilitation, Regional Centers, One-Stop Career Centers)
Employment Rights!
Presentation on employment and anti-discrimination laws; personal
planning related to disability disclosure and requesting
accommodations
Employment Lesson Plan
Activities, Cont.
Resume
Writing
Workshop to begin the process of writing a resume and
learning about different resume styles
Employment
Shouldn’t Be in Jeopardy!
Participants test their newly acquired knowledge around
employment-related topics by playing a jeopardy game
Finances Lesson Plan Activities
“Money
Smart for Young Adults” Curriculum
Flexible FREE curriculum designed by the FDIC to help youth
learn the basics around money management
Disability
Benefits 101: Planning your Future
Learning how to navigate the Disability Benefits 101 website
and going through an interactive benefits calculator
demonstration
Work
Incentive Programs: Working it!
Understanding basic information about Social Security cash
benefit programs and how these programs interact with paid
employment; learning about benefits planning best practices
Healthcare Lesson Plan Activities
Learning
to Manage Your Healthcare
Activity to help youth develop ideas on how they can begin
handling their health-related needs
Creating
a Healthcare Journal
Creating a personal healthcare journal as a way to track
disability-related symptoms and quickly access all healthcare
information in one place
Communicating
with Your Doctor
Preparing for the transition from a pediatrician to an adult
physician by practicing having a conversation with a new
doctor
Social/Recreation Lesson Plan
Activities
Sports,
Hobbies, and Clubs - Oh my!
Sharing current activities and brainstorming how other
activities can be modified to be made more accessible;
learning about social and recreational opportunities available
in their community
Do
you like to move it, move it?
Viewing a video about a guitar player born without arms, and
then trying out adaptive ways to play musical instruments
You’re
Trippin!
Planning a day trip by utilizing online resources and public
transportation
Pilot Sites
30
Pilot Sites testing Toolkit website and lesson plan
materials:
High Schools/districts
Includes Workability I, Transition Partnership Programs, and special
education/adult transition programs
College
2 Career Program
Independent Living Centers
Family Empowerment Centers
Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities
Other Community-Based Organizations providing
transition services
Website and Lesson Plans
Demonstration
www.tknlyouth.info
Contact information
For
questions or to request information on
lesson plan activities/materials contact:
John Kerr, Youth Program Specialist
916-319-9563
[email protected]
Rachel
Stewart, Youth Program Manager
916-319-8519
[email protected]