PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE

PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE PROVIDES SOCIAL INTERACTION AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TRAINING TO INDIVIDUALS WHOSE SOCIAL COMPETENCIES HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY COMPLEX LEARNING DISABILITIES AND ASSOCIATED DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS. THE ORGANIZATION DEVELOPS AND IMPLEMENTS SOCIAL AND PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS TO HELP PARTICIPATES INTEGRATE MORE INDEPENDENTLY INTO COMMUNITY LIFE. THE PROGRAM IS DIVIDED INTO THREE CATEGORIES THAT LEAD TO 20-30 EVENTS PER MONTH WHERE PARTICIPANTS LEARN TO INTERACT AT MORE EFFECTIVE AND AGE-APPROPRIATE LEVELS UNDER THE DIRECTION AND SUPERVISION OF ORGANIZATION STAFF. PROGRAMMING INCLUDES AN EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT UNDER SOCIAL COLLEGE, SELF-DIRECTED PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING UNDER SOCIAL FOCUS, AND GENERALIZATION OF SKILLS IN THE COMMUNITY UNDER SOCIAL GROWTH. THE PROGRAM DESIGN UTILIZES THE LEISURE AND EDUCATION MODELS TO FACILITATE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. SKILLS INFLUENCED THROUGH PARTICIPATION INCLUDE A VARIETY OF VERBAL AND NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS AS WELL AS AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF SOFT SKILLS THAT AID IN EACH PERSON FULLY ENGAGING THEIR COMMUNITY, BUILDING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS THROUGH FRIENDSHIP, EMPLOYMENT RELATIONSHIPS, AS WELL AS THE ACQUISITION OF, AND RETENTION OF EMPPLOYMENT INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION, ADVANCED PLANNING, TIME MANAGEMENT, COMMUNITY SAFETY, FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS, SOCIAL INTERACTION TREAINING, ADVOCACY TRAINING, COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, MONEY MANAGEMENT, AND TRAINING IN HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES SUCH AS EXERCISE, MONITORING CALORIES, FOOD CHOICES, HYGIENE, AND MUCH MORE.