January 5,2011
I came across the People. Inc., through a friend. She was recently hired as a residential direct care specialist. She worked in grouped homes with individuals who have developmental disabilities. I was seeking employment with this agency and discovered their internship program. During a job fair I exchange information with Marie Tyson, Internship/volunteer coordinator, and began the intake process. Due to the nature of the work, working with people with developmental disabilities, I was required to attend a brief training session. For 4 day eight hours a day, I was given a brief and broad knowledge on an array of topic affecting mentally disabled community. We were taught the history of the agency, to properly care, wash, and feed some severely disable individuals, some of the obstacles in groups, what is considered neglect, some even some current court cases, dealing with disabled people being mistreated or killed by care givers. At the conclusion of the training we were given a certificate stating our completion and was off onto our internships.
January 21,2011
The Young Adult Life Transitions Program is a community-based program offering young adults with disabilities a chance to experience how it feels be on a college campus. The individuals are between the ages of 18-24. The Canisius College YALT program is located on the second floor of the student center, across from the talent search program. There are about 14 individuals in the Canisius YALT. Some of the mental disabilities the students have included: Down’s syndrome, Autism, and cerebral palsy.
When I first arrived at the program, I was given a schedule and brief overview of the structure of how the program is ran. The one thing I found interesting was that there were different variations within the schedule for each student. For example, some students take counting and adding money as their first class while other students take budgeting classes (more advanced) and some take GED classes. These classes are geared toward helping the students try to achieve their goals. Some of their goals include: learning how to drive, getting a job, learn to budget, learning how to live on their own, and improving their social skills.
During the counting and adding money class, the teacher would have them pay her with fake play money, trying to get them to give her small bills back. However, most of the students struggle with this concept and gave her 40 plus dollars to pay for something that would cost 5 dollars.
January 28,2011
The career classes are divided into groups A and B. Group A students need more assistance with their assignments and more education about the workforce, while most of group B students have jobs, mostly in maintance and need help in different aspects in the workforce. While working with career group A, they were given an ad with job posting and told to find jobs that would be suitable for them and list out all the things they would have to do to apply to the job, such as the “who what when where.” In addition to that they were asked to circle all of the words they did not know and look them, this was a very important task, because these words related to job posting and how to apply to jobs.
February 4, 2011
In the beginning portion of the day the students had their monthly advocacy meetings. In these STUDENT RUN meeting, the students talk about what afternoon group activities they would like to do or change, new workshops they would like to have, new internships and group outings the would to go on. The reason behind these meetings is to ensure this client-centered organization is doing just that, keeping what the client wants to do, at the center and building their program around that. In last month’s meeting it was decided who will be the note keeper, and who would manage the meeting. Those two students took their jobs very seriously and performed heir jobs well. Some of the things bought up include have each student make a “dream board” so they could visually see what they will be able to achieve in the future once they reach all their goals at YALT and “graduate’ from he program. The meeting lasted for an hour, followed by the normal flow of classes.
In the budgeting class, the group was given ads from the Sunday paper to look for items for a (fake) Superbowl party for about 50 people. The students looked at everything from frozen pizza, to fresh delivered pizza, veggie plate, fruit platter and chips. I thought this was a realist activity each of them may do in their future, weather it be for a party of their own at their house, or group home. Or at a loved one’s home, and they were asked to help out with the planning. For the second class, they were asked to find a newspaper article and fun video and post it onto their google homepage to share with the other students. I even mad a google page and participated in the activity, it was funny that a few of the students had to assist me with the technology. This made the very real fact that one must be familiar with technology and the various social media pages to compete in the job market, stay connected to the outside world and socialize with people. This skill will be very beneficial for the students especially those who are shy and those who have trouble socializing, it may help build their confidence.February 11, 2011
In driving class the students worked on answering online quizzes and practice sheets. In GED the students mainly did reading comprehension. They were given a newspaper article and a sheet on the reading the told to fill it out. The groups I worked with today did not need much help on these assignments.
February 18,2011
For counting and adding money class the students were given a sheet with items from the book to buy. The work-study and interns worked individually with a student to complete an assignment. The students was instructed to go the Canisius book store and get the price for certain items then draw out the dollars and coins that would be equal to that amount of money and then practice paying a cashier (work-study or intern). Te students seem to respond to this style of learning better than simply sitting in the classroom and doing the same thing. After, we all went to lunch. Although, this if “free time” so to speak and there is no formal lesson being taught. I personally feel this is where the students learn the most social skills (this is a social skill class). It is in this informal setting where they can practice and see appropriate behavior, initiate peer interaction, and decode facial expressions to name a few.
February 25,2011
In independent living class the students were given the scenario that they were moving in an apartment, with the choice of by their self or with a roommate. They first had the task in the budgeting class, to find appliances that they could buy and would need to survive living on their own, incorporating paying for bills and saving for an emergency. Later they were given scenarios that could occur if one was living with a roommate or by their self. I had the students work out possible solutions to their problems and ways to solve it on their own. For an example if someone knew that they were not going to have enough money to pay a bill an advance, they could call the company and ask for an extension.
Some of the students made me a birthday card and sung me happy birthday at lunch (my birthday was tomorrow)
Some of the students made me a birthday card and sung me happy birthday at lunch (my birthday was tomorrow)
March 4,2011
In alliance with the special education majors, the students at YALT participated in a campaign to end the “R-word”. This national campaign hopes to end the word “retard,” used in a derogatory social context to describe people both with and without disabilities. The YALT students taped little pieces of paper with the phrase “end the R-word” on candy. The next day the YALT along with special education majors passed out the candy to the general student body here at Canisius. This was good for not only he YALT students but also the Canisius students as well. Canisius students were able to not only learn about the r-word campaign but also the YALT program, a secrete gem housed on Canisius campus. On the other hand YALT students were able to engage in the college community and practice one of their goals of community awareness.
March 11,2011
The morning began with “Abusive Prevention Training” presentation. In this presentation, the staff discussed the various forms of abuse with the students. Such as sexual, psychological, physical and verbal. The students were asked to give example of one of the sub-types and what to do if it ever occurred. This is A VERY IMPORTANT presentation, because those who are vulnerable, like the intellectually disabled, are most susceptible to abuse.
After the presentation the half class with on group outing to the mall, the other half went to Dave and Busters.
After the presentation the half class with on group outing to the mall, the other half went to Dave and Busters.
March 18, 2011
Two students intern at the parent network, and one have a one-year-old daughter. The idea to have a childcare/daycare workshop was brought up at the last self-advocacy meeting, so Mary (name has been changed) brought in her baby for the workshop. The idea was that most of the students want to have a family in the future and should know how difficult it is to take care of a child. The presentation began with Mary telling her story, and showing the students everything she carry in her bag when she has the baby wit her outside. Then she explained how dramatic her life changed once she had the baby. Lastly it was followed by question and answer and facts about babies and things one should do when they baby-sit.
