The ARC
Creating Your Family Mission Plan: Critical School-to-Community Transition Planning for Youth with Disabilities
Transitioning youth and their families need community support and outside guidance to prepare for their exit from the school system and its aftermath. Families are overwhelmed by the many systems which they must navigate when they have children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Parents are often so consumed with school life that they forget to plan for life in the adult world. Also, many parents are not even aware of the fact that services are not mandated when their children exits the school system.
Who will this project serve?
This program will serve families and young adults ages 14 – 26 living in Northern Virginia. The program is targeted, but not limited to, youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The goal of this project is to provide the tools for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to plan ahead, maneuvering this life altering transition into a positive outcome by pro-actively addressing the educational needs of our families and their children as they transition from school to community.
The Arc Special Needs Trust program, Arc staff and community volunteers coordinate this series. This is a ‘Matching Grant’ from the WalMart Grant Transition Series and we are required to raise funds. We need your financial support to provide for attendees: binders and other materials, breakfast and lunch, workshop space and technical support.The Arc Special Needs Trust program, Arc staff and community volunteers coordinate this series. This is a ‘Matching Grant’ and we are required to raise funds. We need your financial support to provide for attendees: binders and other materials, breakfast and lunch, workshop space and technical support.
Each series provides educational programming in the areas of government benefits, special needs trusts, legal authority, employment, housing, transportation, recreation, social relationships and futures planning.
While the parents attend the above-mentioned workshops, individuals with disabilities are engaged in a curriculum model comprised of different activities and lessons addressing the same areas as well as self-determination and self-advocacy.
How Can I Help?
WISH LIST
