Employment Services Community Supports Supported Living Service Coordination Special Projects Life Coaching Special Projects The FAR Fund Leadership Alliance In July, 2003, the FAR Fund issued grants to three New York City agencies to launch person-centered transition planning projects for people with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Job Path is offering technical assistance efforts to support the agencies as they implement their projects. The effort is in partnership with Dr. Beth Mount. Through the FAR Leadership Alliance, Dr. Mount and Job Path staff share our experiences and knowledge with the pilot agencies and offer them practical help in structuring and funding the services they provide. Transition From School to Work Since 1996, Job Path has undertaken a series of projects and activities to help young people with developmental disabilities make the transition from school to work. When students with developmental disabilities "age out" of public schools, they usually enter group-oriented day programming. The Pathfinders project was designed as an alternative. Launched in January 1996, with the help of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD), the project uses person-centered planning, which enables students to make choices about their lives and to become involved in jobs and other activities that connect them to their communities and neighbors. The Futures Lab is a first step to enable students to explore post-graduation opportunities. The Futures Lab is a two-period workshop, with a customized flexible format for each participating high school. It enables students to walk through the person-centered planning process with their teachers and families. Each student completes exercises to help define their talents, interests, dreams and capabilities. The Futures Lab helps parents think about the future for each student and how to incorporate person-centered planning techniques into the school transition process. These workshops are aimed at students 15 and up, but it can include younger students to give them a glimpse of their futures. Itıs also designed for teachers, students, and parents to develop a "support circle" for each student. Thanks to the generous three-year grant from the Pinkerton Foundation, Job Path has reached more than 230 students in ten schools. Pathfinders Coalition The Coalition, which meets eight times a year, brings together parents, teachers and agency staff from the New York metropolitan area. Every coalition member is directly involved with at least one person in transition from school to the workplace. They share ideas, developments, resources and expertise related to inclusion-oriented transition work. For more information check out: For People With Developmental Disabilities and Their Families For more information on any of these projects contact cgranata@jobpathnyc.org © 2008 JobPath, All rights reserved.   powered by metarhythm