School-to-Work Outreach Project 1995 Exemplary Model/Practice/Strategy

Connecting Activities Maine Township High School District 207 Illinois

Mission

Together we educate students to be informed, inquisitive, responsible, creative and reasoning individuals.

Organization/Program Context

Connecting Activities is a high school program that collaborates with the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS). DORS is responsible for funding most staff positions in this program, including a counselor who has an office in each of the three high schools served by Connecting Activities. The program is also involved with a collaborative organization called TRAC (Transition Resource Agency Collaboration) which is instrumental in providing resources for school-to-work transition and making connections with employers and government agencies.

Community Setting

Small city/suburb. There are 3 high schools involved in this program. Students come from 5 suburbs of Chicago and an un-incorporated section of the city. These communities include people from all social-economic classes.

Population Served

Program/Organization
The Maine Township Special Education Program (MTSEP), serves approximately 1,200 students. The TRAC collaborative, which is a part of MTSEP, serves students in 2 school districts (which include 5 high schools).

Model/Practice/Strategy
There are 100 students served by Connecting Activities, most are 13-18 years old and some students are 19-22 years old. The majority of students have one of the following as their primary disability diagnosis: serious emotional disturbance, learning disabilities, mental retardation, or orthopedic impairments. Other areas of primary diagnosis include deaf or hard of hearing, visual disabilities, autism, traumatic brain injury and Prader Willie.

Model/Practice/Strategy Description

Connecting Activities includes a variety of school-to-work experiences such as school-based learning and work-based activities like job shadowing and job trials. In addition to their daily school classes, students come to Connecting Activities for vocational training. Some students participate in the program over summer vacation from school. Students are referred to the program by parents, the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) Counselor, teachers, or students may refer themselves.

The Connecting Activities program consists of five steps which begin with students of the ages 13 - 14. Students participate in the program throughout their high school years and into job placement or post-secondary education. The steps are as follows:

• Early work experiences, job shadowing - Small groups of students (ages 13 - 14) participate in job shadowing which may include performing job tasks.
• Community Work Training (CWT) classes - This class is for 16 - 21 year old students. The class covers subjects such as job applications and job performance expectations. Students might work at community jobs in addition to taking these classes.
• Community job trials - Students work in jobs that match their interests and receive a grade for their work which is based upon employer evaluations. At this step, a variety of assessment activities also occur, such as formal vocational evaluation and situational assessment.
• Supported employment program or community job placement - Junior students are placed in jobs according to their needs. They may continue in a job through their Senior year and after graduation. Mentors are used as natural supports for the students in community employment settings. Assistive technology is also applied to work situations.
• Follow-up and extended services - Students can continue in their job with follow-up by program staff (social services may continue to provide services such as job coaching). Interested students are referred to post-secondary education.

Students can enter Connecting Activities at any of the above levels. Exit from the program is determined student by student; services are still available after graduation and into post-secondary schooling.

The Connecting Activities program is supported by TRAC (Transition Resource Agency Council) which provides cooperative programming for employment. TRAC includes a number of employment and rehabilitation agencies and educational institutions that work together to provide transition and adult services to persons with disabilities. For example, mentors used in Connecting Activities are formally trained by an adult service agency that is a partner in TRAC. The council also encourages employer linkages through events such as job fairs and parent workshops. Parents are involved in the program through Next Steps which provides workshops on topics such as social security, residential options, employment and transition. Of the students in Connecting Activities, 90% are employed in community based jobs upon closure of their case, according to statistics from the Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Exemplary School-to-Work Components

Collaboration - Connecting Activity
Connecting Activities provides a coherent array of services and a variety of supports for their students. This is largely due to collaboration with government agencies and parent and community groups. TRAC (Transition Resource Agency Council) is also instrumental in bringing these resources and services together.

Early Services and Supports - Connecting Activity
Students of the ages 13 and 14 begin to explore work through job shadowing and group visits to work sites. The Connecting Activities Program includes these students in school-to-work activities throughout their high school years and post-secondary experiences.

What Makes it Work?

Effective Model
Connecting Activities follows a clear path which includes strong supports along the way. The result is that students participate in school-to-work activities until they graduate and are able to reach and maintain their goals.

Collaborative Partnerships
Partnerships between school districts, employers, community services and government agencies are formed with the support of TRAC. Connecting Activities uses the connections made through TRAC to access a variety of employers for their students and to establish community support for students in the world of work. Members of this collaborative work well together; each has an area of expertise and everyone taps into the other's experience and knowledge.

Staff

• Supported Employment Program Coordinator (DORS & School)
  1 full-time
  * Develops community work sites
  * Coordinates service delivery among the collaborating agencies/organizations
  * Markets the program to employers, the community and governmental departments
  * Conducts a class for students with physical and multiple disabilities

• Transition Counselor (DORS & School)
  1 full-time
  * Coordinates DORS services with school and community resources
  * Interviews students to determine their needs and eligibility for services
  * Participates in student vocational counseling and prepares student Individual Work Rehabilitation Plan (IWRP)

• Job Coach (DORS)
  1 part-time
  * Instructs students in work procedures and employer expectations
  * Arranges workplace accommodations for students
  * Documents work incidents, progress, etc., of each student

• Transition Coordinator (DORS)
  1 full-time
  * Develops contracts between the state and high schools, special education cooperatives and other secondary academic institutions
  * Provides consultant services on vocational training

• Teacher (School)
  All special education teachers
  * Each student has a case coordinator who is their teacher

Tammy is a young woman with muscular dystrophy who entered Connecting Activities with little work experience and few community connections. Because of her busy class schedule of college preparation classes, Tammy participated in Community Work Training Classes during the summer. Tammy had few experiences outside of home and school, so much of her training involved helping her feel comfortable in the community and access services such as mass transit with lift service. Access to transportation allowed her to be placed in a job which was accessible by public transportation and her training in computers was useful in her transition from school to work. She worked in the office of a large electronics manufacturing and distributing company. The Job Coach and Supported Employment Progam Coordinator helped her use technological devices to make her work easier. The desk was lowered to allow for her wheel chair, and the phone was adapted for her use. Co-workers were also helpful. For example, a secretary took her to lunch and a co-worker from Human Resources aided her in the restroom. An important result of this successful job experience was that Tammy's self-esteem was heightened. Tammy's confidence is manifested in her presence in the community, such as trips to the mall and restaurants with friends. She is now a college freshman, enjoying her university and community experiences.

Work experience heightened Tammy's self confidence and helped her feel more comfortable in the community.

This profile was generated by the School-to-Work Outreach Project at the Institute on Community Integration (UAP), University of Minnesota. The development and dissemination of these profiles was supported in part by grant #H029B30142 from the U.S. Department of Education.

For further information, contact the School-to-Work Outreach Project, Institute on Community Integration (UAP), University of Minnesota, 101D Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455.

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