Being a fully integrated member of a community that requires knowledge about the services and opportunities provided within the community. Students in this course are introduced to a variety of adult service providers who can assist them on their journey to independent living, a desired career, and achieving a personally defined high quality of life. Students will build awareness of the Sioux Falls and surrounding communities, services that can be obtained, and explore community-wide recreations/leisure. Students will also learn about the issues surrounding safety at home or in the community and to further develop independent and daily living skills.
To ensure students are equipped with the skills necessary to become fully self-determined individuals, students in this course will learn and practice a myriad of self-advocacy skills, goal setting strategies, and self-determination practices through person-centered planning activities. Students will learn about their specific disability and how it impacts them as an individual across their lifespan. In addition, students will learn about the history of the disability rights movement and gain knowledge of past and current state and federal legislation.
Students will receive explicit instruction in the skills necessary to develop their potential for success and general happiness in all aspects of their lives by reframing their thinking, learning, and communication skills.
In the first semester of this year-long seminar, students will enter the process of career exploration and self-discovery to form short- and long-term career goals by participating in hands-on research activities, participation in workplace tours, and connections to community based employment services. Additionally, because successful employment outcomes often hinge on a person’s ability to effectively navigate the work environment beyond the “hard skills” that are required by an employer, students will demonstrate knowledge of “soft” and other professionalism skills.
In the second semester of this year-long seminar, students will continue to solidify long-term employment goals through continuation of workplace tours and career cluster exploration, self-reflection, and soft-skill development. Students will continue to gain demonstrable knowledge of soft/professionalism skills, workplace advocacy, and how to navigate employment from start date to end date.
Utilizing PEERS for Young Adults © techniques and curriculum, students will learn to navigate the realm of social situations and foster social understanding. They will model social skills that can be generalized across a myriad of settings, practice coping skills and utilize strategies to cope with difficult situations.
An introductory course into personal financial literacy, covering such topics as budgeting and goal setting, prioritization/tracking of personal spending habits, learning to manage banking accounts and learning about the different types of financial providers found within the community.