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Overview of Transition Services
Transition and Self-Determination
CIL Roles and Services for Transition-Aged Youth
Self-Determined Career Development Model
Centers for Independent Living Roles and
Services for Transition-Aged Youth
Through the1990 reauthorization of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), youth with disabilities were ensured even greater access to education and the services that would support them in preparing for and assuming more meaningful adult roles in society (Sitlington, Clark & Kolstoe, 2000; U.S. Department of Education, 2004). Because transition services have traditionally been provided by school personnel as a part of public education services , the role of Centers for Independent Living in supporting transitioning youth has been limited (Lattin & Wehmeyer, 2003; Wehmeyer & Gragoudas, 2004; Wilson, 1998). Youth in transition from school to adult roles tend to receive services from a variety of agencies including agencies that provide special education, vocational education, vocational rehabilitation, mental health, and specialized training. These organizations are all important links in fostering a seamless transition into adulthood. However, the argument for the collaboration between youth in transition and Centers for Indedpendent Living is that the conventional agencies offer more generic and uniform services. CILs, however, are organizations that provide comprehensive services based on consumer direction and control, a tenet that complements transition provisions well (Wilson, 1998).
Why CILs?
What makes a CIL different
than many other types of service agencies is the emphasis placed on self-determination
and empowerment in promoting independence
and self-sufficiency (Wehmeyer & Gragoudas, 2004). Based on the independent
living movement philosophy (CIL Berkely,
n.d.; Wehmeyer & Lattin, 2000) CILs were established to provide consumer controlled community-based services
that emphasize the role of people with disabilities in determining and addressing
the types of services they believe are critical to living independently.
Thus, center staff provide comprehensive services for people with disabilities
in
(1) information and referral, (2) independent living skills training, (3)
peer counseling and (4) consumer and community advocacy (Access Center, n.d;
Wilson,
1998). Not surprisingly, these comprehensive, outcome-oriented services align
closely with the transition service needs youth with disabilities require
to achieve full community participation.
According to Wilson (1998), there are a few reasons why CIL services are compatible
with the needs of transition-aged youth. First, CIL services are offered in
collaboration with many different programs, groups, and service providers in
their community. Second, CIL staff have diverse areas of expertise so their
services could benefit many youth from different cultures, backgrounds, and
communities. Third, the foundation and much of the structure is already in
place to incorporate transition related services into CIL programs. CIL services
and mission are focused upon supporting others in their efforts towards self-sufficiency
and supporting them in choosing and realizing goals. The mission of CILs and
purpose of transition for youth with disabilities complement each other well;
both focus on self-determination and empowerment for individuals with disabilities.
In providing services, CIL staff can give youth an environment that offers
a sense of connectedness to other people within the community as well as an
increased sense of well-being and self-sufficiency. Furthermore, services specific
to transition-aged youth can bridge the gap between school services and adult
services in a comfortable, structured environment.
The purpose of this website was to highlight a small collection of transition
activities that CILs currently
implement and believe to be a valuable part of their program for youth
with disabilities. These “best practices” are
important for a few reasons. First, the services CIL provide complement the
mission of supporting youth with disabilities in their transition into adulthood.
Second, CILs have
very few means to describe and disseminate the services they currently
provide youth. For a complete description of the best practices,
see the “CILs Transition
Best Practices” page. We hope that they
are useful resources for you.
(1) Youth Leadership Group: Youth leadership groups support youth in taking
the initiative to engage in civic and community activities in order to build
on their strengths and self-esteem and to work together as a team in building
leadership skills. Youth leadership groups are similar to other youth development
groups in that they are structured to offer youth educational, interesting
material and resources that address current youth issues. Youth leadership
groups are run by the youth themselves, but facilitated by a staff person in
your program.
(2) Self-Determined Career Development Model (SDCDM): The SDCDM was developed
to enhance the capacity of community service providers to enable persons with
disabilities to obtain the careers and jobs they want. It is a three-phase
instructional model that enables consumers to apply problem-solving and decision-making
skills to the goal achievement process. The SDCDM is based upon an earlier
education model, the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI),
which was designed to enable educators to teach students to self direct learning
while enhancing self-determination skills. The SDCDM focuses on job and career
related goals.
(3) Youth Empowerment Groups: The Friends for Life youth empowerment group
was created for youth with disabilities and secondary school personnel. The
purpose of this group was to promote the self-determination skills of transition-aged
youth and support them in determining how they wanted to direct their futures.
The group facilitators assumed responsibility for developing and implementing
the curriculum and the group members were encouraged to take ownership of the
groups goals and activities.
(4) Peer Mentoring Groups: Peer mentoring groups offer youth the opportunities
to engage in activities that allow them to create and maintain relationships
with other individuals with disabilities. The partners, mentor and mentee,
work together in group or individual settings to solve problems and build new
skills that address all aspects of life. The goal of the partnership is to
build a supportive relationship where one individual serves as a model for
the other individual. A good mentor serves as a trusted support by listening
actively to the mentee, advising when needed, and setting the stage for mentees
to build confidence and skills that will contribute to a meaningful life.
(5) Supported and Customized Employment: Supported and customized employment
are two proven approaches for assisting individuals with disabilities with
becoming competitively employed. Supported employment is characterized by real
work in community businesses with training and support provided by a skilled
job coach for individuals who need help finding a job, intensive assistance
to learn the job, and intermittent follow-along support to keep their job.
Customized employment builds on supported employment practices focusing on
the relationship between an applicant and specific employer meeting the needs
of both and resulting in carved and created jobs, resource ownership, and self-employment
arrangements. The basic idea behind both is knowing what the individual wants
and needs, what the employer wants and needs, and supporting or negotiating
any differences that may exist between the two.
Summary:
Transitioning youth with disabilities are just beginning their journey into the adult world and many of them have yet to learn that they have the right to live as independently as possible, have meaningful relationships, experience a sense of self-worth, and the right to develop the capacity to pursue their dreams. The support services that CIL staff can offer transitioning youth in consumer direction and control and community living is extensive and is certainly not limited to the best practices and materials contained in this website. Throughout the development of this website, we found numerous other CIL websites across the nation that offer a variety of innovative support services for youth. We encourage you to take some time to explore some websites that describe effective youth services for promoting movement into adulthood.
References
(Note: All links open in a new browser window. To return to this page, close the new window.)
Access Center for Independent Living (n.d.). The four core programs.
Retrieved October, 2004 from: http://www.acils.com/acil/4core.html
Center for Independent Living, Inc. Berkeley (n.d.) Mission and History
http://www.cilberkeley.org/history.htm
Lattin, D. & Wehmeyer, M.L. (2003). The role of Centers for Independent
Living in transition services for youth with disabilities : A National
Survey. Manuscript submitted for publication.
Stilington, P.L., Clark, G.M., & Kolstoe, O.P. (2000). Transition
education and services for adolescents with disabilities (3rd ed.).
Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
U.S. Department of Education, (2000). History: Twenty five years of
progress in educating children with disabilities through IDEA. Retrieved
on October 9,
2004 from: http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history.pdf
Wehmeyer, M.L. & Lattin, D. (2000). Examining the role of Centers
for Independent Living in the transition of youth from secondary education
to adult life. Unpublished
manuscript. University of Kansas.
Wehmeyer, M.L., & Gragoudas, S. (2004). Centers for independent living
and transition-aged youth: Empowerment and self-determination. Journal
of Vocational Rehabilitation, 20(1), 53-59.
Wilson, K.E. (1998). Centers for independent living in support of transition.
Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities,
13(4).
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