Finding their place

Twentysomethings with special needs are mainstreaming themselves into independence

Finding their place | Cover Story | Jewish Journal

The Westwood crowd is high-functioning, with a variety of disabilities — autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy or other related developmental disabilities.

They all met at Pathway, a two-year program at UCLA Extension, where approximately 40 students take classes such as time management and human relationships while also auditing classes at the university or through UCLA Extension. They work at internships and live in apartments, where state-funded staff helps them learn to cook, shop, do laundry and budget, and a resident assistant keeps an eye on things.

Read the full story here...

Study: Many Adults With Disabilities Do Nothing All Day

By Michelle Diament 

February 15, 2012 

A significant number of adults with developmental disabilities have no regular, daily activities, a situation that’s symptomatic of larger problems, new research indicates.

The finding comes from a survey of nearly 800 siblings of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities from across the country. In nearly 13 percent of cases, siblings reported that their brothers and sisters with disabilities were not involved in any sort of routine vocational or educational activities.

And the number is likely higher than that, researchers said, noting that based on how they solicited responses to their survey, participants likely tended to be higher earners and more educated than the population as whole.

Overall, those with nothing to do tended to be individuals with more emotional, behavioral or health problems and lower functioning abilities, according to the study published recently in the American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Obama's Budget Leaves Funding Unclear for Disabled College Students

Federal funding for a five-year program for students with intellectual disabilities is not guaranteed.

By KATY HOPKINS 

http://www.usnews.com/

February 14, 2012

President Obama's budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 may signal a murky future for a fledgling program that helps students with intellectual disabilities go to college and succeed while enrolled. 

The Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) grant, a five-year plan started in fiscal year 2010, was intended to be the first widespread program to track and analyze best practices for getting students with intellectual disabilities to and through college. With federal funding of about $11 million a year, 27 institutions—including the University of Kentucky and the University of Delaware—created model programs with a particular focus on vocational training students need to succeed in the job market. 

Read the full article here.

Working Conference on Postsecondary Education

Working Conference: Driving Forces Behind Successful Postsecondary Education and Employment For Young Adults With Intellectual Disabilities and Autism 

Tuesday March 13th, from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm (registration will begin at 8:30 am).

The conference content will address significant changes in public policy and the desires of self advocates and families for greater access and success in postsecondary education and opportunities for competitive integrated employment. 

LOCATION & COST

University of California, Davis – MIND Institute

2825 50th Street Sacramento, CA 95817 (paid parking)

Tuesday, March 13, 2012 - 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (8:30 a.m. registration)

Cost: $50.00 per person (Includes breakfast and lunch)

For more information and registration click here.  

RA View

This year we have six Resident Advisors (RA) that are living in the apartment building with our students. The RAs are available to support students with a wide range of activties in the evening, overnight, and on weekends. One of the RAs, Chie, sent this blog entry and photos. - Eric

We are in the middle of our quarter system and the students just get busier and busier with their school work. First-year students are doing their homework from math, acting, writing and other classes while the second-year students are starting to look for a job.



Chelsea working on her portfolio



One of the second-year Pathway students, Chelsea, has already started on her portfolio. “I want to work on it earlier because it makes sense to use my time more efficiently,” Chelsea says. “While I’m sitting around watching TV, I can finish this and wait for people to reply back.”

Other students are proactively finishing their homework and moving on to a more creative outlet.

First-year students Kevin and Bryan and second-year students “CJ” and Brock have been collaborating on a movie since school started. They’ve recently finished shooting and editing the film and want other Pathway students to see it. “We’ve been working on this for a really long time and I really want other people to watch it too,” Kevin says.

“It’s a really cool movie with lots of action,” Bryan says.



Movie preview

One of the Resident Assistants, Mily, plans to have a huge movie screening so everyone can watch and appreciate their production. “I’m glad that students aren’t only doing work but also having fun,” RA Mily said. “I think it’s important to have this balance because school would be no fun without it.”

Scholarship Opportunity

D.R.E.A.M.S is offering a scholarship to students currently enrolled in high school in Los Angeles County, receiving special education support through an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), and who will successfully complete high school with a diploma or certificate of completion.

Individuals receiving this scholarship can use the award money to assist with the continuation of learning in one of the following accredited environments:


•Community College
•University or College
•Vocational or Trade School
•Apprentice Program

Find out more about the scholarship here.

High school students with learning disabilities take UCLA Extension classes through Generation NeXt

Article from the Daily Bruin on January 31, 2012

By KASSY CHO

Published January 31, 2012, 1:07 am in News

As sunlight streamed through the window into a cozy apartment, 12 students sat on couches and around a dining table.

Each was focused on the task before them – writing a reflection of the week before. Occasionally, they whispered to each other softly and laughed. 

The apartment, located just off campus, is both a home and a classroom for the students of Generation NeXt.

Generation NeXt is a one-year transitional program that provides a college experience for students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, said Marissa Bhuva, program manager of Pathway at UCLA Extension. The federally funded program began as a 20-day pilot program in the summer of 2010.

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