Working with Youth Working with Youth in Transitionin Transition

Overview of Transition - Overview of Transition - From Evaluation to From Evaluation to

InceptionInception

Dr. Karen WolffeDr. Karen Wolffewolffe@afb.net

From Evaluation to Inception From Evaluation to Inception

• Begin with the end in sight: What are the Begin with the end in sight: What are the

student’s expectations for life? student’s expectations for life?

– relationships, work, living arrangements, relationships, work, living arrangements,

recreation, etc.recreation, etc.

• Evaluate the student in natural Evaluate the student in natural

environments whenever possible to environments whenever possible to

determine skill levels & knowledgedetermine skill levels & knowledge

Transition Competencies ChecklistTransition Competencies Checklist

• How tool is administered & rationale How tool is administered & rationale

• Timeline for completion—annual Timeline for completion—annual

• Explanation of coding—forced choiceExplanation of coding—forced choice

• Time commitment—20-30 minutesTime commitment—20-30 minutes

• Asterisks explained for facilitatorAsterisks explained for facilitator

• Reminders: No “right/wrong” answers, Reminders: No “right/wrong” answers,

self-evaluation tool, add to career portfolioself-evaluation tool, add to career portfolio

Transition Competencies Transition Competencies OverviewOverview

• Student self-evaluation toolStudent self-evaluation tool

• Practitioner evaluation toolPractitioner evaluation tool

• Parent/SO evaluation toolParent/SO evaluation tool

Practitioner & SO ToolsPractitioner & SO Tools

• Parallel the Student Evaluation Tool—same Parallel the Student Evaluation Tool—same

ten competencies are assessedten competencies are assessed

• Completed hard copies can be compared Completed hard copies can be compared

using Word or Excel files in braille or printusing Word or Excel files in braille or print

• Can form the basis for a team discussion Can form the basis for a team discussion

(led by the student, if possible) concerning (led by the student, if possible) concerning

readiness for employmentreadiness for employment

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• An understanding of work based on real life An understanding of work based on real life

experiencesexperiences

– Youngsters learn about work through personal Youngsters learn about work through personal

experiences at home (chores), community experiences at home (chores), community

activities (helping out at civic or organizational activities (helping out at civic or organizational

functions), and school (active involvement in functions), and school (active involvement in

classroom or school projects)classroom or school projects)

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• Application of leisure & socialization skillsApplication of leisure & socialization skills

– Addresses the need for youth to develop & Addresses the need for youth to develop &

engage in interpersonal relationshipsengage in interpersonal relationships

– Also considers young people’s needs to Also considers young people’s needs to

engage in healthy, enjoyable activities during engage in healthy, enjoyable activities during

their free timetheir free time

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• Application of problem solving skillsApplication of problem solving skills

– Focuses on the need for youth to learn how to Focuses on the need for youth to learn how to

recognize that they have difficulties or problems recognize that they have difficulties or problems

& take logical steps to resolve them& take logical steps to resolve them

– Youth are also asked to indicate to whom they Youth are also asked to indicate to whom they

go for assistance, if they are unable to go for assistance, if they are unable to

independently resolve a problemindependently resolve a problem

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• Application of self-advocacy skillsApplication of self-advocacy skills

– Focuses on the importance of young adults Focuses on the importance of young adults

addressing their disability-related needs with addressing their disability-related needs with

others in a proactive & positive mannerothers in a proactive & positive manner

– Encourages youth to assume responsibility for Encourages youth to assume responsibility for

their own affairs (setting medical or vocational their own affairs (setting medical or vocational

appointments, for example)appointments, for example)

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• Application of compensatory skillsApplication of compensatory skills

– Addresses alternative techniques or disability-Addresses alternative techniques or disability-

specific skills (O&M, reading & writing with specific skills (O&M, reading & writing with

braille or optical devices, using assistive braille or optical devices, using assistive

technology, etc.) that young people need to technology, etc.) that young people need to

master in order to live & work without master in order to live & work without

unnecessary external supports unnecessary external supports

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• Knowledge of career options & sources of Knowledge of career options & sources of

informationinformation

– Relates to the student’s need to learn about a Relates to the student’s need to learn about a

broad range of jobs through resources available broad range of jobs through resources available

nationally & locally (popular career fields, nationally & locally (popular career fields,

specific companies in near locale that are hiringspecific companies in near locale that are hiring

—whom to contact & where to go)—whom to contact & where to go)

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• An understanding of levels of ability and An understanding of levels of ability and

impact with regard to placementimpact with regard to placement

– Helps young adults analyze their need for Helps young adults analyze their need for

assistance in the job seeking area and how they assistance in the job seeking area and how they

learn best on-the-joblearn best on-the-job

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• Mastery of career counseling content Mastery of career counseling content

areasareas

– Focuses on self-awareness, career Focuses on self-awareness, career

exploration, job seeking skills, job exploration, job seeking skills, job

maintenance skills, and employment skillsmaintenance skills, and employment skills

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• Evidence of participation in work experience Evidence of participation in work experience

opportunitiesopportunities

– Addresses the need for young adults to have Addresses the need for young adults to have

as many work experiences (paid or unpaid) as as many work experiences (paid or unpaid) as

possible while they are still in school possible while they are still in school

Student Self-Evaluation ToolStudent Self-Evaluation Tool

• An understanding of employer concernsAn understanding of employer concerns

– Addresses the need for young adults to be Addresses the need for young adults to be

familiar with employers’ greatest concerns familiar with employers’ greatest concerns

about hiring individuals with visual disabilities & about hiring individuals with visual disabilities &

understanding how to allay their concernsunderstanding how to allay their concerns

Correlation of Resources Correlation of Resources

to Transition to Transition

Competencies ChecklistCompetencies Checklist

gets you to inception!gets you to inception!

ResourcesResourcesBooks/curricula:Books/curricula:

• Skills for SuccessSkills for Success

• Navigating the Rapids of Life: The Transition Navigating the Rapids of Life: The Transition

Tote SystemTote System

• Transition Planning for Students with Visual Transition Planning for Students with Visual

DisabilitiesDisabilities

• Preparing for Work: Career Exploration, Job Preparing for Work: Career Exploration, Job

Seeking Skills, & Job Keeping Skills for Seeking Skills, & Job Keeping Skills for

Students with DisabilitiesStudents with Disabilities

ResourcesResourcesChapters:Chapters:

• Growth and development of youths & Growth and development of youths &

Career education for children and youths Career education for children and youths

with VI (with VI (Foundations of EducationFoundations of Education))

• Transition for Students who are Blind or Transition for Students who are Blind or

have Low Vision (have Low Vision (Handbook of Handbook of

Transition for Youth with Disabilities)Transition for Youth with Disabilities)

ResourcesResources

Chapters:Chapters:

• Transition planning and employment Transition planning and employment

outcomes for students who have visual outcomes for students who have visual

impairments with other disabilities impairments with other disabilities

((Educating students who have visual Educating students who have visual

impairments with other disabilitiesimpairments with other disabilities) )

ResourcesResources

Chapters:Chapters:

• Transition planning for the world beyond Transition planning for the world beyond

school (A Parents’ Guide to Special school (A Parents’ Guide to Special

Education for Children with Visual Education for Children with Visual

Impairments)Impairments)

ResourcesResources

Articles:Articles:

• The transition from school to adult roles The transition from school to adult roles

and responsibilities (and responsibilities (InsightInsight))

• Employment-related experiences of youths Employment-related experiences of youths

who are blind or visually impaired: How who are blind or visually impaired: How

are these youths faring? (are these youths faring? (JVIBJVIB))

ResourcesResources

Articles:Articles:

• Skills for success: Career education for Skills for success: Career education for

young people with sight problems (young people with sight problems (InsightInsight))

• The status of Canadian youth who are blind The status of Canadian youth who are blind

or visually impaired: A study of lifestyles, or visually impaired: A study of lifestyles,

quality of life and employment (quality of life and employment (Elsevier Elsevier

International Congress SeriesInternational Congress Series))

ResourcesResources

Articles:Articles:

• The social network pilot project: A The social network pilot project: A

quantitative comparison of the lifestyles of quantitative comparison of the lifestyles of

blind, low vision, and sighted young adults blind, low vision, and sighted young adults

((JVIBJVIB))

• Career education for students with visual Career education for students with visual

impairments (impairments (Re:ViewRe:View))

Thank you for your interest Thank you for your interest

and participation!and participation!