Life after High School: Life after High School: Where do we go now!!!Where do we go now!!!

The importance of future’s The importance of future’s planning, creative ideas and planning, creative ideas and

community connections.community connections.

Gateways Community ServicesGateways Community Services

We are a not for profit agency serving the Greater We are a not for profit agency serving the Greater Nashua community. Nashua community.

One of the ten designated Area Agencies in the state One of the ten designated Area Agencies in the state of NH. of NH.

We support individuals who experience We support individuals who experience developmental delays, chronic illness and elders in developmental delays, chronic illness and elders in need. need.

Eligibility is based on an intellectual disability Eligibility is based on an intellectual disability however we do provide services to those with dual however we do provide services to those with dual diagnoses. diagnoses.

Beginning the ProcessBeginning the Process Family Support Service Coordinators first Family Support Service Coordinators first

meet with a family when the student is 16 meet with a family when the student is 16 years of age. years of age.

We work on building a relationship with all We work on building a relationship with all parties that work with the student in school parties that work with the student in school and in his/her own community. and in his/her own community.

FSSC’s begin to talk about future plans and FSSC’s begin to talk about future plans and what the student’s hopes and dreams are. what the student’s hopes and dreams are.

The process cont’dThe process cont’d The FSSC will learn more about the abilities The FSSC will learn more about the abilities

of the student and work with the family, of the student and work with the family, school district and community providers to school district and community providers to enhance those abilities. enhance those abilities.

All FSSC’s are trained in future’s planning All FSSC’s are trained in future’s planning facilitation for mapping sessions. These facilitation for mapping sessions. These sessions can be done in the home or in the sessions can be done in the home or in the community. It is wherever the family and community. It is wherever the family and student are most comfortable. student are most comfortable.

Building PartnershipsBuilding Partnerships Being able to ask someone to be involved in the Being able to ask someone to be involved in the

process. process. Talking to neighbors, local store owners, church Talking to neighbors, local store owners, church

participants, high school peers etc. participants, high school peers etc. Networking: accessing resources through the Networking: accessing resources through the

internet, connecting to local groups. internet, connecting to local groups. Collaboration: working with your team to Collaboration: working with your team to

accomplish goals of the student. Remember the accomplish goals of the student. Remember the source of the process.source of the process.

Maintaining PartnershipsMaintaining Partnerships Set up regular meetings and use them as Set up regular meetings and use them as

brainstorming sessions. brainstorming sessions. Keep people involved by giving them action Keep people involved by giving them action

steps to accomplish before next meeting.steps to accomplish before next meeting. Make the meetings as fun as possible. Have Make the meetings as fun as possible. Have

someone facilitate that is a more objective someone facilitate that is a more objective team member. team member.

Be careful not to meet too often as people can Be careful not to meet too often as people can get burned out.get burned out.

Setting up the Facilitation Setting up the Facilitation MeetingMeeting

Chose your members carefully. Let them Chose your members carefully. Let them know that their input is very important to the know that their input is very important to the process and that everyone on the team will process and that everyone on the team will have projects to do along the way. have projects to do along the way.

Pick people that will be invested in the process Pick people that will be invested in the process for the long term. for the long term.

Try to look outside of your comfort zone to Try to look outside of your comfort zone to chose people that know the student in a chose people that know the student in a different light and can offer different insight. different light and can offer different insight.

Facilitation Cont’dFacilitation Cont’d Establish the ground rules at the first meeting. Establish the ground rules at the first meeting.

Make sure you post the group rules up on paper Make sure you post the group rules up on paper and everyone has input. and everyone has input.

Give everyone a chance to talk about how they Give everyone a chance to talk about how they know the student.know the student.

Use the first meeting to get to know each team Use the first meeting to get to know each team member. member.

Be as creative as possible making sure the Be as creative as possible making sure the student knows that this process is important to student knows that this process is important to everyone. (Team T-shirts) everyone. (Team T-shirts)

Following ThroughFollowing Through It is important that action steps are established It is important that action steps are established

and followed through.and followed through. Try to make all action steps attainable for all Try to make all action steps attainable for all

members. Don’t set up unrealistic goals.members. Don’t set up unrealistic goals. Make sure the student also has work to do as Make sure the student also has work to do as

part of the team. part of the team. Ex: if the student wants to be an astronaut, Ex: if the student wants to be an astronaut,

have them take a tour in a space station to see have them take a tour in a space station to see what intrigues them. what intrigues them.

MappingMapping

Mission PossibleMission Possible A program designed using a small grant opportunity A program designed using a small grant opportunity

from BDS for employment initiatives.from BDS for employment initiatives. The program was designed and implemented by our The program was designed and implemented by our

Family Support Council in collaboration with the Family Support Council in collaboration with the Family Support Service Coordinators.Family Support Service Coordinators.

Our first step was to find a community site that would Our first step was to find a community site that would partner with us to offer an employment internship at partner with us to offer an employment internship at their facility. their facility.

The idea was that if they offered their space and the The idea was that if they offered their space and the employment opportunities, we would pay their wages employment opportunities, we would pay their wages and pay for a job coach to supervise the program. and pay for a job coach to supervise the program.

Mission Possible Cont’dMission Possible Cont’d

Due to the intense structure of the program, a Due to the intense structure of the program, a local vendor was brought in to provide the local vendor was brought in to provide the daily program support that was needed. daily program support that was needed.

The program consisted of 5 students who The program consisted of 5 students who were paid 7.25hr for a total of 10 weeks to were paid 7.25hr for a total of 10 weeks to work various jobs throughout the Boys and work various jobs throughout the Boys and Girls Club. Each participant worked two 5 Girls Club. Each participant worked two 5 week internships at different jobs to enhance week internships at different jobs to enhance their skills. their skills.

Successful CollaborationSuccessful Collaboration

The program brought together three agencies The program brought together three agencies whose missions aligned with one another and whose missions aligned with one another and their own employment initiatives. their own employment initiatives.

The program was such a success that we were The program was such a success that we were asked to recreate it again the following year.asked to recreate it again the following year.

A summer program was created where three A summer program was created where three people from the original group worked at the people from the original group worked at the Boys and Girls Club for 10 weeks supported Boys and Girls Club for 10 weeks supported naturally by their own staff. naturally by their own staff.