Transition Services

Exploration + Experience = Employment!

Erin Seeley, Community Employment CoordinatorJennifer Kane, Transition Specialist

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- Employment oriented services that provide real work experience.

- Designed to guide and support students as they begin the journey from school to employment and independence.

- Are individualized to each students interests and needs.

- Follow students throughout their high school career, exploring options and gaining experience each step of the way.

What are Transition Services?

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- Schools in our area continued to see budget cuts which resulted in non-essential programs being cut. This included career oriented programs.

- There was a push from the state for schools to offer Transition Services.

- Several schools reached out to us looking for help with meeting new state requirements.

Why did we start providing

Transition Services?

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1. Enhance Self-Awareness/Self Advocacy

2. Explore Options

3. Gain Experience

4. Overcome Barriers to Employment

Our Program ObjectivesTr

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– Identify strengths and areas to work on

– Identify interests, preferences and skills

– Understand what kinds of support one might need and who could provide that support

– Learn to make informed choices and decisions

– Understand one’s rights and responsibilities

Enhance Self-Awareness

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– Skills & Interest Assessments

– Career Exploration

– Job Shadowing

Explore OptionsTr

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Explore

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– Several different assessment instruments

– Assess job preferences, employability skills, student interests and how they connect to job skills

– Administered by trained Transition Specialists on a 1:1 basis

Skill and Interest Assessments

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Explore

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– Identify available jobs types in the community

– Identify skills needed for different job types

– Learn how to match preferences, skills and abilities to available community jobs

– Choose preferred job sites for Job Shadows

– Develop questions to ask employers while on a Job Shadow

Career ExplorationTr

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Explore

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– Visit preferred job sites

– Learn about the job

– Meet employees and ask questions

– Evaluate how closely the job matches personal preferences

Job ShadowingTr

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Explore

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– Develop a resume

– Complete a job application

– Practice interviewing

– Learn how to search for a job

Gain ExperienceTr

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Experience

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– Identify strategies to overcome barriers to employment

– Learn soft skills needed to retain a job

– Participate in assessments at actual job sites

Overcome Barriers to Employment

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Experience

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– Student chooses preferred job site– Performs job tasks that actual

employees would do– Interacts with coworkers & customers– Practices workplace behaviors needed

for success on the job– Student receives a detailed

performance evaluation from the Employment Specialist

Site AssessmentsTr

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Experience

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– Services begin as early as age 15

– Assistance with ACCES-VR referrals

– Partnership with OPWDD ETP Traineeship

– Links to other eligible services

– Well-trained and experienced staff with extensive

community employment connections

– Customized, person-centered service packages

– Uninterrupted flow of services

– Helps schools meet new CDOS Requirements

Benefits of Transition Services

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Employment

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– Student works with a Transition Specialist from the beginning of services until graduation and will receive 1:1 support through the entire journey.

– Students have more options. We develop assessment sites based on student interest.

– Students leave with a personalized employment portfolio that will serve as a useful tool for years to come after graduation.

What is Unique About Our Transition Services?

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Employment

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– There is greater opportunity for students to find employment in their local community.

– Students gain experience working with a Employment Specialist prior to accessing Supported Employment Services.

What is Unique About Transition Services?

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Employment

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– Meets state guidelines and best practices and helps schools meet new CDOS Requirements

– Provides agency participation in CSE meetings and IEP development

– Provides individual attention – which can be costly and time consuming for school staff to provide

– Maintains uninterrupted flow of services

How Transition Services Can Meet Student and School

Needs

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Employment

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– College

– Working independently without the assistance of SEMP

– Working with the assistance of SEMP through ACCES-VR or OPWDD including the ETP Internship

– In Job Development or Discovery

– In Pathway to Employment

Success Stories: Where are some of our students

now?

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– Schools can access grant money to purchase Transition Services.

– Number of service hours varies depending on the need(s) of the student/school.

– Individual Rates: Cost per hour = $45.

– Group Rates: Cost per lesson = $180.

Funding for Transition Services

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– Presentations at school districts

– Send out mailings to local school districts

– Word of mouth • One school talking to another• MSC’s mentioning the program to schools and

parents• Parents talking to parents

Marketing for Transition Services

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– Started in 2008 with 1 school and 3 students. 1 part time staff member.

– Currently we work with 7 school districts, 32 students and 3 group classes. We now have 2 full time staff members.

– Otsego County has 12 school districts, we have worked with 9 of the 12 through Transition Services over the 7 years the program has been in operation.

– We have trained other local counties to provide similar services to schools in their area.

History and Growth of Transition Services

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Erin Seeley- The Arc OtsegoCommunity Employment Coordinator

seeleye@arcotsego.org607-433-8447 x 110

607-434-1006

Jennifer Kane- The Arc OtsegoTransition Specialistkanej@arcotsego.org

607-353-5316

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