Work Preparedness: Willing/Desire To Work
Welcome back as we continue to discuss Employability Skills and the Local Industry standards. We will continue to explore ways to support your individual needs for competitive employment. Although it can seem daunting with 27 standards in total, they were found to be the most important by industry leaders. I suggest that you and your family pick one place to start and add on from there. If you need assistance, you can always schedule an exploration call or make an appointment for services. Visit: https://tinyurl.com/GracefulTransitionsLLC
Work Preparedness: Willing/Desire To Work
This will wrap up the section on Work Preparedness. This skill is a more intrinsic quality for individuals to have; however, we can work to help create this quality along the way.
Family Practice Ideas:
Around the age of 3-4, individuals can start earning money by completing small chores. It doesn't have to be large amounts or even real amounts if you don't want to. For example, tasks such as emptying the trash can in their room or bathroom, or at least bringing it to the kitchen on trash day.
Use GreenLight cards to help individuals learn the ins and outs of money. (www.greenlight.com) For example, I took my nephew to Brick Fest. Before we left, he knew he wanted a shirt from the event. I told him I'd pay for the shirt, and he would be responsible for anything else he wanted. Using his GreenLight card, he chose to buy a balloon and a keychain, and recognized that those two things took several weeks of his allowance. While he still chose to get both, it made him stop and think about his choices.
When making age-appropriate purchases, discuss the cost and any trade-offs that may be necessary to obtain the needed items. For example, when planning a vacation, you can discuss how to save by buying groceries and eating at the condo instead of eating out, allowing the family to stay an extra night on vacation.
Allow individuals to try various house chores and note what they like and dislike about them so they get to know themselves. Allow them to complete the tasks of choice when able.
School Practice Ideas:
Create a Token Economy, but one that has "bills". Several teachers have shared how they do this. For example, students pay a weekly or monthly "rent" for their desk.
In your token economy, provide "employee reviews" similar to those found in workplaces and offer "raises" based on performance.
Allow students to try various classroom jobs and state what they like and dislike about them.
Please encourage students to track and share their weekly performance with staff and family. When age-appropriate, incorporate an email home reporting it to caregivers.
Deanna Heuring, Ed.S., has been an educational professional for 18 years, with 16 of those years dedicated to Special Education. For the past 12 years, Deanna has devoted her career to Transition Education. Under Federal Guidelines, Transition Education is the period between the ages of 16 and 21. Based on her own experience as both an educator and an advocate for families, Deanna discovered that life after formal education begins long before the age of 16. In June 2023, she established her own business, Graceful Transitions, with the specific intent of supporting families, IEP teams, and fellow educators in creating an environment that produces the best possible outcomes for individuals undergoing profound life transitions.
For more information about Deanna and her work, visit https://tinyurl.com/GracefulTransitions
Transition Education in Missouri, and most states, is considered the time period between the ages of 16 and 21. It refers to planning for life after graduation from K-12 education. Deanna believes families can prepare for "transition" long before age 16, which is the basis of the creation of Life Transition Services for Individuals with Disabilities.
https://sites.google.com/view/graceful-transitions-llc/home?authuser=0
