12/21/2011 Seb M. Prohn, UP Program Faculty liaison & Outreach Coordinator Goals • Share Western Carolina University‟s UP Program model • Describe the ways we recruit, support and organize, with natural supports • Encourage learning and professional development through direct contact 1 12/21/2011 Natural Supports • Are “resources inherent in community environments that can be used for habilitative and supportive services” • West, Kregel, Hernandez & Hock (1997) Why „Natural‟ Support for college students with ID? • Identification as a college student • Social network expansion / reducing isolation • Reduce stereotypes • Step to independence 2 12/21/2011 UP Program Overview • Started as a pilot program in 2007 • Provides a two year, on-campus living and learning experience for college-aged individuals with intellectual disabilities • Funded as only model demonstration site in NC and one of 27 national TPSID projects Year # of Participants 2008 2 2010 4 2011 8 Five UP Program Components 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Personal Development Skills Community Participation Skills Vocational Preparation Skills Social Participation and Learning Course Auditing 3 12/21/2011 UP Certificate Requirements Completion of 1800 hours of learning activities (450 hrs per semester) Achievement of at least 80% of the objectives per semester within each component of the Individual Plan for College Participation (IPCP) Recommendation for a UP Certificate of Accomplishment by the UP coordinator and the UP Program Steering Committee Systems for Functioning • Specific criteria for admission • Consistent application of values (inclusion & selfdetermination) • Inclusive opportunities in all of campus life • Integration of work-based learning and transition to employment • Administrative support of program development • Support from student volunteers 4 12/21/2011 Meet the UP Program‟s Supports • VIDEO! Natural Support: UP Definition • Paid and unpaid WCU students of approximately the same age as participants who intervene as necessary to facilitate inclusive participation in dormlife, course work, and social & recreational activities. 5 12/21/2011 Duties & Impact Academic •Attending and supporting participants in classes •Support/tutoring with projects and homework Social •Attending sporting events •Campus social events (e.g., religious groups, cheerleading, swimming, clubs, movies, plays, ballgames) Vocational •Serving as a job coach Personal Development •Suitemate: morning and night routines •Personal care goals •Attendance and input at person centered planning meetings •Help collecting data on IPCP goals What We Have https://whentowork.com/logins.htm 6 12/21/2011 Optimal States & Needs • Ratio is 20 volunteers to 1 participant (per week) depending on levels of support needed • Had at least 80 active volunteers with 4 participants; Need at least 160 active volunteers for 8 participants Week Of Shifts Needed Hours Needed Sept. 12th 246 440.75 Sept. 19th 238 448.08 Sept. 26th 221 416.00 Oct. 3rd 235 428.75 Oct. 10th and 17th 275 505.17 *Equals one week Oct. 24th 234 412.58 Averages 241.5 441.89 Recruitment Community Resources University Resources • Intro to Special Education • • Whee Teach & Teaching Fellows Developmental therapy/CAP funding • AmeriCorps scholarships • Internal and external grant funds • Psychology service-learning courses • Participants‟ classes • Federal work study positions 7 12/21/2011 Bidirectional Exchange: Supports Benefit • Short term outcomes • improvement in „states‟ • Middle term outcomes • Interweave class theory/research with practice • Occupational „trial run‟ • Long term outcomes • Networking • Professional training • Behavior plans, Wilson Reading System & Edmark Reading Program, individualized lesson plans, Problem solving, organization Other Benefits • Research opportunities • Teachable moments • Measuring dispositions • Involvement in a national movement 8 12/21/2011 Increased Comfort & Efficacy “I will be honest, before SPED 240 I tried to avoid people with disabilities. It‟s not that I felt any different about them. I knew they were human just like everyone else in the world. I wasn‟t scared or disgusted by them. I just wasn’t sure how to act. I didn’t want to say or do the wrong thing. Taking this class has made me realize that I can be myself around people with disabilities.” Choice & Voice • Assist in establishing participant goals • Co-create professional goals • Co-create schedule • Plan and organize social events 9 12/21/2011 Supporting Support • Training • Training sessions: assignment modification; homework assistance; reading, math & social skill instruction; data collection • Other: volunteer manual, shadowing, instructional approaches/practice lessons, reflective journaling, summative and formative feedback • Co-evaluation • Criteria: dependability; engagement/initiative; decision making & professionalism; communication/teamwork; professional development; problem solving; Organization & Logistics • Weekly schedules detail when, where and what type of activity has been designated • When to Work online scheduling program: shift trade boards, notifications, volunteer availability • Blackboard: participant goals, schedules, learning profiles and HW assignments; support journal deposit 10 12/21/2011 Organized Yet Individualized Increased Independence 11 12/21/2011 UP Program Resources • WCU UP Program Blackboard site • UP Program website at http://up.wcu.edu • UP Volunteers http://www.wcu.edu/29298.asp • Volunteer FAQ http://www.wcu.edu/29321.asp#FAQs_from_Volunte ers • Contact Us http://www.wcu.edu/29294.asp Questions? 12 12/21/2011 Contact Information Seb Prohn, Faculty Liaison/Outreach Coordinator smprohn@email.wcu.edu 13