"A Partnership in Youth
Transition"
Presented by
Kathryn Eckert-Mason,
MS
In Collaboration With:
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Camille Atkinson, MS, VR Counselor
Rebecca Emmert,MS, CRC, LIFE
Colleen Thayer, Job Developer, MA, MS, CDI, CLIP
Anne Harrington, MS Transition Counselor, OSD
Dan Haun, MS Branch Manager S. Salem OVRS
The Story of a Unique
Collaborative Relationship
South Salem OVRS
Oregon School for the Deaf
Lane Independent Living Alliance
/ Living Independently for
Empowerment
Colleen Thayer, Job Developer
In the Beginning / The Traditional
Transition Model
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January each year – VRC’s do a general orientation
to OVRS services and begin doing intakes on
seniors / final year transition program students.
March/ April by the time they were in VR system and
found eligible.
Career exploration / plan development starting in
approx. March / April
Graduation…… we lost many over the summer.
MAKING THE CONNECTION
Models Considered:
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PEPNET Transition Summit spring 2011 –
models reviewed – various nationwide
transition programs for Deaf Youth
Project Access – on campus model /
modified curriculum (language level issues)
YTP Model – OSD not eligible for YTP grant.
Need for Culturally competent and ASL fluent
staff to work with Deaf students.
Pepnet Transition Summit
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Pepnet Misson – Advancing educational
opportunities for people who are Deaf and Hard of
Hearing
May 2nd – May 4th, 2011
Amazing Group of like minded representatives all
with a transition vision from all over the country.
Included representatives from Vocational
Rehabilitation, various school districts, various
Schools for the Deaf, various service providers all
brought together for the purpose of discussing
Transition
What was Learned / Conference
Themes
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What was missing / students were graduating
without the academic and functional skills
needed for success.
Variations throughout the country as to when
adult services (including VR came into the
picture)
Agreement that the later the introduction the
adult services happened, the less smooth the
transition.
Conference Themes
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Many states waited until the end of senior / final year
to begin adult services
Some states were starting much earlier in the high
school experience with more success (sophomore /
Junior year).
It was agreed that no one agency could do it all.
Work experiences early and often facilitated
employment at graduation.
Collaboration emphasized along with Creativity and
Thinking outside the Box.
Conference Themes
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Youth and Families are an integral part of the
process.
Keep Expectations high.
Maryland at that time had a collaborative RSA grant
funded Transition Partners project starting with VR
files open as juniors.
The goal – to be employed or moving on to
education supported by adult services at exit from
high school.
Conference Themes
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A variety of community Partners were
needed for success (VR, school, DD
Services, MH, Workforce Youth programs,
Post Secondary Education programs etc.)
The importance of Mentors – Successful
Adults with Disabilities actively working with
students for inspiration.
Creative ways to come up with paid work
experiences (VR / Workforce etc).
Conference Themes
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Some successful models included VR on the
school campus.
Beginning exploration activities as early as
the 8th / 9th grade (schools)
Student work programs – off campus
experiences.
Culturally competent services provided in
first language.
The Stars Align for Fall 2011
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The Necessary Ingredients:
Enthusiasm for thinking outside of the box for
Transition (S. Salem staff)
Oregon School for the Deaf offers Office
Space on Campus
Manager Support – Thank you Dan!
The Right Job Developer resources for direct
instruction in ASL.
The Vision Emerges
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Earlier introduction and intake into VR Services
(December /January)
Referral of each student to a job developer (LIFE
staff or Colleen) for 1:1 support with career
exploration activities / exploring work experience
options. (The individualized experience)
January - Beginning of bimonthly Job Club
opportunities. (The Group Experience)
The Vision
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VR Counselors on Campus in our office
space twice / week.
Camille and Kathy separate days
Job Developers meeting with students in our
VR office space
Some meeting with students after school
hours / dorms etc. (Colleen)
The Lofty Goal
To Assist all students to
Dream
To have all students in an
IPE by exit time from school
The Specifics
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Students split between Colleen and LIFE staff for 1:1
career exploration or development of work
experience site.
Student cases split between Camille and Kathy
Camille and Kathy had at least one ½ day / week on
campus.
Job Club – 1st and 4th Fridays of the month during
“Advising Time”. - Group AFP’s
The Specifics: Job Club Topics
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Overview of VR System and Process
Facilitate what VR can and can not do for
them.
Importance of choosing a career that fits!
Importance of attendance and participation in
VR relate activities / job club. (1 credit)
Address Deaf Culture perspectives on VR.
Specifics: Job Club Topics…
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Self Advocacy
Deaf Role models (successfully employed Deaf
employees from FEMA and Food Service)
Interview Skills
Life on SSI vs the Employed life
How to use an interpreter and the importance of this.
What are accommodations?
ADA and How to Request Accommodations
Disability Services Access.
Career Exploration – Individualized
OSD Job Club - Presenters
Jon Cray, PUC
Juan, Willamette Univer.
The Specifics
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Job Club – Students divided into College
Bound and Employment Bound groups.
Monthly Planning Meeting for the purpose of:
Review of student specifics / concerns and
successes
Review of coordination needs
Review of Job Club topics and planning.
Branch Manager support / participation
Student Composition (2011-2012)
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17 Students / OVRS clients in total.
7 College Bound Students (NTID, SWCID,
Chemeketa, Le Cordon Bleu)
5 Employment / Hands on Training students
5 Students with additional adult services
involved (DD Services, OCB etc).
Mixture of Seniors and Transition Program
students.
So, What are Last Year’s Students
up to?
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National Technical Institute for the Deaf,
Rochester Institute of Technology – film
editor goal
1 at Le Cordon Bleu – chef training
2 Welding Mentor School – in job search now
1 employed at TJ Max
4 Students returned for ATP (including 1 of
the welding students)
So What are Last Year’s Students
up to?
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ATP students currently in work experiences,
4 recently completed food handlers and
seeking food service work experience.
1 dropped out mid year / this year not last.
NTID / RIT – 2nd student – tried / decided to
ret to Chemeketa.
1 Aged out – Engaged Vol. work / food svce.
So What are Last Year’s Students up
to?
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1 - Aged out – engaged in continued career
exploration
1 - Aged out – engaged in CWE and job
search / cleaning / maintainence.
1 - Employed at Pizza place.
Reflections on What Worked…..
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VR Presence on Campus….. Students knew their
VR Counselor and would seek them out.
Increased responsibility by students for
appointments etc.
Students - More emotional investment in their own
growth process with increased 1:1 support from
Colleen / Jonathan.
Deaf Role Models
Informational interview opportunities – Students
asking to join opportunities that friends were
participating in.
What Worked….
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Starting earlier – Most students has some sort of
career goal idea by the end.
2 students accomplished standard diplomas after
realization of the importance for college.
Test of motivation and desire for future goals.
Many had fully explored their goals, participated in
informational interviews, participated in labor market
research etc by the time of exit.
Increased communication and collaboration with all
partners.
What Worked
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Students and VR Counselor rapport was
more established at the end of the school
year.
Student rapport with Jonathan, Colleen, and
Becky as additional supports in their lives.
Students are excited about their goals.
We did not have the usual lost connection
over the summer.
Lessons Learned
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Student maturity levels and understanding of the importance of
our activities – some students did not realize the importance of
what we were doing until the end….. Oops.
Job Club / Not enough Time – need for much more time to
address issues that arise over the course of the whole year.
Scheduling… How to accomplish VR related services in
conjunction with school required time and services. (Job Club
and school schedule / time off campus, time in the school day
for VR appointments, job shadow / interviews etc).
Lessons Learned
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Modified Diploma Issues – The first year this has
impacted many of those that would have previously
been college bound… How does that then Impact
OVRS policy with regards to training etc.
Backlog of College Plans in process / review /
approval.
Missed the mark in having all students in plan by
exit.. (Two of 17 in plan) – Better than most years
though.
Transportation……..Quite a Barrier
The Vision Revised!
This Year’s Goals
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Start Sooner Still – September Intake Month…. All
seniors and exiting transition students into OVRS.
(actually this was completed by November)
Start Planning Sooner – Summer planning sessions /
review of curriculum for ideas / job club.
September – Start Job Club up and running.
September – Referral for the exploration process in
September (actually happened in November)
This Year’s Goals
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OSD / Moving Transition Program to be co-located
next to VR offices in the same building.
OSD – More emphasis on employment expectations
within transition curriculum.
Collaborative discussion between OVRS, job
developer and transition teachers / teaming for
portfolio activities.
OSD Included – more computer access / technology
access for transition students- IPADS for all.
. All Transition students in work experiences!!!
Student Composition 2012-2013
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18 Students total (possibly 2-3 more)
8 Seniors (2 targeted for possible standard
diploma and college / 6 Modified Diploma
track)
10 Transition Students (19 – 21) - 4 of these
students were in ATP last year, 6 students
new to ATP / seniors last year).
Transition Students Work
Experiences
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OSD Cafeteria
OSD Museum
Monmouth Library
Sunnyside Assisted Living – 1 in patient
support, 2nd in cleaning / food prep
3 recently passed food handlers test (plus 1
senior) – and seeking food service
experience.
Transition Students Work
Experience cont.
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2 in Fashion Bug – breakdown as store went
out of business.
1 in Local Tire Store / storage and cleaning.
1 in Welding / Job Search
Transportation Experiences
OSD Adult Transition Class
Unique Training Partnership
Additional Goals:
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More VR Counselor involvement in earlier
IEP Transition planning meetings
Collaborative process / discussion occurring
regarding current returning students and
creative programming – ½ day off campus
training (welding / CCC) or employment
experience Inclusion of transportation
experiences for those that need it provided
by both OSD and VR.
This Years Goals cont.
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Increased parental involvement and
communication with parents…”One of the
single most influential factors of success in
transition is Parental Involvement”.
Food Handlers Class – for those interested in
food service.
The idea of Electronic Portfolios
Juniors – Intakes scheduled for March /April.
This Year’s Goals continued
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VRC and Branch Manager Contracted
agreement in training plan development
Special Thanks / Contact Info
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Anne Harrington, Transition Coordinator, Oregon
School for the Deaf, anne.harrington@osd.k12.or.us
Matt Boyd, Principal / Athletic Director, Oregon
School for the Deaf, matt.boyd@osd.k12.or.us
Patti Togioka, Director, Oregon School for the Deaf,
patti.togioka@osd.k12.or.us
Sharla Jones, Academic Principal / Outreach,
Oregon School for the Deaf,
sharla.jones@osd.k12.or.us
Special Thanks / Contact Info
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Colleen Thayer, MS,MA,CDI,CLIP, Job Developer,
coolthayer@gmail.com
Becky Emmert, Program Lead, MS, CRC, LILA / LIFE,
bemmert@lilaoregon.org
Camille Atkinson, MS, S.Salem OVRS,
camille.s.atkinson@state.or.us
Daniel Haun, MS, S. Salem OVRS Branch Manager,
daniel.r.haun@sta5te.or.us
Kathryn Eckert-Mason, MS, Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Counselor Specialist, S. Salem OVRS, kathryn.e.eckertmason@state.or.us
Resources
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http://www.pepnet.org/