OVERVIEW
Running Waters is a comprehensive community-based program that serves the individual needs of clients by promoting choice, community integration, and employment attainment. Our overarching goal is to ensure that each client reaches their full potential in areas pertaining to behavior modification, functional literacy, person-centered development, community integration, and ultimately workability/vocational skill development and employment attainment. Services are provided in the community where clients will be provided with opportunities to explore a myriad of real-life settings to enhance the practical application of skills based on their identified interests or areas of strength while simultaneously working on their deficits.
ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING (ADL's)
Activities of daily living are designed to enhance the ability to carry out essential functions as independently as possible based on one's abilities. These activities are designed to enhance social skills, communication skills, safety awareness, self-advocacy, coping skills, and ADLs. This service also includes mobility training and equips participants with the skills necessary to access community resources.
Personal Skills
Independent Living Skills are designed to enhance the ability of participants to carry out essential life tasks independently. These skills are essential in promoting independence by developing self-esteem, self-worth, and self-efficacy. Within a community-based setting, participants are encouraged to make appropriate requests, exercise choices, and receive training on activities of daily living which are necessary for purposes of becoming acclimated to the community and being perceived in a positive manner in society.
Lifestyle Skills
Health and Fitness is an important aspect of our program. Participants are able to select preferred fitness activities in order to maintain physical health.
Activity-based Skills
Our program provides opportunities for participants to engage in community-based activities that are structured to prepare them to maximize the potential within their daily lives and enhance their overall quality of life. All participants in our program will navigate the community daily, by means of planned activities that promote socialization, communication, mobility training, and physical fitness. Participants will access community resources and explore places of interest daily. Community-based activities will be planned based on the participant's choice, interest, and identified areas of skill development. Community engagement teaches socially acceptable behaviors, provides opportunities to interact with others, and allows participants to positively contribute to their community. In addition, through community integration, participants are able to expand their repertoire of leisure activities.
COMMUNITY INTEGRATION
Community Integration provides opportunities for participants to engage in community-based activities that are structured to enhance their quality of life. Community-based activities are planned based on individual choice, and interest. Our program is 100% community-based; therefore, participants will navigate the community, access community resources, and explore places of interest on a daily basis. Community integration builds self-esteem, and confidence, to promote self-efficacy.
FUNCTIONAL LITERACY
Functional literacy will manifest in five areas: math, language arts, writing, computer literacy, and financial literacy. Collectively, these skills play an integral role in all aspects of participant outcomes to foster independence, autonomy, and choice.
MATH & FINANCIAL LITERACY
Provides support for those individuals who lack the fundamental math skills needed to handle task such as shopping.
Financial Literacy is an essential skill for independent living and community integration. We provide opportunities to practice skills such as money exchange and budgeting.
COMPUTER LITERACY
Participants will be provided with opportunities to learn or demonstrate computer literacy skills needed to safety navigate the community or in order to obtain employment.
READING/ WRITING
Focuses on recognizing words needed for community safety while working on writing skills needed to complete a resume or application.
Job Readiness Support
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Vocational 3.0
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Vocational 3.0
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Vocational 3.0
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Job Readiness Support
Job attainment is a goal for many of the individuals within our program. However, prior to securing employment, it is imperative participants have the skills necessary for success and sustainability. It is our belief that social skill development, vocational skill development, targeted job-related skill development, work-related soft skill development, and organizational skill development are viable skills needed for success in the workforce. As such, our program is designed to equip participants with the skills needed across each area to prepare them for the workforce.
We focus on teamwork, understanding workplace expectations, positive and constructive feedback, time management, and organizational skills.
We utilize volunteer opportunities as a pipeline to develop work-related skills. In addition, our program helps participants develop work-related skills such as:
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On Task Performance
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Employment Search
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Creating a resume
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Appropriate work attire
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Interest Inventory
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Mock Interviews
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Communication skills
Vocational 1.0
This program focuses on fundamental job-related soft skill development. Soft skills training may include communication, teamwork, adaptability, decision making, conflict management, problem solving, work ethic, interpersonal skills, and time management.
Vocational 2.0
This program introduces participants to the workplace environment through volunteer opportunities which may occur in an individualized or group setting. This program focuses on targeted skill development which provides targeted training that leads to job attainment.
Vocational 3.0
This program supports individuals who are capable of working independently. Services include job coaching, and support needed to maintain employment.
Soft Skill Training:
Soft job-related skills consist of those skills that are attributed to individual characteristics or personality traits. Soft skills training may include communication, teamwork, adaptability, decision making, conflict management, problem solving, work ethic, interpersonal skills, and time management.
Targeted Skill Training:
Targeted skill training is designed to promote the acquisition of specific job-related skills. Such skills include laundering for employment in a laundromat or dishwashing for employment in the restaurant industry.
Career Exploration:
Career exploration is a section of the program in which encourages all participants to discover what jobs relate to their preferences and skills. It also gives them the opportunity figure out new career paths that might pique their interests.
Educational Training
Educational training exists in our program as it relates to basic literacy, however, individuals who are able to compete at the collegiate level are enrolled in courses at the local community college. Course selections are based on individual interests and build upon their identified goals. Additionally, participants have the option of enrolling in vocational courses such as automotive, culinary, or other pathways to prepare for entry-level positions.
BEHAVIOR SUPPORT
Behavior support strategies and interventions are infused within all aspects of our program. Staff work with the behavior analyst (BCBA) to develop a plan to mitigate socially significant behaviors in order to maximize the ability to develop the skills needed to reach their full potential. Skills are developed in the areas of effectively communicating needs and wants, respecting others, effective listening, decreasing maladaptive behaviors, and demonstrating patience.
