TRANSITION SERVICES
The mission of Hudson Community Enterprise Transition Services is to teach young people the skills needed to help them successfully transition from adolescence to adulthood. Most young people move successfully from adolescence to adulthood with support of family, schools and community. Unfortunately students who have been classified as special needs are more at risk and in need of individualized attention in overcoming the many obstacles and barriers that challenge them on their journey. Our Transition Services Department provides a safe, predictable, and nurturing environment that develops communication, social and work related skills that will help them grow into valuable citizens and productive employees. Our program concentrates on two main components; work skills and social skills.
The Transition Services Program is a minimum five year program and the students earn a portion of their High School academic credits once they are referred to our program through their local school district. They participate in half-day programs at local businesses in order to gain work experiences. During the first year, students take part in career preparation activities, assessing their strengths, interests, preferences, aptitudes and capabilities. During the following 4 years, students are placed at work sites where they learn about a variety of jobs in different industries. The students rotate through departments and are mentored by one of our skilled, professional counselors. Upon completion, participants will have realized their potential in areas of their life that will help them in attaining employment or if they choose, continued education.
Individuals who are competent in social skills are perceived positively in the classroom, work place and their community, as compared to individuals who lack appropriate social skills. We find that these students who lack social appropriate social skills, are not fully engaged in their learning experience or work environment. Appropriate social behaviors are extremely important in attaining and maintaining a job, establishing friendships, gaining peer acceptance, and walking away from negative situations. For example, knowing when and how to create “small talk” is extremely important in interpersonal relationships as well as on the job, and this is a skill we teach. Effective social problem solving requires reading one’s own and others feelings and being able to label and express these feelings and this is another example of a skill that our program teaches.
Participation in our Transition Service Program prepares youth for life beyond High School.
