October 2016

This month’s newsletter addresses the topic of looking your best as presented in this month’s unit titled, “Dress for Success.” The unit provides lessons and activities about the importance of looking your best to make a good first impression including activities in the Transition Passport: Personal Life, Community and Daily Living/Evaluation Tools. As we assist our young adults in the transition from school to work, it is necessary that they receive training in grooming and self-care skills. Grooming and self-care skills begin with knowing about yourself, your responsibilities and how to look your best. This unit will provide our young adults with the tools needed to learn about how to dress for success and make a good first impression.

The unit stories help young adults learn the importance of choosing clothes that fit and match to help you look your best. In the first story, a young man is trying to choose an outfit for an interview. With help from his sister he is able to choose an outfit that matches and is appropriate for the activity. In the second story, a young lady is going shopping for a new shirt. She tries on several shirts to determine her size and what fits best. Three articles offer more information and activities that give our young adults the opportunity to learn about choosing clothes that fit, how to match your outfit, and how to look your best to make a good first impression.

Regular monthly lessons are provided which offer the opportunity to practice the skills needed to look your best. Grooming and clothing needs are addressed in banking and budgeting where the importance of budgeting for needs before spending money on wants is stressed. Daily living skills involved in cooking are part of a regular monthly lesson offering five recipes where our young adults can practice appropriate hygiene skills. Social and communication skills are the focus of lessons presenting daily social trivia scenarios offering more opportunity for our young adults to practice skills needed to look your best and practice good grooming habits.

Employment continues to be a regular focus for several lessons each month. Lessons include exploring different jobs, reading job ads, completing job applications and practicing interview skills. Simple, realistic scenarios address job skills and interactions at work. Job skills are emphasized as team members take on various tasks.