Do you have, or know of anyone who has, a teen or young adult with special emotional, physical or mental needs or learning differences? The list of adult life skill, not taught in academic curriculum, that teens and young adults need to master is, without question, long. Circumstances at any given moment will dictate which skill is needed at the time or in a situation. Some skills are for personal life, some are for the work/professional arena. And some adult life skills cut across every aspect of life.
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Self-advocacy is one of these. And, for teens/young adults who navigated kinder to high school graduation with, at any point, an IEP (Individual Education Plan) or 504 accommodations self-advocacy is a super power. After high school related documentation is a tool these teens and young adults can continue to leverage. This can be with 2- and 4-year colleges, for employment and, social support services such as independent living assistance. These teens and young adults will need to add to their list of adult life skills becoming familiar with IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Act), ADA (Americans with Disabilities law of 1990), FEPRA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) and what each may offer them.
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After high school such documentation from their kinder to 12th grade education can provide, depending on differences state by state and specific to the individual, things like reimbursement for college books, job search and placement assistance, housing assistance and more. Each state is different in terms of the agency responsible. In California it is the Department of Rehabilitation, in Georgia it is the Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, in Alaska it is Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Module 5, Independent Living Skills, and Module 15, Understanding and Accessing Community Resources, of my online course address community and community resources as tools for navigating adult life.
For free resources and tips and to help build community and conversations dedicated to helping you help teens and young adults gain much needed adult life skills…. JOIN https://www.facebook.com/groups/masteringadultlifeskills