SESSION 6: 2.25-3.35pm
Room LK308
Innovations and Approaches: Social Enterprise Development, Work Readiness, and Transitional Housing
Elisabeth Johnson, President of MERISTEM.
Ted Kempf, VP of Outreach and Admissions at MERISTEM.
This presentation aims to help parents, family members, friends, and professionals connected to, and working with, young adults with ASD understand an innovative method that develops self-sufficiency. Meristem provides a novel community development model that responds to the unique needs of these underserved individuals. Our program consists of 6 vocational trade curricular tracks: woodworking, agriculture, metal work, landscape maintenance, digital media, and textiles.
-The presentation will highlight educational, therapeutic, and workforce development elements from this proven method originating in the United Kingdom. In the session we will share how the program utilizes an assessment process that focuses on 5 areas of assessment: (1) Practical/ Work Skills; (2) Spatial Integration; (3) Independent Living Skills; (4) Wellbeing; and (5) Social and Communication Skills. The assessment is used to inform and design a student’s individual curriculum and identify key activities and actions that students should engage in to improve their skills.
-We will show how students develop embedded functional skills that enhance independence and executive functioning. Elements of the presentation will focus on the development of vocational skills, transition to work, and work readiness through the development of novel social enterprises, apprenticeship, career pathways, and housing. We will demonstrate how the project affords participants support through vocational training, transitional housing, and independent living skills.
-The Meristem logic model and theory of change has been tested and iterated for over 30 years in 7 colleges throughout England. The method boasts a 70% success rate of transitioning young adults with disabilities into mainstream education or directly into the workforce. Program handouts will be provided to participants.
MERISTEM serves young adults on the autism spectrum by helping them develop practical life skills, increase social capacity, and transition to work and independence. They build the foundation for a productive life by helping to optimize the potential of each individual. A special emphasis is placed on preparing students for entry into the workforce or pursuing higher education. The three-year day and residential program uses a contemporary apprenticeship model to develop contextualized, transferable skills to transition young adults into work life. Students learn in highly personalized ways. Learning is individualized, structured, and self-directed. The MERISTEM method is inspired by the work of the Ruskin Mill Trust in England. Ruskin Mill has a 35 year history serving generations of students with autism across the United Kingdom. More than 70% of graduates transition into higher education, vocational training, or employment.
Website:
https://meristem.pro/
Room LK308
Innovations and Approaches: Social Enterprise Development, Work Readiness, and Transitional Housing
Elisabeth Johnson, President of MERISTEM.
Ted Kempf, VP of Outreach and Admissions at MERISTEM.
This presentation aims to help parents, family members, friends, and professionals connected to, and working with, young adults with ASD understand an innovative method that develops self-sufficiency. Meristem provides a novel community development model that responds to the unique needs of these underserved individuals. Our program consists of 6 vocational trade curricular tracks: woodworking, agriculture, metal work, landscape maintenance, digital media, and textiles.
-The presentation will highlight educational, therapeutic, and workforce development elements from this proven method originating in the United Kingdom. In the session we will share how the program utilizes an assessment process that focuses on 5 areas of assessment: (1) Practical/ Work Skills; (2) Spatial Integration; (3) Independent Living Skills; (4) Wellbeing; and (5) Social and Communication Skills. The assessment is used to inform and design a student’s individual curriculum and identify key activities and actions that students should engage in to improve their skills.
-We will show how students develop embedded functional skills that enhance independence and executive functioning. Elements of the presentation will focus on the development of vocational skills, transition to work, and work readiness through the development of novel social enterprises, apprenticeship, career pathways, and housing. We will demonstrate how the project affords participants support through vocational training, transitional housing, and independent living skills.
-The Meristem logic model and theory of change has been tested and iterated for over 30 years in 7 colleges throughout England. The method boasts a 70% success rate of transitioning young adults with disabilities into mainstream education or directly into the workforce. Program handouts will be provided to participants.
MERISTEM serves young adults on the autism spectrum by helping them develop practical life skills, increase social capacity, and transition to work and independence. They build the foundation for a productive life by helping to optimize the potential of each individual. A special emphasis is placed on preparing students for entry into the workforce or pursuing higher education. The three-year day and residential program uses a contemporary apprenticeship model to develop contextualized, transferable skills to transition young adults into work life. Students learn in highly personalized ways. Learning is individualized, structured, and self-directed. The MERISTEM method is inspired by the work of the Ruskin Mill Trust in England. Ruskin Mill has a 35 year history serving generations of students with autism across the United Kingdom. More than 70% of graduates transition into higher education, vocational training, or employment.
Website:
https://meristem.pro/