Strengthening Communities & Families

WORKING TO DEVELOP CONFIDENCE AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY

The most recent L.E.T.S. Program (Life, Education, Training, Skills) directly impacted 14 students for the twelve consecutive weeks beginning June 2012. This signature program of The Arc Mid-South has two primary goals: preparing young adults from low-income families who have cognitive disabilities to obtain their GED and teaching individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities certain life skills pertaining to health and wellness, sex education, homemaking, safety awareness, housing, transportation, effective communication, and the understanding of governmental benefits.  Overall outcomes of the program are to increase confidence and self-sufficiency in individuals with disabilities.

The L.E.T.S. Program does its part to ensure communities are educated and productive.  Especially in a society where poverty is rampant- with 46.2 million Americans living below the poverty line (The New York Times, 2011)- it is essential that individuals acquire the skills necessary to assist them in gaining substantial employment; skills which will allow individuals to become an active contributor in the society where they reside.

Along these lines, the importance of education must be stressed.  Statistics have shown that 8 percent of individuals ages 16 to 24 are neither enrolled in school nor possess an official record of high school completion (Institute of Education Sciences, 2008).  While eight percent may appear to be a low number, it is staggering when considering that young adults lacking a High School Diploma or GED are more likely to live in poverty and to receive government assistance.   Additionally, individuals lacking education are more likely to be involved in crime (David C. Deming, 2012)

Fortunately, The L.E.T.S. Program helps combat these societal issues.  Specifically, this program prepares young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to obtain their GED, acquire the skills needed for employment, seek employment opportunities, and teach everyday life skills.  This program ultimately assists individuals in becoming contributors in the community where they reside; this decreases the need for individuals to rely on government assistance which, in turn, reduces the adverse financial impact on the economy.  

The pre-determined curricula of the L.E.T.S. Program stressed understanding the Mathematics portion of the GRE exam.  Students were also taught basic skills, some of which included adequately handling stress, dealing with conflicts, emphasizing the importance of teamwork, and practicing good time management.

While enrolled, students improved both their listening skills and participation in the class.  They involved themselves with completing independent exercises at times, and focused on group exercises at others.  While the varying types of disabilities may have posed a challenge during classroom instruction, instructors often provided time for one-on-one instruction depending upon the severity of the disability.

As a result of the program, many students demonstrated improvements in self esteem, determination, and confidence.  There was obvious progress in students’ punctuality and attendance, and behavioral-driven outbursts that were demonstrated towards the beginning of the 12 week session significantly lessened in degree and frequency.  There was a recent graduation for all students who successfully completed the program.

Finally, students attending L.E.T.S. classes received training and assistance when locating employment.  The Arc Mid-South’s Job Readiness staff worked with students preparing them for how to best locate positions within their specified area of interest.  The Job Developer closely engaged students in multiple areas, including how to best complete applications, how to dress in appropriate work attire, and how to interview well. Once hired, staff followed up with students who offered direct support during the beginning stages of their employment. 

Thank you for taking the time to view Working to Develop Confidence and Self-Sufficiency.  The Arc Mid-South appreciates any support you can provide in sustaining this project.  With your continued support, The L.E.T.S. Program will continue to be successful. 

Please contact The Arc Mid-South with ideas and to gather more support for this program and the agency.  Visit The Arc Mid-South at www.thearcmidsouth.org.

Works Cited

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/us/14census.html?pagewanted=all
2. http://educationnext.org/does-school-choice-reduce-crime/
3. http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/dropout08/tables.asp