October 2023 Issue 4 Living, Learning, and Working Independently (LWLI)

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The seasons are changing and so are you!

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LWLI

Live, Work, and Learn Independently

A Newsletter for Arkansas

Teens and Adults

with Disabilities Transitioning to Adulthood


The Center for Exceptional Families' goal is to improve the quality of life and opportunities for all students with disabilities, including teens and young adults (age 14-26) who are transitioning from school to adult life. TCFEF will offer regular workshops, training, resources, and 4 newsletters yearly with information on transitioning to adulthood.

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Art Contest!!

We need YOUR help to find the next TATE! Tate is our Teen and Adult Transition Expert shown in our newsletter! It was drawn by a teen with Autism. TATE's purpose is to educate teens and adults with disabilities about important vocabulary and ideas about what it means to live, work, and learn independently when you become an adult!


We want to give our readers an opportunity to draw our next TATE who will be featured in 4 newsletters in 2024! The artist who is chosen will receive a gift card! Read the requirements below and click the button when you're ready to upload your art!

Artist Requirements

Art Requirements

Be 14-26 years old and have parent permission if under 18

Be original art and have a white background

Be a teen or adult with a disability

Be drawn on a digital art app or program and sent as a JPG

Sign a permissionform for us to use your art for the newsletter

Be sent with a paragraph about yourself and your plans/dreams/goals for your future

Sign up for our newsletter

Be sent with a paragraph about how your drawing represents TATE

Click Here to Enter!

Training Opportunity!!

TCFEF Parent Mentor and IFTW State Lead, Karen Lutrick would like to schedule a training session with you, your staff, students and/or parents!! 


Topic: Working Independently, Here We Come! 

The full training is approximately four (4) hours or can be done in 1-4 segments, each segment approximately one (1) hour long. 

Contact Karen at 501-398-1667 or karen.lutrick@tcfef.org to schedule a training. Click Here to view the 'Working Independently, Here We Come" checklist.

What is Supported Employment?

Meet TATE, our Teen Adult Transition Expert (TATE).
TATE will give you important facts, vocabulary, and info related to Living, Learning, and Working Independently. TATE was created by a teen with a disability specifically for this purpose!

Supported Employment is a service that helps people with disabilities find and keep jobs. The services can include training, coaching, and other resources! Did you know the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) doesn't allow employers to discriminate against people with disabilities? That means people with disabilities. Employers must provided reasonable support for workers with disabilities.


October is National Employment for Disabilities Awareness Month! Check out the two success stories about supported employment!

Supported Employment Resources

Teen and Young Adult Initiative


The Center for Exceptional families wants to take the work out of finding work resources for you! Check out our "Working Independently" tab on our Teen and Young Adult Webpage for tons of resources. TCFEF is not affiliated with and does not endorse any of the resources listed.

Click Here

Events

TCFEF Events


Stay up to date with our events by checking out our calendar:

Click Here


Monthly Events


October 21st - A-State Tailgate and Game sponsored by A-State HOWL and Tranisition Program in Jonesboro. Click Here


Oct 28th, Nov 18th, Dec 16th - 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM Adults on the Autism Spectrum Meeting at River City Coffee in Little Rock. Click Here


November 6th - Helping Families See Possibilities in Employment Webinar presented by SPAN. Click Here


November 9th - Young Adults and Customized Employment Webinar presented by PACER. Click Here


December 2 - Sensory Cinema Double Feature! Choose between The Marvels or Trolls at 9:30 AM at the Malco Theater in Jonesboro. Click Here.


December 16th - Sensory Cinema Double Feature! Choose between Wish and Wonka at 9:30 AM at the Malco Theater in Jonesboro. Click Here.


Various Dates: Young Adult Social Group (ages 15-25) Community Connections Little Rock, Conway, Russellville. Click Here


Various Dates: Club Connect for young adults with Down Syndrome. Held every 6-8 weeks. Click Here

Announcement!

The Independent Futures That Work (IFTW) project is preparing to launch a Learning Management System (LMS) providing various topics on transitioning to independent living, learning, and working. As part of the the project, they would like to include short videos of individuals from each Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) participating in the project. To be considered as a nominee for the videos, we ask that the student be in the process of transitioning from high school to independent living, learning, or working. 


Click Here to download the nomination form. Submit it to: 

transition@alabamaparentcenter.com 



Thanks for your consideration and participation in this effort. Please share this information and nomination form with others in your network. Let’s represent Arkansas!

Independent Futures That Work

Image Description: Logo with the title "Independent Futures that Work. Live. Work. Learn." Logo is in blue and green. There is a person in a wheelchair, a person with a backpack on, and a person with a walking cane on a path with 3 arrows pointing in different directions.

To expand the goal of reaching teens and young adults, TCFEF has partnered with The Independent Futures That Work Project. IFTW is a multi-state program with a mission to work together with families, schools, and other organizations to help teens and adults with disabilities plan their futures! Click the link below to learn more and connect with IFTW on their website and social media sites!

Website
Facebook
Twitter

TCFEF Toolkit Spotlight!

The Center for Exceptional Families (TCFEF) has partnered with two schools and multiple donors including AG for Autism and Summit Community Care, a PASSE provider, to bring families a toolkit to organize their child's school records and provide them with useful information. With the school partnership, teens with disabilities at the school are paid to put together the binders that are shipped for FREE to families, thanks to TCFEF grant funding and our generous donors!!

School Partnerships

Wynn Public Schools' Working for Independence Now (WIN) [rogram. Click Here to go to the school website.


Harrisburg Public Schools' Work-Based Learning Opportunities Leading to Future Employment (WOLF) program. Click Here to go to the school website.

Thank you Donors!

If you would like to become a participating school or sponsor, email shelby.knight@tcfef.org

College Spotlight

Each newsletter, we will highlight organization, schools, programs, colleges, etc that are providing services to teens and young adults with disabilities to help them live, learn, and work independently!

Arkansas State University's Helping Our Wolves Learn (HOWL) and Transition Program in Jonesboro is growing and now has it's own webpage and Facebook page! Check out their services and events!

Website

Facebook

Weekend Retreat for Adults with Disabilities!!

Enjoy a weekend retreat!


Camp Aldersgate is hosting a retreat at Mount Sequoyah in Fayetteville Arkansas on November 3rd-5th for adults with disabilities aged 19-55 years old!


It is a free event thanks to generous donors. Only a $40 deposit is required that will be reimbursed! Click the links below to find out more!

Learn More

Register Here

Want to know more?

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To see more state and national resources for living, learning, and working independently, click below. The button will take you to the Resources for Teens and Young Adults tab on The Center for Exceptional Familes' website!

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