Beyond the Boundaries

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Beyond the Boundaries

• VASS Presentation
• October 2nd October, 2008.

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Outline of Presentation

• Defining Transition
• Evidence Based Practice
• Theoretical Background - How Research
  informs
• Components of Successful Programs
• Indicators of Success
• Our Expect Success Program outlined
• Discussion Activity
• Question and Answer session

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Background

• Evolution in conceptions of what Transition
  involves
• Outcomes-Based Model - employment (e.g. Will,
  1984 study)
• Community Adjustment Model - becoming adjusted to
  community life (e.g Halpern, 1994)
• Self-Determination Model (e.g Lehman et al 2002)

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What is Transition? The Government Legislative
Framework

• 2001 NZ Disability Strategy
• Aim is to create
• a society that highly values our lives and
  continually enhances our full participation.
• 15 key objectives, all of which tie in with
  transition services.

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The Government Legislative Framework continued

• 2006 Ministry of Social Development Families
  Young and Old
• Aims to
• Support all to achieve their potential
• Ensure that all have opportunities to contribute
  to success
• Help to ensure a cohesive society that embraces
  diversity.

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Why Evidence Based Practice?

• A term and approach that grew out of medicine.
• Applicable to a wide variety of situations, such
  as nursing, information management, teaching and
  social programs.
• Relevancy to transition grounded in its
  techniques and philosophic approach.

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Evidence Based Practice

• What is it?
• Use of various methods to gather solid and
  quantifiable data about a subject.
• Examples
• using research studies educating other
  professionals in how to understand and apply
  findings.
• Includes complex decision making informed by
  research and individualised.

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Research Evidence

• Model adapted from King, Baldwin, Currie and
  Evans 2006 report PDF.
• Traditional Transition Models focus on vocational
  training or instruction in skill development.
  Recent research suggests there is little utility
  in using these approaches in isolation (King,
  Baldwin, Currie and Evans, 2005).

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Bronfenbrenners Theory (in short)
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(No Transcript)
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Three essential components of successful
Transition Programs

• 1) Philosophical Approach
• Provide real world opportunities
• Encourage holistic perspective - encourage
  involvement in different social and leisure
  activities
• Start early and involve everyone
• Think long term
• Customize program to individual needs
• King, Baldwin, Currie and Evans 2006

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2) Client Level

• Individualise assessments so that they can
  identify and express needs, wants and goals.
• Provide appropriate experiences that match these
  goals
• Provide emotional support as necessary, plus
  information about services and opportunities.

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3) Service Level system

• Provide opportunities in real life settings to
  ensure transferability of skills from school role
  to adult role conceptions.
• Provide variety of opportunities with varying
  levels of support
• Strengthen communities ability to support and
  encourage participation. This has mutual
  benefits.

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The Goal of Transition

• Traditional view - Bronfenbrenners model
• crosses over into several life domains (such as
  family, friends, school, work, the community
  etc).
• Alternative perspective is to see it as a change
  in roles (King, Baldwin, Currie and Evans, 2005).
• Roles are socially expected behaviours or
  clusters of meaningful activities that are
  expected at intervals in life (Warda, 1992).

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Complexity of Transition Process

• Viewing Transition Process through this prism
  helps to understand its complexity.
• Role changes involve how these individuals are
  viewed by others, make sense of themselves and
  their world beliefs, identity and values (Roth
  Brooks-Gunn, 2000)
• 3 major types of role that should be in a
  Transition Programme (Miezio, 1983)
• Social roles friendships (Webster Carter,
  2007 Bigby, 2008)
• 2) Occupational Roles employment, further
  education, volunteering.
• 3) Leisure and recreational.

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Indicators of Success

• Significance of social and informal relationships
  are key (Bigby 2008 Webster and Carter, 2007)
• Adoption of new roles in the adult world, marked
  by such milestones as active community
  participation, finding new placements for after
  school employment.

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Our Program Expect SuccessWho are we?

• Part of the Wellington After-Care Association
  Incorporated.
• Organization encompasses broad spectrum of
  activities (supported employment, activity
  centres, housing). Helps to address the triad of
  role changes.
• Based in Wellington CBD, but serves the entire
  greater Wellington area.

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What is involved in the program? Key features
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Program Components 1

• Aims
• Targeted clients - ORRS funded High School
  students in their last year of schooling.
• to answer the question What next?

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Program Components 2

• Planning
• This is the KEY tool that drives the program. Use
  the PATH plan (see exemplar).
• Each program is different as each individual is
  different. Reflects their own, personal needs.
• Prior to this stage, is essential to establish
  successful rapport with the client.

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Student Successes 1

• Individualised teaching program through last year
  of High School that matches clients needs.
• Work experience placements and enrolment on
  volunteer schemes that are meaningful,
  appropriate and develop already present skill
  sets (Lehman et al, 2002).
• Beginning to develop recreational links with
  community organisations (sports clubs etc).

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Student Successes 2

• Establishing transition into structured community
  participation service during final school term.
  This is with similar age group in order to foster
  social friendships.
• beginning to develop relationship with similar
  aged gender groups to encourage social
  development and awareness.

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Additional Resources

• Moving on to adult life a resource pack for
  families by families Outside the box, 2006.
• Guiding teens with learning disabilities
  transition from high school to adulthood
  Roffman Brinckerhoff, 2007.
• The Big Plan a good life after school Coulson
  Simmons, 2006.
• All available from IHC library

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References 1

• Bigby, C. (2008). Known well by no-one. Journal
  of Intellectual Developmental disability, 33
  (2), 148 157.
• Halpern, S (1994). The transition of youth with
  disabilities to adult life. Career Development
  for Exceptional Individuals, 17, 115 124.
• King, G.A. Baldwin, P.J. Currie, M. Evans,
  J. (2005). Planning successful transitions from
  school to adult roles for youth with
  disabilities. Childrens Health Care, 34 )3), 195
  216.

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References 2

• King, G.A. Baldwin, P.J. Currie, M. Evans,
  J. (2006). The effectiveness of transition
  strategies for youth with disabilities.
  Childrens Health Care, 35 (2), 155 178.
• Lehman, C. Clark, H. Bullis, M. Rinkin, J.
  Castellanos, L. (2002). Transition from school to
  adult life. Journal of Child and Family Studies,
  11, 127 141.

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References 3

• Miezio, P. (1983). Parenting children with
  disabilities. New York Marcel Dekker.
• Ministry of Health (2001). The New Zealand
  Disability Strategy. Wellington.
• Ministry of Social Development (2007). Strong
  Families An overview (discussion document based
  on Families Young and old). Wellington, NZ.
• Roth, J, Brooks-Gunn, J. (2000). What do
  adolescents need for healthy development? Social
  Policy Report, 14 (1), 3 20.

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References 4

• Warda, M. (1992). The family and chronic sorrow
  Role Theory approach. Journal of Pediatric
  Nursing, 7, 205 210.
• Webster, A.,A. Carter, M. (2007). Social
  relationships and friendships of children with
  developmental disabilities. Journal of
  Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 32
  (3), 200 213.
• Will, M. (1984). OSERS Programming for the
  transition of youth with disabilities Bridges
  from school to adult life. Washington D.C.
  Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
  Services.

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Additional Resources