"Helping You Help Yourself to "Helping You Help Yourself to Independence"Independence"

Abilities In MotionAbilities In Motion416 Blair Avenue  Reading, PA. 19601416 Blair Avenue  Reading, PA. 19601

1-610-376-0010 (Voice)1-610-376-0010 (Voice)1-888-376-0120 (Voice)1-888-376-0120 (Voice)1-610-376-0021 (Fax)1-610-376-0021 (Fax)1-610-288-2301 (TTY)1-610-288-2301 (TTY)

WHO ARE WE?WHO ARE WE?

WE ARE ONE OF 18 CILS IN PAWE ARE ONE OF 18 CILS IN PA WE PROVIDE SERVICES BASED ON WE PROVIDE SERVICES BASED ON

CONSUMER CHOICE. CONSUMER CHOICE. IF WE CAN’T DO SOMETHING – WE IF WE CAN’T DO SOMETHING – WE

WILL FIND YOU SOMEONE IN THE WILL FIND YOU SOMEONE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO DOES!COMMUNITY WHO DOES!

The Independent Living The Independent Living Department ServicesDepartment Services

Advocacy Advocacy Peer CounselingPeer Counseling Information and ReferralInformation and Referral Service CoordinationService Coordination Children and Youth ServicesChildren and Youth Services Trainings and PresentationsTrainings and Presentations

A Program provided by Abilities in Motion416 Blair Avenue

Reading, PA 19601610-376-0010

www.abilitiesinmotion.org

TEENS TAKING FLIGHTTEENS TAKING FLIGHT

A SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL A SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL GROUP FOR TEENS WITH GROUP FOR TEENS WITH

DISABILITIESDISABILITIES

AND WE ARE OFFAND WE ARE OFF

IN THE BEGINNINGIN THE BEGINNING

IN JULY OF 2005 THE TTF GROUP IN JULY OF 2005 THE TTF GROUP SHOT OFF LIKE A BANG AT THE SHOT OFF LIKE A BANG AT THE KICKOFF PICNIC.KICKOFF PICNIC.

WITH A GROUP OF 30 TEENS WITH A GROUP OF 30 TEENS ORGINALLY THEY WENT ORGINALLY THEY WENT EVERYWHERE ~EVERYWHERE ~

OUT IN THE COMMUNITYOUT IN THE COMMUNITY

THEY WENT TO THE PLANETARIUMTHEY WENT TO THE PLANETARIUM THE CIRCUSTHE CIRCUS A SMALL MAMMAL DEMONSTRATIONA SMALL MAMMAL DEMONSTRATION A BREAKFAST AT THE LOCAL A BREAKFAST AT THE LOCAL

INTERMEDIATE UNITINTERMEDIATE UNIT

THEY CLOSED A GENERATION THEY CLOSED A GENERATION GAPGAP

THEY BAKED THEY BAKED COOKIES AND… COOKIES AND… THEY BAKED THEY BAKED COOKIES TO COOKIES TO DELIVER TO AREA DELIVER TO AREA HIGHRISES WHERE HIGHRISES WHERE THEY SANG THEY SANG CAROLS AND CAROLS AND SHARED IN SOME SHARED IN SOME HOLIDAY CHEER.HOLIDAY CHEER.

REORGANIZED IN 2006REORGANIZED IN 2006

TTF MEMBERS TTF MEMBERS BECAME A GROUP BECAME A GROUP WITH THEIR OWN WITH THEIR OWN CODE OF CONDUCTCODE OF CONDUCT

THE RULESTHE RULES

1) RESPECT OTHERS1) RESPECT OTHERS A. PERSONAL SPACEA. PERSONAL SPACE B. PERSONAL BELONGINGSB. PERSONAL BELONGINGS C. USE APPROPRIATE MANNERSC. USE APPROPRIATE MANNERS 1) NO SWEARING1) NO SWEARING 2) NO SMOKING2) NO SMOKING 3) NO NAME CALLING3) NO NAME CALLING 4) NO WEAPONS OR VIOLENCE4) NO WEAPONS OR VIOLENCE 5) NO FIGHTING5) NO FIGHTING 6) NO STEALING6) NO STEALING

CONTINUEDCONTINUED

7) NO NON-PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OR ALCOHOL7) NO NON-PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OR ALCOHOL 8) TELL STAFF WHERE YOU ARE AT ALL TIMES8) TELL STAFF WHERE YOU ARE AT ALL TIMES 9) BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN PROPERTY9) BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN PROPERTY 10) DRESS APPROPRIATELY ACCORDING TO THE 10) DRESS APPROPRIATELY ACCORDING TO THE

EVENT (NO BELLY SHIRTS OR SHORT SHORTS)EVENT (NO BELLY SHIRTS OR SHORT SHORTS) 11) NOTIFY ABILITIES IN MOTION STAFF OF ANY 11) NOTIFY ABILITIES IN MOTION STAFF OF ANY

PROBLEMS OR CHANGES IN YOUR PERSONAL PROBLEMS OR CHANGES IN YOUR PERSONAL INFO INFO

EVERY RULE HAS A EVERY RULE HAS A CONSEQUENCE IF BROKENCONSEQUENCE IF BROKEN

1ST OFFENSE – VERBAL WARNING1ST OFFENSE – VERBAL WARNING 2ND OFFENSE – WRITTEN WARNING2ND OFFENSE – WRITTEN WARNING **Youth mentor or Children and Youth Coordinator will **Youth mentor or Children and Youth Coordinator will

mediate between parties if necessary. mediate between parties if necessary. 3RD OFFENSE – EXPULSION3RD OFFENSE – EXPULSION **After 3rd offense member is expelled for 3 months **After 3rd offense member is expelled for 3 months

and may after return to the group when a formal letter and may after return to the group when a formal letter of apology is written to the group. Once a member of apology is written to the group. Once a member returns, they begin the process with a clean state. returns, they begin the process with a clean state. However, if they reach the 3rd offense level again However, if they reach the 3rd offense level again they will be terminated from the group indefinitely.they will be terminated from the group indefinitely.

** IF VIOLENCE, DRINKING OR DRUG USE OCCURS ** IF VIOLENCE, DRINKING OR DRUG USE OCCURS THERE WILL BE AUTOMATIC EXPULSION**THERE WILL BE AUTOMATIC EXPULSION**

MENTORING MAKES A MENTORING MAKES A DIFFERENCEDIFFERENCE

TEENS WERE PAIRED WITH ADULTS TEENS WERE PAIRED WITH ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES TO ACT AS WITH DISABILITIES TO ACT AS MENTORS. MENTORS.

THIS HELPS TEENS LEARN ABOUT THIS HELPS TEENS LEARN ABOUT THEIR DISABILITY AND HOW TO THEIR DISABILITY AND HOW TO ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVESADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES

FUTURE ADVOCATESFUTURE ADVOCATES

THEY RIGHT LETTERS TO THEY RIGHT LETTERS TO LEGISLATORS ABOUT ISSUES THAT LEGISLATORS ABOUT ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEM.AFFECT THEM.

THEY DECIDED TO RAISE MONEY TO THEY DECIDED TO RAISE MONEY TO KEEP THE GROUP GOINGKEEP THE GROUP GOING

Self – DeterminationSelf – Determination•Deciding how you want to live your life.

•Deciding what supports you want.

•Deciding how you want to spend money through individual budgets.

They tell me what they want to They tell me what they want to do. do.

They started their own business. They started their own business.

AIM Achievers,AIM Achievers,

a Junior Achievement Company,a Junior Achievement Company,

Achieving SuccessAchieving Success

A Program provided by Abilities in Motion and A Program provided by Abilities in Motion and approved by approved by

The Business….The Business….

1.1. They learn….They learn….

a.a. Banking Skills Banking Skills They all need to know how to write a check!They all need to know how to write a check!

They learn that they need money in the They learn that they need money in the bank to pay bills. bank to pay bills.

They learn that when they work hard and They learn that when they work hard and have enough money in the bank they have enough money in the bank they get paid.get paid.

They learn…They learn…

2. About building capital for the 2. About building capital for the business buy selling stocks.business buy selling stocks.

3. How to fill out a job application to 3. How to fill out a job application to get a position within the company.get a position within the company.

4. Selling and marketing their products 4. Selling and marketing their products as well as fundraising. as well as fundraising.

They learn…They learn…

5.5. How to take to people to sell their How to take to people to sell their product.product.

6.6. How to dress properly in the How to dress properly in the business world. business world.

7.7. They also learned what it was like They also learned what it was like to be on TV and talk about their to be on TV and talk about their company.company.

We work on Transition SkillsWe work on Transition Skills

We thought that the kids needed real We thought that the kids needed real life practice. So we do the following:life practice. So we do the following: Have guest speakers come in Have guest speakers come in Discuss how to advocate for yourselfDiscuss how to advocate for yourself When to disclose information about their When to disclose information about their

disability. disability. How to fill out a rental applicationHow to fill out a rental application

More skillsMore skills

How to sign up to vote and their How to sign up to vote and their voting rightsvoting rights

How to use a voting machineHow to use a voting machine What employers expect of an What employers expect of an

employeeemployee How to ask for accommodationsHow to ask for accommodations

How to Start a Group How to Start a Group

Network with your local transition Network with your local transition councilcouncil

Get to know the key people in your Get to know the key people in your school districtschool district

Network with other agencies for youthNetwork with other agencies for youth Look for collaboration opportunitiesLook for collaboration opportunities Advertise everywhere that a group is Advertise everywhere that a group is

starting.starting.