737 South Ithan Avenue Rosemont, PA

 More often than any time in the past, students are getting to high school graduation and still have questions about who am I, where do I want to go, and how do I get there.  These question exist for students with learning differences, especially those who are on the higher end of the Autism Spectrum, because they have received solid academic educations, but still need more instruction in developing life skills, social skills, and problem solving skills.

 A recent study found that Young adults with on the ASD were significantly more likely to never see friends (38.6 %), never get called by friends (47.2 %), and never be invited to activities (48.1 %) compared to other groups. (Orsmond et al. 2013).

 These young adults have not learned many of the fundamentals required to successfully negotiate the socio-emotional landscape that exists on college campuses or in the workplace

 Twenty-six percent of students with ASD did not receive any of the following:  Vocational services  Life skills  Mental health  Transportation  Adult habitation  Personal assistant  Speech  Case management (Shattuck, 2013)

 In addition, 32% of those surveyed stated a need for vocational services and 56% expressed a need for life skills services. (Shattuck, 2013)

 This gap year program at Hill Top offers an opportunity for students who have graduated high school to have a transition year during which to acquire the life skills, social skills and problem solving skills that will allow them to be more successful in life.

 Students in the program are assessed for their readiness for negotiating the world  Are they ready for introductory level college courses?  Do they need to develop other academic skills before even tackling introductory college courses?

 Students entering the program are assessed for  Academic readiness  Job readiness  Life skills level  Social skills level  Executive functioning skill level

 This program is individualized specifically for each incoming student and focuses on the following five elements:  Independent Living Skills  Social Skills  Introduction to College Life  Work Skills and Career Exploration  Social/Emotional Development

 In addition to spending time in meetings on Hill Top’s campus, each student has their own schedule that includes time with their Counselor/Mentor to arrange for the experiences and training specifically designed for them  Students also take appropriate didactic courses in the classroom or online

 Individualized non-academic programming could include:  understanding different levels of social relationships  effective communication  planning activities for a social peer group  using public transportation

 knowledge of independent living  managing money  develop job search skills  applying and interview skills, and  experience with different work settings

 Each student is part of regular group counseling sessions to address issues that come up each week with their own programs  Evening and weekend activities and responsibilities will also be part of this program.

 Students enrolled in Horizon have access to a Counselor/Mentor and counseling staff  The services provided to the participant is geared toward meeting individual needs and goals  Through daily case management, consistent emotional support and development of self-efficacy, the following skills will be taught in ways that have been proven to work with this population:

 direct teaching  teaching in the natural environment  practice and repetition with follow-up discussion  use of technology, and  Social media and group processing

 Program participants receive all levels of instruction in small groups or individually  Each student has an individualized Program Plan which they help create

 In addition to a Director and Counselor, the Mentor/Counselor is a primary guide for the student  The main responsibilities for the mentor/counselor is:  to meet with the students two or three times per week in person  trouble shoot issues of scheduling, timing, and other problems that might arise because of executive function deficits

 The person is in contact with professors and employers to ensure that the student is functioning in a satisfactory manner  Assisting the students in initiating and carrying out social activities is another area  The Counselor/Mentor performs some case management functions by coordinating communication among the student, parents, school and employer.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT

 Develop peer relationships – within program and in community  Group activities with Hill Top community  Social outlet planning  Independently pursuing activities with peers  Use interests to locate and participate in community activities  Navigate/understand different levels of social relationships (i.e. employer, boss, instructor, bus driver, etc.)  Practice ways of maintaining friendships through communication and activity planning

 Use public transportation – reading schedules, navigating bus and train systems, independent riding, independent transfers  Accept specific household responsibilities  Develop proficiency with activities of daily living skills– clothing care, personal hygiene, home maintenance, etc.  Learn and practice healthy routines – exercise, preventative health care appointments, nutritious meal planning and preparing, etc.

 Manage money – long and short term planning, independently having and using a debit card account, documenting spending over time for personal budgeting  Medication management  Work toward obtain driver’s license  Develop and successfully use time management strategies for day-to-day success – short and long term project management, due dates, using apps or other tech tools, etc.

 Register for classes at Delaware County Community College:  visit with counselor  fill out registration form  fill out course request sheet  pay tuition, etc.  Obtain materials needed for classes:  buy books  Notebooks  flash drive  copy card, etc.

 Prior to the start of class make an appointment and meet with Disabilities counselor  Meet regularly with Horizon coach who will assist student with structuring class, study and travel time  Regularly attend classes and keep up with required work  Use writing center and other DCCC supports  Explore college transfer options

 Utilizing recognized career interest inventories and tests, such as the Strong Interest Inventory, Career Personality & Aptitude Test and IT Job Aptitudes Test, students will be helped to determine an appropriate career path  Staff will use consulting, counseling and coaching to assist in this process

 Students will be guided to:  Develop job search skills including using online search tools, filling out applications (online and hard copy), interviewing, professional thank you notes and follow-up, etc.  Apply for part time or volunteer job  Collaborate with coach to problem solve possible challenges in the workplace

 Independently ask for performance feedback from supervisor  Demonstrate competence in task performance  Demonstrate competence in employability skill performance

 Develop self-determination skills for greater self-efficacy  Learn and practice social problem solving skills  Participate in group counseling process twice a week  Daily check-ins with Counselor/Mentor

 Gain confidence through direct teaching, practice in the natural environment and using experiences as learning tools  Formulate personal growth goals and monitor progress weekly  Gain an understanding of self and improve self esteem.

 Build skills that will help develop Executive Functioning skills, such as:  Planning and prioritizing  Time management  Organization  Working Memory  Metacognition  Response Inhibition

 Self Regulation of Affect  Task Initiation  Flexibility  Goal-Directed Persistence  Sustained Attention  Disengaging Attention  Regulation of Processing Speed

 We are also excited about the interest we are receiving as we design our 5 day/week boarding program.  Hill Top will have the only program of its kind that has been designed specifically for male students in grades with complex learning differences. This program would allow a student of Hill Top to live on campus from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon in order to continue the level of structure, support and teaching that they experience during the program day.

 Dianne Salter, Ph.D. - Program Director  