Improving Parent, Student, and Community Involvement in Your Transition Program: Organize a Transition Fair and Career Prep Fair Presented by Kelli Landrum Transition Coordinator Jones County Schools

Transition Fair- Overview  Introduce parents and students to community agencies and service providers  Distribute information regarding area services  Identify transition linkages for IEP. Determine which agencies to invite to the IEP meeting

Getting Started  Survey Parents/ Students/ Teachers to Identify Transition Needs  Identify community agencies  Choose a date/time  Choose a venue  Set a budget  Contact agencies  Get Volunteers  Inform Parents & Students  Solicit Donations  Arrange transportation for students  Identify student activities

The Survey The best way to identify the needs of the Transition needs of the students is to survey the students, parents, and teachers. Ask who they want to meet. This is a great time for them to meet with athletic directors from colleges and or military recruiters.

Identify Agencies  Independent Living/ Assisted Living/ Group Homes  State School  Vocational Rehab  Local Colleges/ Junior Colleges  WIN Job Center  LIFE of Mississippi  Medicaid  Social Security Representatives  Ability Works  Local Hospitals  Local Mental Health Agencies  Banks  Insurance Agencies  Drug and Alcohol Recovery Agencies  Domestic Abuse Shelters  Recreation Activities

Choose a Date/Time  Wednesdays seem to be the easiest for daytime events.  Avoid holidays, state testing, and exams  Holding the event during the fall semester allows time to gather paperwork for referrals.  Check the date with your administrators.  After several events, I have found that parents are just as likely to show up during the day as after school. It is also easier to get the students there during the school day. Additionally, vendors tend to prefer attending during business hours.

Choose a Venue  Free is best  Community Centers  On Campus Size based on expected number of agencies and guests. Bigger is better, and it is good to be able to divide the event into 2 or more rooms in a single venue.

Budget  Cost of Venue  Transportation  Snacks and Refreshments  Door Prizes  Printed Materials (exit options, parent information etc. )

Contact Agencies  Keep a running list with a name of each contact at an agency.  Send fax, s, and or mailed invitations  Follow up with Phone Calls  Best places to meet representatives at these agencies is to attend other events. Get a name and make a friend!

Volunteers You cannot run this event without volunteers!  Retired Teachers  Parents  Students (MOD, Vo-tech, etc.)  ARC  Area Churches  Junior College Students

Inform Parents and Students Contact Early and Contact Frequently  Mail It  Send it Home  Send it home again  Advertise it on local media  Flyers  Phone Calls  s

Donations Solicit donations from local businesses for food and or door prizes

Arrange Transportation After several years, I have found that it is best to bus the students to the events in shifts throughout the day.

Student Activities Remember that Transition is more than just getting a job! Take this opportunity to bring in a special activity for your students. -Drug Free -Safe Driving -Healthy Living -Internet Safety

Other Ideas  Have students display career boards describing requirements for different careers  Have a disabilities awareness center that helps parents/students understand the different disabilities  Have a Transition Services area to inform parents about services available through the school.

Other Ideas (Cont.)  Student Dress for Success fashion show  Entrepreneur Street where students can sell crafts that they make.  Career Corner – Laptops set up and teachers and volunteers help students make a resume or do a job search

CAREER PREP FAIR

Career Prep Fair  Gives students the opportunity to practice and receive feedback on their employment seeking skills.  Practice interviewing skills with strangers  Get genuine feedback from someone other than the teacher and parent  Connects students with possible employers

Activities at Career Prep Fair  Fill out a Job Application  Feedback on Application  Mock Interviews with Area Employers  Inspirational/Informative Speakers  WIN Job Center Presentation  Refreshment Area  Other Informative Presentations

Who Attends?  Area Schools  Local employers  Volunteers  Junior/Senior students  Local Service Agencies

Plan, Plan, Plan (at least 3 months ahead) 1. Assemble a Team (meet monthly or bi-weekly) 2. Divide and Conquer  Assign Each Team Member a Task  Business Recruiters (2-3 members)  Donation Solicitor  Refreshments  Event supervisor –reserves venue, sets up presentations, and designs student schedule

Plan, Plan, Plan (at least 2 months ahead) 3. Set a date and select the venue 4. /Fax out invitations and Response Forms to Principals, Sped Directors, Sped Teachers 5. Send out permission forms for students in your district 6. Send in Activity Request forms to administrators

Plan, Plan, Plan (one month before) 7. Confirm Venue 8. Confirm Employers 9. Confirm Presentations 10. Run-off Job Applications 11. Confirm refreshments 12. Schedule schools based on Invitation Response

Plan, Plan, Plan (one week ahead) 13. Purchase refreshments, etc. if necessary 14. Pick up donations 15. Print sign in sheets 16. Print finalized schedules 17. Make signs to identify each area 18. Print program acknowledging donors, volunteers, employers, etc. 19. Print Feedback sheets

Tips for Check-in  Schedule groups in 30 minute blocks  Have schools fill out sign in sheets ahead of time  Request that schools prepare name tags for students ahead of time. (Include name and school)

Tips for Application and Interview Areas  Have multiple tables with lots of extra pens!  When students complete their application have an area for them to wait to receive feedback. Have a volunteer direct the students to the next available reviewer.  Have another seated section for students waiting to interview.  Bundle all student feedback by school and return to teacher/chaperone