The Greater Lansing Area Social Skills Group for Individuals
with Social and/or Cognitive Challenges

There is a growing need in the Lansing area and around the country to better prepare adolescents and young adults with disabilities for life. The purpose of this group will be to teach these individuals to think and act for themselves using a reference and organizational system. Education should be a life long endeavor and the participants in this group will hopefully use the skills they have learned to improve their quality of life.

What is it all about?

Where? Lansing Community College

When? The group will meet every other Tuesday beginning on August 19 and ending on December 2. Meeting times will be from 6:30 pm to 8pm.The group may wish to meet outside of the regular meeting nights for social functions. This will be a group decision.

How many participants? The group will be made up six individuals with either social and/or cognitive challenges between 16 and 26 years old.

Staff: There will be a trained facilitator at each group meeting. Also there may be students from LCC's Future Teacher's Club to assist.

Curriculum: The Planner Guide will be the curriculum for the group. The Planner Guide is a reference and organizational system. More information about the Planner Guide can be found at: www.theplannerguide.com.

Cost: There will be $50 material fee. The fee covers the Planner Guide (a $130 value) and other teaching supplies. The materials fee is non refundable. The fee is due at the time of acceptance.

Course content: Each participant will be taught how to use the Planner Guide. Other areas of instruction will be stress management, problems solving, conversation skills, social skills, disability disclosure and self advocacy.

Transportation: Each individual is responsible for their own transportation.

Support person: Each participant should have at least one support person that can assist them with outside activities.

How are persons selected for the group?

Each person interested in joining the group needs to apply. The application form is here at this site and can be returned electronically. The application can also be printed out and mailed to the address listed below. Each application will be thoroughly reviewed. The due date for applications is July 6, 2008. All applicants will be notified if they were selected or not selected for the group. Those chosen will be interviewed with one or more of their support people. The final six will have a Person Centered Planning meeting if they have not already had one. They will also be asked to complete an assessment which will be part of a pre-test/post-test procedure.

Both the Person Centered Plan and the assessment will be at no cost to the participant.

Commitment: Each participant will be asked to make several commitments. First, it is important that the group members attend each meeting unless there is an emergency that would prevent from attending. Each participant will have homework and is expected to have there home work completed for the next meeting. There will be meeting rules and it is expected that all the members follow the rules and display adult behavior. Lastly each member will be asked to develop learning objectives and the member is expected to work to their best ability to achieve their objectives.

Permissions: Each participant or their guardian will sign need to sign permission forms. A release of information form will be required. Also each group member will be asked to sign a photo/video permission form so that their image could be used in presentations regarding the social skills group.

Also data will be taken during this pilot group and used in presentations and to improve all subsequent groups.

Future groups: It is the hope of the organizers that there will be a continuation of the social skills group starting with the first day of classes at Lansing Community College for spring semester in January 09. Each participant will have the choice to stay with the group or leave. Any vacancies will be filled with new members using the application process.

If more information is needed send an e-mail to:
socialskillsgroup@theplannerguide.com
or write to:
Social Skills Group, PO Box 334, Williamston, MI, 48895

 

Click here to submit an application online or by mail.