Socorro Independent School District Department of Special Education Mary Carrillo Leah Osborne

1. Socorro Independent School District Department of Special Education Mary Carrillo Leah Osborne Community Employment and Community Access: How the programs work together

2. Community Employment • It’s designed to teach work skills to students with disabilities • Facilitate competitive employment in the community. • VAC prepares students to enter the world of work with support before graduation. • Students will enter VAC placement their junior or senior year to become as self-sufficient as possible upon graduation after obtaining employment. • Students will maintain employment after graduation with support from outside agencies.

3. What is Community Access? • A program designed to provide for maximum independence for our students 18-22 years of age. • Helps the students to access all community resources available to them.

4. Job Readiness Skills Needed: • Dressing Appropriately • Personal Hygiene • Be On Time • Greetings • Communication • Portfolio: Resume, Letters of Recommendation, Personal Info., Other Documents and Extra Assistance. Success!!

5. Community Access Students • Graduation requirements • Age 18 and older • Employed in an integrated setting or are training for employment • Independence in determining post secondary opportunities, employment opportunities, community participation, accessing public transportation, and self-advocacy.

6. Community Employment Instruction • VAC is a continuum of all skills learned transferred to the community with support before graduation • Provide opportunities to transfer skills to the community in an actual job site with support from a job coach or natural support groups on an individual basis • Teach parents to be their child’s best support system • We work with teachers to facilitate necessary documents to obtain and maintain employment. (food handlers, TX ID, Sun Metro (lift), etc.)

7. Community Employment Instruction • Book : Social Skills on the Job • Videos: Social Skills on the Job • Portfolio: Sample Letters 1) Resume 2) Letter of Recommendation 3) Thank You Note 4) Cover Page 5 ) Envelope

8. CAP Instruction • Schedules vary according to work schedules, student needs, and students are not on campus. • All instruction occurs in the community. • Transportation is what is available in the community: Sun Metro, The Lift, LULAC New Freedom Initiative, and parents.

9. CAP Instruction • Maintain disabled cards for Sun Metro and monthly bus fare passes. • The Lift. • LULAC New Freedom Initiative. • Goal is to have all students are completely independent when accessing Sun Metro/Transportation.

10. Agencies • Outside agencies are essential to our program to facilitate a smooth transition after graduation. • DARS – Blanca Sanchez Located at: Socorro, Americas, Montwood and El Dorado High Schools

11. Agencies • Volar CIL • Sun Metro • LULAC • HSC Service Providers • DFPS • MHMR • Imagine Enterprises

12. Businesses • Internships: The City Of Socorro The City Of El Paso Sun Metro University Medical Center Picasso Smiles Dentistry Xpress Lube Desert Heaven Adult Day Care Glamour Pooch

13. Businesses • Employment: Pride Industries Ready One Industries TRDI Xceed Resources Walgreen’s Home Depot Red Lobster Chico’s Tacos Victoria’s Secret

14. Businesses Speaking Rock Casino Little Caesar’s Johnny’s Dog Grooming Serna Ranch Barrigas Tigua Center SISD Pet’s Barn

15. Businesses The Iron Maid D’Romans Bakery McDonald’s BJ’s Restaurant The Outback Self-Employment

16. Community Employment and Community Access • Although strategies have changed, the end goal has not • We are results oriented programs • Parents are requesting the programs for their children • Students are recommending VAC/CAP to their friends. • Campuses are recommending more students and a different population

17. Contact Information • Mary Carrillo (915) 937-1868 mmorac@sisd.net Leah Osborne (915) 937-1869 losbor@sisd.net