West Side Transition Academy for Young Adults With Autism

As high school students with ASD prepare for adulthood, transitions are a challenging aspect of life. Along with the physical and emotional changes, students might think about employment or college life; this transition process should begin once a child turns 14 and is mandated under a federal, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. However, the availability of effective transition resources to Chicago’s low-income or minority teens is grossly deficient, compared to their suburban peers and as noted by the Illinois Department of Human Services.
The challenge for Chicago Public Schools is providing these services to over 50,000 diverse learners, 22,000 of whom are in transition and in need of post-secondary outcomes. Urban Autism Solutions is undergoing an “transition” renaissance, focusing its resources to benefit disadvantaged, differently-abled young adult learners and supporting the Chicago Public School (CPS) district achieve positive outcomes. The UAS West Side Transition Academy is a physical space where West Side Chicago transition-aged students receive services that are not typically offered at school including:
1) Speech and Language Therapy, supports transition-age students need help communicating and understanding what others are saying in a social or workplace context. UAS benefits from contributions from graduate students who are able to offer person-centered sessions that focus on individual challenges
2) Social Work, to help students who have difficulties with social interaction and develop friendships. Social workers support students as a they gain the capacity to understand other people’s emotional expressions and behave appropriately in certain social situations.
3) Social-Emotional Learning, helping transition-age individuals to develop interpersonal skills necessary for social interaction, work, and life success. Strong social-emotional skills are better able to cope with everyday challenges.
4) Occupational Therapy, helping select students improve coordination, manage sensory stimuli, and building the self-help skills necessary to function in home, school, work and public environments.

5) Job Readiness, where students participate as interns at UAS’ Growing Solutions Farm located in the Illinois Medical District. Growing Solutions Farm is an urban agriculture training site where students are first introduced to a structured work environment. Growing Solutions Farm is located on a 1.2 acre lot that includes raised garden beds and a high tunnel hoop house. When at the farm, students learn to work as a team, follow a schedule, and learn about urban agriculture. From creating compost bins, to building raised beds, planting, cultivating, harvesting, packaging, and selling produce, young adults with ASD are able to understand their role in a work environment. More importantly, students gain important readiness and soft skills such as getting to work on time, keeping a uniform tidy, follow directions, and managing break time. Some of the students who complete this internship are able to get a part time job for the first time in their lives.

6) Internships or Job Shadowing, including partnerships with local businesses who invite students to spend time in diverse work environments to observe and conduct tasks related to the business and the skill level of each student.

7) Community Integration, offers students with opportunities to socialize with new friends, participate in meals at a restaurant, visit a neighborhood business or explore the city in a safe environment.

8) Goal development and person-centered planning. This robust program replaces what we used to refer to as “Independent Living & Learning” classes. Through this initiative, UAS staff work with students on goal identification and achievement, which includes finding and sustaining employment, budgeting, communications, and general life skills that include navigating public transportation or getting a state identification card.

Attendance at the UAS West Side Transition Academy provides young adults with the resources and experiences they need to become engaged and functional in their community. The program will provide services to 75 young adults. Using a person-centered approach, UAS West Side Transition Academy will be able to work with young adults to co-create an individual plan that will help them navigate the transition from high school and into adulthood. For some participants this may include securing part-time work, for all, it will include participating in the community, and feeling comfortable with speaking and building new relationships with peers, adults, and neighbors.