Presentations and Seminars

 for

Family and Professional Organizations

Today there are few positive examples of young adults whether high functioning or with severe levels of ASD transitioning into community life with purpose and increased independence. No individuals with ASD just happen to make effective life transitions nor do they reach goals accidentally. Individual supports with opportunities are essential. It is imperative that youth with disabilities receive an optimistic sense of what their lives as adults will look like. They can be shown how to envision a good life through actions of exploring and identifying their best strengths.

The Walking the Path Model© is a system of ongoing assessment and action steps that promote the individual’s participation, emotional support, and growth. WP is about identifying talents and strengths, then transferring them into tangible forms. It’s all about finding and pursuing that hobby, that activity, that job, or that subject to study which makes the heart sing. How can this be done when a person’s needs are significant? Supports are identified and negotiated to help lift and link the individual to full involvement and participation. The planning process involves three role groups: family, professional personel/providers, and the individual with a disability.

 Also provided is a new assessment and planning tool, the Capability and Independence Scale (CAIS) to evaluate and guide individuals (adolescents and young adults) to become more capable, more independent, and reach life that is incredibly individualized and personal. The purpose becomes the necessary steps that lead to outcomes such as having employment that matches one’s strengths, going to college, finding leisure,  developing friendships, and living an inclusive life. With a focus on increased capability and independence, these steps can guide youth with their families to establish goals and pursue paths in the quest for a true “quality of life.”

Objectives

• Understand the essential components of the Walking the Path (WP) process in guiding youth to community participation “with supports”.
   
• Understand the latest research on autism and community living for youth, young adults, and their families.
   
• Define different kinds of supports both governmental resources and those which can be negotiated and created in order that our youth prepare for college, have employment, live with supports so independent  living is an option and be effective in their own growth.
   
• Obtain strategies to collaborate with current systems that provide services.
   
• Recognize steps to guide youth to identify a gift, strength or interest through an exploratory process that can lead to increased capability levels for the individual.

The Capability and Independence Scale (CAIS ©).

• Understand the benefits of using the Capability and Independence Scale as an assessment and a planning tool to evaluate and guide adolescents and young adults with ASD and other developmental disabilities to become more capable, more independent, and reach a life that is individualized and personal.
   
• Understand the components of the Capability and Independence Scale© as both an assessment and a planning tool.
   
• Understand the CAIS© evaluation process in the context of “with supports” and “independently”.
   
• Understand the CAIS as a planning tool to guide adolescents and young adults with disabilities to become more capable, more independent, and reach a life that is individualized and personal.
   

Sample of Topics
 

1. The Essentials of the Walking the Path
   Blazing a Trail
   Myths and Realistic Goals
    

2. Seeing the Big Picture
   Putting the Walking the Path to Work
   Making choices that reflect the teen’s or young adult’s needs
    

3. Initiating Constructive Action Steps
   Exploratory Process
    

4. Accessing, Negotiating, and Creating Supports
   Building Capability and Lessening the effects of autism
    

5. Identifying and Strengths, Gifts, and Interests in Youth
    

6. Applying strengths, gifts, and interests in community
   settings, and Carving Employment, Pursuing College,
   Enjoying Leisure, Developing a Hobby
    

7. Cultivating Personal and Emotional Growth in Youth with ASD
   Facing Challenges and Moving Forward with Supports
    

8. Accessing Resources and Drawing Support: Collaborating withthe Professional, Agency, or School
    

Contact Information:

Jackie M. Marquette, Ph.D.
7514 Warrenton Hill Ct.
Louisville, KY  40291
502 742-8756/Fax 502 742-8487
jackie@themarquettegroup.com
www.themarquettegroup.com