Bridging the Gap: Transition Program Helps Students with Disabilities Meet Their Goals 

Students with disabilities often need extra support with meeting their goals after high school. The BRIDGES Program teaches life and vocational s杀死 to students with special needs. 在一些敬业的老师和社区伙伴的帮助下, these young adults are b该类 confidence and making connections on their road to independence.  

From learning to navigate the city to internships to cooking classes and more, students between the ages of 18 and 21 are given the opportunity to become productive and engaged adults through the BRIDGES program.  

BRIDGES代表的是 B该类 R现实生活 Independent D日常生活和 Gainful Employment S杀死. It’s a transition program that supports those who continue to need special education services once they have completed high school. 申请流程结束后, students are placed on a BRIDGES pathway where each level is designed to give students the chance to learn and grow based on their own interests and abilities. Students must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) to apply. 

桥梁通路 

BRIDGES has several programs around the city – each one designed to suit students based on how much support they will need. BRIDGES 1 is for young adults with disabilities who are moderately independent, 和谁继续需要适应, 社会, 日常生活, 和/或生活技能教育和支持. Students in these programs can handle working a full day – usually in a hospital or similar setting. BRIDGES 1 classes are located at Providence Swedish, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Providence Mt. St. 西西雅图的文森特.  

Kelly Walker runs the class at Swedish Medical Center on First Hill. She said one major benefit of the program is students can experience different types of jobs instead of selecting a single workplace. 

“这些都是上过高中的年轻人, who don’t yet know all the environments and settings for jobs out there,沃克说. “So, instead of trying one job at BRIDGES, students will have a list of jobs that they’ve tried. And will have vocational experiences and different community settings that will help them to choose their eventual job based on experience.” 

The students in BRIDGES 2 are provided community-based internship and recreational experiences and are mostly independent after some initial training. Classes are located at Roxhill Annex and 英格拉, 雷尼尔山海滩, 新星 and 内森黑尔 high schools.  

Eileen Mizwicki is a special education teacher for BRIDGES 2 at 新星. She said students play a vital role in developing their IEP transition plans and annual goals to meet their long-term transition goals.  

我把这个项目称为“成人101”,” where students have opportunities to learn and apply a myriad of s杀死 encompassing functional academics, 沟通和社交技巧, 社区访问, 与其他同龄同伴的联系, 金县地铁独立, 以及自我意识和自我辩护的技巧,米兹威基说. 

BRIDGES 3 is for young adults with disabilities who have significant cognitive and adaptive delays that need significant support throughout the day. 这个项目的重点是指导生活技能, 社会包容, pre-vocational活动, 在当地组织做志愿者或工作. 

“I have students who require a little bit more support throughout the day to help them do tasks,海蒂·莱顿说, 他是英格拉姆BRIDGES项目的特殊教育老师. “Some of them use wheelchairs, we have some who are non-verbal and use communication devices.” 

Leyton said they spend their days working on life s杀死 and learning to do tasks more independently.  

“他们可能在学习上厕所的技巧, 烹饪技能, 生活技能，当我们在社区里的时候, 我们去不同的工作地点，我们可能会在花园里工作, 我们可能会去食物银行工作.” 

社区伙伴及支援 

Students typically work on life s杀死 while also holding down several internships in the community. 比如基督教女青年会食物银行, Re-Sole 206, and Grocery Outlet allow students to work a few hours a week to practice their work s杀死. 学生们到他们的工作地点报到，签到，然后开始工作. Their jobs run the gamut from Starbucks barista to preparing bags of groceries at a food bank to working in a hospital stocking medical carts. Students gain s杀死 that translate across multiple career fields. 

但也不是只有工作没有娱乐. Students go on community outings each week to places like the library, 华盛顿大学峰会社区中心(SCC).  

SCC was created to support young adults ages 18-35+ with intellectual or developmental disabilities and those considered neurodivergent. Miguel Smith is a 社会 worker at SCC and has witnessed the growth of BRIDGES students. 

“We’re still seeing folks coming out of the COVID time … slowly reintegrating back into the community. 对他们来说，这仍然是一个艰难的转变。. “So, adding another setting – whether that’s employment or a community setting – has created in them a new confidence that they hadn’t experienced yet. 我们看到很多人开始掌控自己的生活, 在他们想要的选择上有充分的自主权和独立性.” 

Young adults in any of the BRIDGES programs can also get help with applying for government aid and finding employment that suits their abilities. Students get help with applying with Developmental Disabilities Administration and Department of Vocational Rehabilitation to foster a smooth transition from Seattle schools’ services to adult service provider supports. 

开始考虑入学永远不会嫌早. Families are encouraged to start planning as early as freshman year.