Community Inclusion

Accessing the Community with Someone Who Uses a Wheelchair

Topic: Community Inclusion, Staff Training
Format: PowerPoint/Presentation
Population: Non Ambulatory
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

This presentation describes how to plan for weather, wheelchair access and wheelchair maneuvers and locking; it also helps the learner plan how to find appropriate volunteer work for a person who uses a wheelchair.

Approaching Community Members

Communication Guidelines

Topic: Community Inclusion, Staff Training
Format: Manual
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

This training will guide you through the steps for approaching and recruiting your neighbors. Learn scripts and tips for timing approaches, what to say, how long to speak, how to energize without scaring people away and when to let things ride.

Caring Curriculum

Topic: Community Inclusion
Format: Manual
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult, Transition, Senior
Levels of Disability: All

Lessons in this curriculum teach how to care for ourselves, our friends and family, our environment, our pets and our plants. The five activity themes of the Caring Curriculum can be used independently of one another and can easily be adapted to the skill level and interests of your group!

Community Experience Training

Topic: Community Inclusion, Staff Training
Format: PowerPoint/Presentation
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult, Senior
Levels of Disability: All

The "Community Experience" is here to help you develop a community-based volunteer program for people with ID/DD. Use this training to help your team to build new community partners, to become strong mentors and better prepare for the community.

Community Safety

Annual Mandatory In-Service ~ YAI Day Services

Topic: Community Inclusion, Staff Training
Format: Handout/Review Sheet
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: All

This Community Safety In-service will help Direct service professionals ensure the safety of their group through pro-active planning and effective use of emergency procedures.

Community Service Training Program:Obtaining & Maintaining Volunteer Sites & Providing Volunteer Services

Topic: Community Inclusion, Staff Training
Format: PowerPoint/Presentation, Manual
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

Participating in community volunteer work provides individuals with developmental disabilities with a better understanding of the community, enhanced personal and social integration skills and increased self esteem.

Dressing For Success

A Lesson Plan from "Ready...Set...Work!"

Topic: Supported Employment, Community Inclusion
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

Should I wear the same clothing for work as I do when I go to the movies? Is it OK to wear a blouse that has a stain or that is wrinkled? What styles look good on me? This unit

Fire Safety for Staff Working with Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

A Joint Publication of Fire Department, City of New York and YAI Network

Topic: Community Inclusion, Staff Training
Format: Workbook
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

This booklet is designed to address the fire safety needs of people with developmental disabilities. Education, training and strategies are offered to improve the safety of one of the most vulnerable fire risk populations. This fire safety program identifies unsafe practice and behaviors and provides ways to correct them.

Get Well Kits

Crafts for Community Donation

Topic: Leisure and Crafts, Community Inclusion
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: Family Members
Age Group: School Age, Adolescent, Young Adult, Adult, Senior
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate, Severe, Profound (low functioning)

Create, share, cheer! Make and donate these fun kits to a hospital ward for children.

Greetings

A Lesson Plan from "Ready...Set...Work!"

Topic: Supported Employment, Community Inclusion
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

This unit contains lesson plans, role plays and guides that will teach people with intellectual and developmental disabilities what to say and do when greeting friends, coworkers, supervisors, customers and job interviewers.

How to be Fire Safe

Written and Created by Seeds Educational Services, Inc.

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

People with developmental disabilities may not be able to take life saving action in a timely manner in the event of a fire. Seeds Educational Services, Inc. (Seeds) has created a fire safety curriculum designed to meet the learning needs of people with cognitive disabilities.

How to Use a Metrocard Machine

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Teaching Tool
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

Using a Metro-card Machine can be tricky! Here is an innovative way to teach the skill of purchasing these cards so that your participants can remember it. Using this tool will empower the people you work with to be

Preparing for Your Volunteer Site

Getting Ready for Sunnyside ~ A Multi-Sensory Example

Topic: Community Inclusion, Supported Employment
Format: Teaching Tool
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

The "Getting Ready for Sunnyside" multi-sensory teaching tool helps groups prepare for their volunteer site. It uses a simple and effective approach.

Project HOPE

Helping Other People Eat

Topic: Community Inclusion, Supported Employment
Format: Teaching Tool
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Moderate, Mild (high functioning), Severe

Project HOPE, "Helping Other People Eat", was set up to teach people how they can work together to help members of their community. Groups put together bagged meals and deliver them to people who are homeless. This is a wonderful program that can be easily duplicated!

Recycling Cans

Counting Board

Topic: Teaching Techniques, Community Inclusion
Format: Teaching Tool
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Severe, Profound (low functioning)

This teaching tool for recycling cans is both easy to create and use. Included is a checklist of tips for teaching recycling symbols, counting and packaging cans and more.

Running an Effective Current Events Group

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

Are you looking for new ways to bring current events into the lives of the people you work with? This lesson plan provides ideas for creating a news worthy activity. Tips include how to choose news articles, how to relate information to the lives of participants and how to use photos and questions to generate discussion.

S.H.A.R.E. ~ Supporting Helpful & Rewarding Experiences

A Volunteer Training Program

Topic: Community Inclusion, Self-Advocacy
Format: Manual
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult, Transition, Senior
Levels of Disability: Moderate, Mild (high functioning)

Individuals with intellectual disabilities typically are recipients of mentoring experiences but have few opportunities to be nurturers themselves. The SHARE Volunteer Program develops the strengths and interests of those who enjoy social contact enabling them to serve as effective volunteers. The comprehensive guide highlights each step of the volunteer selection and training process including finding volunteer sites, matching volunteers with jobs as well as social and task skill development.

Shop Til' You Drop!

The Money Awareness Game

Topic: Teaching Techniques, Community Inclusion
Format: Game/Activity
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

This game is a wonderful teaching tool for learning money awareness and shopping skills. Learn how to identify coins/bills, investigate the relationship between money and making purchases, and make change in different combinations

Socializing Appropriately At The Workplace

A Lesson Plan from "Ready...Set...Work!"

Topic: Relationships and Sexuality, Supported Employment, Community Inclusion
Format: Lesson Plan
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

This unit teaches skills needed for appropriate socializing in the workplace. Topics include the difference between a "home friend" and a "work friend," too little versus too much socializing and the skill of small talk.

The "Community +" Game

A Community Training Game

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Game/Activity
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

Community + is a fun and educational game that addresses community resources, communication, weather, health, hygiene, and more! Download the instructions and materials list and you'll be on your way to creating this exciting game for your program!

The Community Training Game

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Game/Activity
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate, Severe

The Community Training Game is a fun and interesting way to teach the skills necessary for successful use of the community. Through play, learners can become familiar with program volunteer sites, rights and responsibilities and community awareness skills.

The Hudson River

A Living Classroom

Topic: Children with Special Needs, Community Inclusion
Format: Lesson Plan, Manual
Population: All
Age Group: School Age, Adolescent, Young Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

This manual will expose teachers to the extraordinary educational resource that the Hudson River is and introduce them to the many wonderful educational sites along the Hudson that they can visit with their students.

The Pedestrian Light Signal

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Teaching Tool
Population: All
Age Group: Adolescent, Young Adult, Adult, School Age
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate

The Pedestrian Light Signal is a creative tool for practicing safe street crossing without leaving the building! Detailed instructions will help you to build a light with picture signals matching your local pedestrian street light.

The Pocket Shopper

Topic: Teaching Techniques, Community Inclusion
Format: Teaching Tool
Population: All
Age Group: Young Adult, Adult, Transition, Senior
Levels of Disability: Moderate, Severe, Profound (low functioning)

The Pocket Shopper is a picture and sign language system that will help people with limited verbal skills or hearing impairments to become more independent shoppers. Follow the step-by-step instructions to put together this functional and fun to use teaching tool.

The Safe People Folder

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Teaching Tool
Population: All
Age Group: Adult
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning), Moderate, Severe

The Safe People Folder helps staff teach the difficult concepts of "strangers" and "safe" people through a game-like visual tool. Sample pictures of community workers are included along with step-by-step instructions for this easy-to-make teaching resource.

The Savvy Shopper

A Money and Shopping Skills Curriculum

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Game/Activity
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

"The Savvy Shopper" is a collection of resources to use in teaching both money and shopping skills to individuals who function in the severe to mild range of intellectual disability. Using activities and games, participants learn to identify and add currency, prepare a budget, identify types of stores and merchandise for sale, and make simple purchases.

The Travel Safety Bus

Using My MetroCard

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Teaching Tool
Population: All
Age Group: School Age, Adolescent, Young Adult, Adult
Levels of Disability: Moderate, Severe

Use this creative "bus" to teach people the correct way to insert a Metrocard on a public bus. This tool also incorporates counting out quarters for a bus trip if not using a Metrocard.

Travel Safety Challenge

Topic: Community Inclusion, Teaching Techniques
Format: Game/Activity
Population: All
Age Group: School Age, Adolescent, Young Adult, Adult, Senior
Levels of Disability: Mild (high functioning)

Go ahead, take the challenge! The Travel Safety Challenge is an exciting way to teach the skills necessary to navigate the community safely. This teaching tool can be easily modified to meet the specific needs of your program.

Travel Safety Procedures

When Taking Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities into the Community

Topic: Community Inclusion, Staff Training
Format: Handout/Review Sheet
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

This one-page review sheet is an excellent reminder of safety procedures to consider before taking people with ID/DD on an excursion.

YAI NYC Self Advocates Newsletter

Issue 5: Spring/Summer 2010

Topic: Self-Advocacy, Community Inclusion
Format: Newsletter
Population: All
Age Group: All
Levels of Disability: All

What is self advocacy? What do self advocates do? This newsletter has the recipe! Begin by tapping into community speakers for informative presentations. Add a visit to the Museum of disAbility. Stir in a moving account of job satisfaction. Finish with an exciting conference on Latino needs.