If the three most important factors in real estate are location, location, location, then the three most important factors in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities must be inclusion, inclusion, inclusion. Apple Patch strives to provide the array of support services needed to help each individual be included and personally succeed in all aspects of their lives.
The College of Employment Services (CES), Elsevier’s second online training curriculum in its new DirectCourse overbrand developed by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at University of Massachusetts Boston, will be unveiled during the Alliance for Full Participation (AFP) Summit 2.0. AFP will be hosted at the Gaylord National Harbor Hotel outside of Washington, D.C. November 17 – 19, 2011. The new curriculum on employment services is a perfect fit for this conference with its theme: “Summit 2.0 Real Jobs–It’s Everyone’s Business.” This conference is a highly interactive event convening the leaders of the intellectual and developmental disabilities community to address the challenges and barriers facing increasing integrated employment for people with IDD.
“The CES curriculum is written for a cross disability audience and its usefulness extends to those who provide services and supports to other individuals with employment challenges such as ex-offenders, TANF recipients, and staff of One-Stop Centers; and our unique partnership with the University of Minnesota and Elsevier immediately gives us a brand, a history, and a reputation for quality,” said Karen Flippo of the University of Massachusetts Boston ICI, who is leading the university’s curriculum development efforts.
The Emory Valley Center (EVC) began using the College of Direct Support (CDS) online learning in 2008 and our staff, unaccustomed to computer-based training, responded quite well! How well? EVC staff members who once dreaded training now request classes from the CDS. The CDS has made a tremedous difference in how EVC staff view training.
Though it will never be enough, I like the fact that as a Direct Support Professional (DSP) I am a part of opening more doors for the people we serve,” said Leigh Schulz, a DSP for Orange AHRC in Newburgh, N.Y., a suburban area 50 miles north of Manhattan.
AbilityFirst’s partnership with the College of Direct Support (CDS) has had a positive impact on our organization, an impact that can be seen and felt when someone walks into any AbilityFirst facility. The children and adults with special needs who we support are realizing their full potential through AbilityFirst programs in a nurturing and creative environment, an environment that’s part and parcel of our partnership with CDS.