Developing Talents Hot Topics social and vocational skills group, beginning the week of Feb. 15 and ending the week of April 5. In addition, we’ll host an informational meeting Thurs., Feb. 4, 7 pm - 8 pm, at a place to be determined. Once we get our group together, we’ll choose a meeting place as central to group members' homes as possible. We can also choose whether to meet on Thursday evenings or Sunday afternoons.
For those of you new to Hot Topics, it is an eight-week educational group, based on Temple Grandin and Kate Duffy’s book Developing Talents. The eight-week program is designed to help teens and young adults with Asperger's and high-functioning autism develop their conversational, social and job-readiness skills. While socializing with each other, participants explore and discuss workplace issues as well as talk with mentors working in careers of interest to group members. The group is informal and offers plenty of time for participants to talk and visit with each other as well as participate in career exploration activities.
Returning Hot Topics members will focus more on developing a career plan, learning more about self-employment as an option, practicing social and interviewing skills as well as identifying and researching potential employers.
The cost is $160 for the program, which is held at an inexpensive restaurant. Participants purchase their own snacks and drinks.
“Hot Topics" is an eight-week educational group, designed to help teens and young adults with Asperger’s and high-functioning autism develop their conversational, social, and job-readiness skills. While socializing with each other, participants explore and discuss workplace issues as well as talk with mentors who are working in jobs group members want to know more about.
The group is informal and offers plenty of time for participants to talk and visit with each other. We weave in structured activities and assignments, so that group members will:
·Find out about their individual learning styles and how to choose a job around them
·Discover how their brain processes information and jobs that would be good for their particular style
·Learn stress management techniques
·Practice interviewing, active listening and conversational strategies
·Research jobs they’re interested in
·Solve work-related problems in a group
·Make a list of possible mentors with their parents
·Talk with guests working in jobs they want to know more about
·Research interesting employers
Parents receive weekly emailed updates about the group’s activities, homework and progress. In previous groups, parents have met with each other while their kids meet with us. During that time, we can offer information and a career planning session developed for people on the spectrum.
For more information, contact Kate Duffy or Tom Thirlkel at Developingtalents@gmail.com,
816-753-2636.
In other news, HBO will be airing its new movie about Temple Grandin’s life on Sat., Feb. 6, so let us know what you think of it. Finally, we’ll be developing another round of Hot Topic groups for youth with more severe disabilities to help them explore jobs and a more independent life. Our web site is almost completed, so we’ll have information about the new groups posted there.
