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High
School Transition
Seabird’s high school transition program serves as a link between school
districts, employers, and adult services. High school age students face
major changes when they transition from school to integrated work sites.
They must learn to respond to new expectations, routines, schedules, and
people. Seabird programs are designed to assist students in developing job
and social skills that prepare them for these changes. Examples of
employment related questions that should be answered are:
- What are the student’s interests and choices?
- What skills does the student have?
- What job experience has the student had?
- What are the student’s social skills?
- What type of training and support does the student need?
Learning opportunities occur for students both within businesses, which
Seabird operates as well as community businesses, which contract our
services. Each job site offers job skill training related to its specific
location. There are four significant areas of opportunities:
Daily Contact
Students have daily contact with non-disabled individuals. For example, in a
food service business such as Candy’s Cozy Kitchen, Puffins Restaurant,
and Seabird Bakers Too, students will have contact with customers who are
purchasing baked goods or having lunch. At Crocker Hill Garden & Gift
Shop, students will have contact with customers who come in to purchase
plants and gifts or visit the rare breed animals. As part of a Mobile Work
Crew, students will have contact with their employer and co-workers. If a
student is employed at a grocery store or a retail business through our
Individual Placement program, they will have contact with customers and
co-workers.
Knowledge Enhancement
Students will enhance their knowledge by going to visit businesses in the
community that are related to their training. For example, a student who
works in a restaurant might go on a community visit to a major hotel
restaurant to observe professionals at work and obtain a better
understanding of restaurant operations. A student who works at the Crocker
Hill Garden & Gift Shop might to on a community visit to a large
wholesale nursery to gain a better understanding of the greenhouse business.
Community Involvement
Students will eat lunch in the community at least once per week. Ordering
lunch in a restaurant is an opportunity for social interaction, using money
skills, using reading (or picture recognition) skills, self-advocacy in
choice making and table manners.
Skills & Responsibilities
Students will develop the skills and work responsibilities needed for
employment in the community. At Seabird’s various horticultural sites,
students learn about growing plants, weeding, pruning, potting, fertilizing
and transplanting. Each site offers different opportunities in gardening,
customer relations and retail sales. Students in our mobile work crews learn
to work as part of a team and how to co-operate with fellow workers as they
provide maintenance services for local businesses. In our bakeries, workers
learn how to bake, package food, and use a cash register. In our restaurant,
they learn how to prepare and serve food and beverages, bus tables, greet
customers and perform daily maintenance. Some individuals, who have
graduated from the training program and are employed by local businesses,
still receive encouraging visits from Seabird staff. Seabird’s programs
offer individuals the experience and confidence needed to move on to jobs in
the community. In addition to monetary gains, the workers will be rewarded
with a higher level of self-esteem. They see themselves as part of their
community.
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