Taft College TIL -- Transition to Independent Living
Presented by:
Cindy Popejoy, Program Director, TIL
Taft College students currently enrolled in TIL
Last year's presentation of the TIL program was such a success that this year Ms. Popejoy brought several students to help present and answer questions.
The meeting started with a 13 minute film, "Realizing Independence", giving an over view of the TIL program's history from its beginning through its current goals and implementation. There were programs for the developmentally disabled since about 1976 that evolved an "jelled" into an independent living curriculum in 1995 with TIL, an independent living classroom situation where students are not graded but evaluated on how well they are progressing on life transferable basic skills. They follow up with students up to 10 years later for the sake of the students and to evaluate the program. Depending of the life skills area being followed up on, TIL has an 80%-98% success rate!
Currently there are 48 students in the program. They try to allocate 24 freshmen and 24 sophomores (though this year those numbers are different). Even though this is typically a two year program, the TIL staff are flexible when it comes to the needs of individuals. But be forewarned, this is an intense program geared toward training the student life skills and life/social skills success. It is evolving toward career training instead of job training. It includes self-defense and interpersonal skills. It involves a lot of self directing, self scheduling, self motivation, problem solving, and decision making. It helps the student transition from asking parents (and staff/authority figures) if something is "ok" to informing parents and staff of their plans, showing responsibility in the process.
For most parents and students in need of this, it is a godsend. So much so that there is a three year waiting list (local families get priority), and multiple interview/evaluation process. TIL is the only such program that I know of that is non-profit. It receives its funding because of the Higher Education Opportunities Act, which opens up education to the developmentally disabled.
Students spend the first year in the campus dorms. They will be assisted in finding jobs on campus that will be supplemented in part by the "rent" that SSI or parents pay for their dorms. They will be evaluated on living skills in the dorm setting -- scheduling their day, budgeting, paying their own way, all of these begin as part of their curriculum. During this and the next year, they will really only have time for maybe one or two night classes per semester-- the life skills curriculum is that intense. They have a fixed schedule of 30 hours a week in the morning with a more flexible scheduling options for their afternoon.
Students spend the second year in off campus housing. There are several houses available besides the couple that are owned by Taft College. All are less than a mile from campus, to transportation (walking) is not a problem. By the second year, students are usually responsible for all aspects of living in a rental situation -- planning, meals, shopping, rent, working, transportation, "what are we having tonight" pantry meals, etc. are all things they will be expected to do and be evaluated on. They will be working off campus in a real paying job. Students will graduate with Certificate of Completion. 25% of students continue to full time study. 75% of students go directly to jobs/careers.
The TIL program coordinates with Kern Regional Center (KRC), other California Regional Centers, and Supportive Living Services (SLS), who will follow up with their own programs after the student leaves the TIL program. Their philosophy is simply that since you are putting the money up front, the individuals will need less services later on. In these economic times, I wish many services would remember this simple truth. It could literally save millions later on.
Interpersonal relationships: There is also a weekend program no longer covered by regional centers that evaluates students' transition to normal leisure time. This and other activities are evaluated by completion of required activities, sometimes "ghosted" by staff. That means that staff are not seen but are available if needed. There is tremendous student peer support for such activities, so staff are often not required. The students are assigned to go on group dates, which they plan and go on together. After that is successful, they are then assigned to go on personal dates, which the couple again plan and successfully enjoy. The staff notes the progress in these interpersonal developments and gives feedback as needed.
The students who came to present were from all over the state -- local, Sacramento, Bay Area, and Northern California. The starting age for the program can be as young as 18 years old, though the average age is in the 20's. The staff is looking for a certain level of maturity for the program.
Financial Aspect: Regional Centers pay approximately $30,000 per year for the program itself. If the student is not receiving SSI, then parents will have to pay for the dorms in the first year. This amount, currently approximately $610 per month, pays for the dorm room, utilities, food, etc. As mentioned before, part of this amount comes back to the student as their pay for work study (on campus work). Next year, this too will be eligible for financial aid due to new legislation!
Back to the program ...: Life would not be real life without some problems. TIL takes the students through the following methods:
• CALM Method:
•• Calm down
•• Ask why I am feeling this way
•• Look for ways to feel better
•• Move on or let it go
• COOL Method
• "I" Statements
•• I feel ....
•• I want ....
There is also a student representative team to assist with conflicts and planning issues.
Trip plans in particular have to be made in detail:
• Who -- is going? -- are you going to see? -- are you going to tell of your plans (staff - required)? -- is your travel buddy (required)?
• What -- are you going to do?
• When -- are you going? -- are you returning? -- does the event start? • Where -- are you going?
• How -- are you going to get there? -- much money do you need (required)?
••• Local and distance transportation and be arranged through Kern Regional Transport (KRT) and Amtrak
• Why -- are you going? (to have fun? good enough!)
• Do -- you have what you need?
The students were asked the the following questions: Why did you want to be in the TIL program? What is hard for you? What is scary, surprising, or what are you learning? Their answers were inciteful.
• it helps you adjust to the real world
• personal finances are hard
• we get an end of year trip
• we plan and go on the trip
• staff goes separately
• adjusting to the weather
• town is very small -- everything is in walking distance and people all know you
• I like traveling
• reading class is hard
• leaving parents was hard
• if you need help you call friends or (girl)friend
• if you need (feedback) they do so privately, not publicly
• you will get homesick
• happy atmosphere
• you get to go home for holidays
plus more often if your parents are local
• learning to be on your own
happy to be independent
• get more freedom if they use it responsibly
to go to work
• earning money for what you want
doing things without parents by myself
•cooking was hard until I (got used to) the oven -- I was afraid for awhile
• most students relocate close to parents after they graduate from program
• curfews
•• freshmen: 10pm
•• sophomores: 11pm
The students are, on the whole, academically capable but socially disabled. 20%-25% of TIL's students are autistic. A lot of the classroom curriculum is social skills.
Roommates: During the first year, they do screen but they have found that actually matching people up doesn't work. By the second year, they are allowed to make first, second, and third choices. These are evaluated by staff. All of the off campus housing are in safe neighborhoods less than a mile away from the campus, within walking distance of the college.
The students can bring all the tech they want -- computer, laptop, TV, games, etc. There are no limits to "things" but rather how their things affect how they are supposed to function. They are responsible for the consequences of their behavior. They can flunk a class if they fall asleep or bomb the class because of their decisions.
In case of academic problems: No one wants to see a student fail a program designed to develop independence and build self esteem. So the following have evolved as safety measures and natural consequences of persistent behavior.
• the first and second warnings are between staff and student
the third warning, parents are involved only if the student agrees to such communication
• for legal reasons, the student must sign a paper agreeing to allow parent involvement for that involvement to take place
• the student doesn't have to sign the paper but they won't be let in the program without it
The meeting was still going well when time ran out and all met and mingled -- TIL staff and students, PSG parents and members -- before going home. Ms. Popejoy had said earlier that she was taking the students to Applebee's after the meeting -- we hope they had a great time.
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Bob Moawad --
"Help others get ahead. You will always stand taller with someone else on your shoulders."
