PRE-VOCATIONAL

Often our students may not fully appreciate how people make a living, how they get jobs, or how they keep them. The world of work is new to many students with disabilities, and unfortunately many are unemployed. At St. Joseph’s we view this as a challenge, and our aim is to make some positive changes!

PREPARING FOR TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO WORK The goal of our professional multi-cultural team is to provide our students with opportunities to explore, practice, and experiment with structured learning and work-related activities—conducted both on and off campus.

BUT WE CANNOT DO THIS ALONE. We actively integrate the efforts of our own staff with parents, the general public, and potential employers, to change attitudes and bridge that challenging gap between school and work.

Our student training is wide-ranging and encompasses:

• Appropriate and effective verbal and non-verbal communication
• Self-care
• Time management
• How to travel with a sighted guide or independently
• Social manners
• How to follow instructions
• How to make appropriate decisions and choices
• Money management
• How to accept responsibility in relation to time
• Effective accomplishment of specific tasks or assignments

All these abilities help prepare our students for the world of work and for participating in the wider community.

SKILL APPLICATION IN THE ‘REAL WORLD’

Reflecting each individual’s potential, our students learn how to:

• Use the computer
• Do simple clerical activities
• Select, sort and package small items
• Do custodial tasks
• Speak to potential customers and supervisors
• Cash their checks at the local bank
• Plan for spending the money they earned!

Many activities are conducted off campus in real work situations where students learn what is expected of them. These opportunities provide invaluable experiences for all our students, and also give our staff a chance to share information with potential employers. Each experience ensures our students develop the potential to

“LEARN TO BE ALL THEY CAN BE!”