My Experience at Cardinal Cushing Center:

I'm going to volunteer with a non-profit called Cardinal Cushing Centers. This is a private school for populations of dual diagnosis (mental health and developmentally disabled). I currently work for a company called Best Buddies Jobs and am based out of Cardinal Cushing Centers assisting students ages 18 to 22 in finding employment. Throughout my experience working with Best Buddies, I've gotten the opportunity to work one on one with many students and develop strong relationships with them. I’m resigning from my position in two weeks but am going to volunteer to kick start a new program at Cardinal Cushing that comprises topics the nature of my job did not allow me to focus on.

Once a young adult in this population turns 22 they have a shift in funding and often have to relocate and find new services for residential and vocational support. This population requires as much support as possible through this transition.

I am going to organize curriculum and teach a class at Cardinal Cushing that focuses on topics of transition. Although getting a job is vital for post 22 life, there are other issues my students have brought up in conversation that require more education. These are topics I have not had the chance to cover while being employed by Best Buddies and am hoping to take this on outside of work.

The students seem to have a very unclear understanding of alcohol education. They have spoken about abusing alcohol when they go home for vacations. Since these students are turning 21, I want to help educate the students on responsible drinking in addition to how this would effect any medications.

I've also heard students use the word "gay" in a negative sense and other derogatory phrases towards homosexuality. I get the sense that the students don't really understand what being homosexual means. Many of the students I work with are beginning to explore their sexuality. I want to open up discussions talking about sexuality and healthy relationships.

Other areas I’m interested in covering are the correct use of social networking (safety with facebook, myspace, ext.). The students are "facebook messaging" with people they meet at work or sometimes-just strangers. I've had students ask me how to "de-friend" someone who is harassing them on facebook. I want to show the students how to use these social networking outlets appropriately.

As the students turn 22, they are moving and meeting new people. Inevitably they are having conversations about all of these topics. I want to make sure they are being safe and have the chance to ask questions. I’d like to organize speakers from the clinical, vocational, educational, and residential team from Cardinal Cushing to present as well as students who previously graduated from the school and are living in a new community.

I think better preparing this transitional population to succeed in the world is so important. In a school system, the students are taught skills to work and learn but rarely given the opportunity to ask questions and discuss social skills. This class would provide a better understanding of social skills and how their disability plays into these topics.

I will organize these topics into two informal discussion groups to organize with seven of the graduating students.