| New
Perspectives
- Oct, 1993 Issue #24 |
BENCHMARK
Redlands, CA. * 1-800-474-4848
Jayne Longnecker, Executive Program Director
by Linda Shaffer
BENCHMARK is a new non-profit
organization dedicated to helping "young adults at risk" transition
into the world of education, work, health and independence.
The Y.A.L.E. program is the first in a series of programs
to be offered.
Y.A.L.E. (Young Adults Living
Environment) focuses on assisting students to gain the skills
necessary to equip them to live independently. It is a "hands-on"
"in the field" approach. Students will share a two bedroom
apartment in a gated community, with each student assuming
responsibility for his/her share of the cleaning, meal planning,
cooking, etc.
An individualized education,
vocational, and treatment plan will be formulated for each
student. YALE students may show some of the following problems:
learning differences, attention deficit, distressed family
relationships, signs of depression, avoidance of personal
responsibility, unwise choices, poor motivation, some drug/alcohol
abuse, possible adoption issues, and a need for structure.
The community at large will be
the primary "classroom" utilizing nearby community colleges,
training programs, or specialized teaching services. BENCHMARK
will assist students to prepare for and look for work. Students
needing to complete high school can work on a GED.
Most BENCHMARK students will
need six to twelve months.
Copyright
© 1993, Woodbury Reports, Inc. (This article may be reproduced
without prior approval if the copyright notice and proper
publication and author attribution accompanies the copy.)
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