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Seb M. Prohn, UP Program Faculty liaison &

Outreach Coordinator

Goals

• Share Western Carolina University‟s UP Program

model

• Describe the ways we recruit, support and organize,

with natural supports

• Encourage learning and professional development

through direct contact

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Natural Supports

• Are “resources inherent in community environments

that can be used for habilitative and supportive

services”

• West, Kregel, Hernandez & Hock (1997)

Why „Natural‟ Support for

college students with ID?

• Identification as a college student

• Social network expansion / reducing isolation

• Reduce stereotypes

• Step to independence

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UP Program Overview

• Started as a pilot program in 2007

• Provides a two year, on-campus living and learning experience for college-aged individuals with intellectual disabilities

• Funded as only model demonstration site in NC and one of 27 national TPSID projects

Year # of Participants

2008 2

2010 4

2011 8

Five UP Program

Components

1. Personal Development

Skills

2. Community Participation

Skills

3. Vocational Preparation

Skills

4. Social Participation and

Learning

5. Course Auditing

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UP Certificate Requirements

Completion of 1800 hours of learning activities (450

hrs per semester)

Achievement of at least 80% of the objectives per

semester within each component of the Individual

Plan for College Participation (IPCP)

Recommendation for a UP Certificate of

Accomplishment by the UP coordinator and the UP

Program Steering Committee

Systems for Functioning

• Specific criteria for admission

• Consistent application of values (inclusion & self-

determination)

• Inclusive opportunities in all of campus life

• Integration of work-based learning and transition to

employment

• Administrative support of program development

• Support from student volunteers

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Meet the UP Program‟s

Supports

• VIDEO!

Natural Support: UP Definition

• Paid and unpaid WCU

students of

approximately the same

age as participants who

intervene as necessary

to facilitate inclusive

participation in dorm-

life, course work, and

social & recreational

activities.

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Duties & Impact

Academic •Attending and supporting participants in classes

•Support/tutoring with projects and homework

Social •Attending sporting events

•Campus social events (e.g., religious groups, cheerleading,

swimming, clubs, movies, plays, ballgames)

Vocational •Serving as a job coach

Personal

Development

•Suitemate: morning and night routines

•Personal care goals

•Attendance and input at person centered planning meetings

•Help collecting data on IPCP goals

What We Have

https://whentowork.com/logins.htm

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Optimal States & Needs

• Ratio is 20 volunteers to 1 participant (per week) depending on levels of support needed

• Had at least 80 active volunteers with 4 participants; Need at least 160 active volunteers for 8 participants

WeekOf ShiftsNeeded HoursNeeded

Sept.12th 246 440.75

Sept.19th 238 448.08

Sept.26th 221 416.00

Oct.3rd 235 428.75

Oct.10thand17th*Equalsoneweek

275 505.17

Oct.24th 234 412.58

Averages 241.5 441.89

Recruitment

University Resources

• Intro to Special Education

• Whee Teach & Teaching Fellows

• Psychology service-learning courses

• Participants‟ classes

• Federal work study positions

Community

Resources

• Developmental

therapy/CAP funding

• AmeriCorps scholarships

• Internal and external grant

funds

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Bidirectional Exchange:

Supports Benefit • Short term outcomes

• improvement in „states‟

• Middle term outcomes

• Interweave class theory/research with practice

• Occupational „trial run‟

• Long term outcomes

• Networking

• Professional training

• Behavior plans, Wilson Reading System & Edmark Reading

Program, individualized lesson plans, Problem solving,

organization

Other Benefits

• Research opportunities

• Teachable moments

• Measuring dispositions

• Involvement in a national movement

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Increased Comfort & Efficacy

“I will be honest, before SPED 240 I tried to avoid people

with disabilities. It‟s not that I felt any different about them.

I knew they were human just like everyone else in the

world. I wasn‟t scared or disgusted by them. I just wasn’t

sure how to act. I didn’t want to say or do the wrong

thing. Taking this class has made me realize that I can be

myself around people with disabilities.”

Choice & Voice

• Assist in establishing

participant goals

• Co-create professional goals

• Co-create schedule

• Plan and organize social

events

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Supporting Support

• Training

• Training sessions: assignment modification; homework

assistance; reading, math & social skill instruction; data

collection

• Other: volunteer manual, shadowing, instructional

approaches/practice lessons, reflective journaling, summative

and formative feedback

• Co-evaluation

• Criteria: dependability; engagement/initiative; decision

making & professionalism; communication/teamwork;

professional development; problem solving;

Organization & Logistics

• Weekly schedules detail when, where and what type

of activity has been designated

• When to Work online scheduling program: shift

trade boards, notifications, volunteer availability

• Blackboard: participant goals, schedules, learning

profiles and HW assignments; support journal

deposit

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Organized Yet Individualized

Increased Independence

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UP Program Resources

• WCU UP Program Blackboard site

• UP Program website at http://up.wcu.edu

• UP Volunteers http://www.wcu.edu/29298.asp

• Volunteer FAQ

http://www.wcu.edu/29321.asp#FAQs_from_Volunte

ers

• Contact Us http://www.wcu.edu/29294.asp

Questions?

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Contact Information

Seb Prohn, Faculty Liaison/Outreach Coordinator

smprohn@email.wcu.edu