one life at a time |
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| Commitment to innovation: MAP is committed to the development of programming that pushes the envelope in best practice. New projects are conceived with the assistance of all stake holders including consumers. Our goal is to create a menu of services that address the needs of all persons with disabilities in new ways, while developing independent streams of income to continue successful programs irrespective of funding changes. Career Camp: This project was designed five years ago as an extension of the transition services being offered to students in the Special Education departments who were preparing to transition from school to work. Camp is a four-week summer program that provides career planning, job tryouts, social skill development, and fun activities in one program. Graduates from Camp are sometimes hired to work as Senior Counselors in subsequent years. Camp is offered in Ann Arbor and in Wayne County. For information please contact the Ann Arbor Office Vocational Team Leader. Transitional Services to DD Students: MAP has created a menu of services to address the needs of students in special education programs who are moving towards school to work transition. MAP offers year round classes, individual vocational counseling, job development, and job coaching, as well as special programming for students with behavioral issues. For further information contact the Ann Arbor Office Vocational Team Leader. Biz Project: The agency is in the process of making application for the funding to carry out the BIZ project that will serve persons with either developmental disabilities or mental illness. The heart of the project is to create an opportunity for consumers to experience and learn aspects of starting their own business. MAP will start by purchasing a vending route, then train individuals on all aspects of the business. Once trained, candidates may take responsibility for one or more machines and MAP will expand the network. This project is based on the idea that not all people with disabilities wants a job, as some would like a business. The agency will continue seeking funding to build this new opportunity. ICAN Building System: The ICAN Building System is a new product that simplifies the building process and involves lay people in the erection of the exterior shell of their house. The product has been used in a prototype in Ann Arbor: the Gateway Affordable Housing Project. The success of this simple Lego-like system trial was encouraging. The MAP construction crew, made up of one MAP job coach, and 14 homeless individuals, completed the exterior walls on the four units just completed using a rubber mallet, 12" pressboard panels, wire grills, aerated concrete and a forms chart. The results of this experiment include: minor retooling of the system, startup of a new corporation, development of plans for a manufacturing operation, and planning of a second prototype in Washtenaw County. The goal of the project is to create, manufacture and market a simple building system that will allow anyone to construct the exterior of a house with superior energy efficiency qualities at an affordable price and with little technical skill. The agency has received its first capacity building seed money from the City of Ann Arbor for the manufacturing operation. To invest or investigate contact Ann Harris at Genesis - 734-944-4578. WISH: Although no longer a new program, WISH is still one of two such collaborative projects in the United States. By using an integrated interagency work team, WISH is able to maintain partner investment, while expanding resource access to high-risk homeless individuals. This is a homeless project with no walls, one stop service delivery and an extensive menu of services. The core value of the project is that all people have the potential to change their own lives and we are just here to help facilitate that. For more on WISH contact the WISH Team Leader in Ann Arbor Office. |
| Innovations at Work |
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