Minnesota Independence College And Community

TO TRANSFORM LIVES OF FAMILIES & INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED BY THE AUTISM SPECTRUM & LEARNING DIFFERENCES.

THE COLLEGE PROGRAM TEACHES THE CORE SKILLS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE ESSENTIAL TO LIVING INDEPENDENTLY WITHIN A COMMUNITY. USING A HOLISTIC, STRENGTH-BASED EDUCATION MODEL, WE TEACH AND SUPPORT INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS, EMPLOYMENT SKILLS, AND SOCIAL SKILLS. THE COLLEGE PROGRAM PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL SERVICES TO PARTICIPANTS DIAGNOSED WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY, AN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER OR OTHER NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS. SINCE 1996, MICC'S PROGRAM MODEL OF TRANSITION INTO ADULTHOOD HAS ENCOMPASSED AN IMMERSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE WHERE COLLEGE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS LIVE IN APARTMENTS ON OUR CAMPUS, WHICH ALLOWS INSTRUCTORS TO TEACH INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS IN THEIR OWN HOME, WHICH SUPPORTS THEIR TRANSITION UPON GRADUATION FROM THE THREE-YEAR PROGRAM. THE SKILLS WE TEACH RANGE FROM BASIC COOKING, CLEANING AND ORGANIZATION TO BUDGETING, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, TRANSPORTATION AND ROOMMATE DYNAMICS. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT OUR PARTICIPANTS HAVE DEVELOPED THE SKILLS AND PERSONALIZED SUPPORTS NEEDED TO SUSTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE. WITHIN THE COLLEGE PROGRAM, MICC ALSO OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A GREATER IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY BY OFFERING OUR SUMMER PROGRAM. OUR 2023 SUMMER PROGRAM SUPPORTED YOUNG ADULTS TO DEVELOP VALUABLE INTRODUCTORY INDEPENDENCE SKILLS. SKILLS COVERED INCLUDE JOB SEEKING SKILLS; CAREER EXPLORATION THROUGH GUEST SPEAKERS AND INTEREST INVENTORIES; SOCIAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND FUN ACTIVITIES; PRACTICING INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS; HEALTHY HABITS AND WELLNESS ROUTINES.

MICC'S SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM EXPOSES OUR PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH THE COLLEGE AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS TO NEW EXPERIENCES, FRIENDSHIPS, AND HEALTHY AND ACTIVE LIFESTYLES IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND PREVENT SOCIAL ISOLATION. THE PROGRAM FOSTERS A FUN AND INCLUSIVE SOCIAL CENTER WITH COMMUNITY INTEGRATION OPPORTUNITIES WHERE OUR PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP AND EXPAND THEIR SENSE OF BELONGING AND ARE ACCEPTED FOR BEING THEIR AUTHENTIC SELF. OUR PARTICIPANTS ARE THE LEADERS WITHIN THEIR SOCIAL COMMUNITY BY DRIVING PROGRAM DECISIONS AND BEING MENTORS FOR THEIR PEERS, LEADING PEER-LED CLUBS, AND ESTABLISHING A PARTICIPANT COUNCIL TO FURTHER INCREASE THEIR CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM. THE SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES HOBBY-BASED ELECTIVE COURSES, WEEKLY COMMUNITY ACTIVITY OPPORTUNITIES, AND MONTHLY EXCURSIONS THROUGHOUT THE METRO AREA. WE ARE CONTINUALLY STRIVING TO CREATE A WELCOMING COMMUNITY WHERE OUR PARTICIPANTS CAN CREATE LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS AND MEMORIES.

THE COMMUNITY PROGRAM IS A LIFELONG SUPPORT PROGRAM DESIGNED FOR PARTICIPANTS THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE COLLEGE PROGRAM. PARTICIPANTS LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN THEIR OWN APARTMENTS OR HOMES, INDEPENDENTLY NAVIGATE THE COMMUNITY AND ARE EMPLOYED COMPETITIVELY IN THE COMMUNITY. THE COMMUNITY PROGRAM PROVIDES ONGOING SOCIAL PROGRAMMING AND PERSON-CENTERED INDEPENDENT LIVING SUPPORT TO HELP PARTICIPANTS BUILD AND MAINTAIN LASTING FRIENDSHIPS AND FOSTER POSITIVE, SAFE, AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES. ADDITIONALLY, PARTICIPANTS RETAIN ACCESS TO THE CAREERS PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES ONGOING SUPPORT TO PARTICIPANTS AT WORK OR WHO ARE LOOKING FOR THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR CAREER. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2005, THIS PROGRAM HAS STEADILY INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS BEING SERVED. THE COMMUNITY PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY SERVING 98 ADULTS, PLUS THEIR IMMEDIATE AND EXTENDED FAMILIES, AND WE ANTICIPATE CONTINUED GROWTH WITH EACH NEW COLLEGE GRADUATING CLASS.

THE ABILITY TO LIVE AND WORK INDEPENDENTLY IS AT THE HEART OF OUR PROGRAM. THE CAREERS PROGRAM ASSISTS PARTICIPANTS THROUGH AN INDIVIDUALIZED PERSON-CENTERED APPROACH TO OBTAIN ACCESS TO VOCATIONAL SERVICES, SUPPORTS, AND RESOURCES OF THEIR CHOICE TO ACHIEVE THEIR DESIRED OUTCOMES. WE HELP PARTICIPANTS DEVELOP THE SKILLS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE JOB SEARCH PROCESS, OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT, AND DEMONSTRATE THE BEHAVIORS THAT WILL HELP THEM GET AND MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT. CAREER EXPLORATION RESULTS ARE COMBINED WITH JOB DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO HELP PARTICIPANTS FIND THE BEST EMPLOYMENT FIT FOR THEIR SKILLS, ABILITIES, AND INTERESTS. THE SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM IS AN ADDITIONAL COMPONENT OF OUR CAREERS PROGRAM THAT IS ENDORSED BY CENTURY COLLEGE. THERE ARE FOUR CHOICES FOR TRAINING: RETAIL, CULINARY, HOSPITALITY, AND HEALTH SERVICES. IT INCLUDES BOTH AN IN-CLASS LEARNING PORTION AND A PRACTICUM PORTION THAT TAKES PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY. THE SKILLS TRAINING PROGRAM ASSISTS PARTICIPANTS IN THE COLLEGE PROGRAM TO PREPARE TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT AND BUILD THE FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN AND MAINTAIN EMPLOYMENT. THE CAREERS PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO MEET THE WORKFORCE NEEDS IDENTIFIED BY EMPLOYERS WITHIN INDUSTRY SECTORS. LOCAL EMPLOYERS UNDERSTAND THE POSITIVE IMPACT REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE CAN PROVIDE, AND THE ON-SITE INSTRUCTORS PROVIDED BY MICC HELP PARTICIPANTS POSITIVELY NAVIGATE WORK EXPERIENCES IN REAL TIME. WE MEASURE OUR SUCCESS BY THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE EMPLOYED AND LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN THE COMMUNITY. AT THE END OF THE 2022-2023 PROGRAM YEAR, 91% OF ELIGIBLE COLLEGE AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS RECEIVING CAREER SERVICES WORKED IN THE COMMUNITY.