How is social integration used at the TLLC?

Posted 19-07-2019

The Transitional Living and Learning Center (TLLC) is very unique with its hands-on activities in the community and individualized learning opportunities. These relevant, real time life strategies help our students practice the life skills necessary to have a socially fulfilling future after treatment.

Students recently practiced executive functioning skills as they planned community outings and holiday activities. Program Manager, Kim Denis, assisted one student during a social integration lunch outing, which served as the perfect opportunity to not only learn new skills but to also practice communication skills. He learned about food allergies and preferences, he gained an understanding of cost and method of travel and was able to practice time management skills to ensure timely arrival.

Additionally, several students collaborated on Independence Day activities. First, they came together to choose a lunch menu, learn the importance of nutrition, how to safely prepare and cook the food, and how to clean the kitchen properly afterward. Following lunch, students arranged a social outing to play golf. Social outings are an important part of treatment at TLLC and begin with basic planning and thinking through the entire process of the outing. By arranging the mode of transportation, mapping out directions to the course, and cost per person, students utilized skills such as organizing, prioritizing, budgeting, time management, and communication.

At the TLLC, our goal is to offer young adults a safe space for social integration in which they can learn and practice new skills and then apply them in a real world setting. We used evidence-based approaches that assist students in feeling self-assured and independent. Lunch outings and planning holiday meals and activities help guide students to become more independent and productive, while at the same time allows them to learn coping skills that help with everyday life stressors.

What is a Life Coach?

At the TLLC, we have a staff dedicated to helping our students experience freedom and confidence to become self-sufficient and productive. Kim Denis is a Certified Life Coach who works with TLLC students weekly to set goals and hold them accountable for completing tasks to reach their goals.  As students learn, they can tap into their full potential to make a change in their life and exceed their expectations. A life coach does not give students the answers or do the work for them, but instead, offers the tools and resources needed to help them build their confidence and empower them toward achievement. Individuals who utilize life coaching tend to reach their objectives faster than others because they have someone to hold them accountable, while at the same time motivating them through the process.

Our staff assists students in identifying and overcoming their obstacles, fear or anxieties by providing a comprehensive skill building curriculum in several key life domains:

• Social
• Emotional
• Independent Decision Making
• Educational
• Vocational
• Health and Wellness
• Basic Budgeting
• Cooking
• Leisure Time Management
• Planning, Organizing and Prioritizing
• Independent Living Skills, Coping Skills, and Social Skills

This curriculum combined with the support of a life coach allows students to build skills and patterns of successful, healthy living that are transferable to any setting, anywhere. At the TLLC, we strive to assist students in reaching their full level of potential and live independently while confidently tackling life’s stressors.