PEERS® (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills developed at UCLA) is a 16-week evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated teens in middle and high school who are interested in learning ways to help them make and keep friends. During each group session, teens are taught important social skills and are given the opportunity to practice these skills in session during socialization activities. Parents attend separate sessions at the same time and are taught how to assist their teens in making and keeping friends by helping to expand their teen's social network and providing feedback through coaching during weekly socialization homework assignments. Enrollment is limited. Parent participation is required. The cost is $200.00 per family.
Everyone will be required to interview with Elizabeth prior to registering. You will be given a password to register once you have completed your interview.
TR Program Vision:
Our vision is to support all persons through inclusive recreation opportunities that meet the needs of physical activity, socialization, engagement, friendship-building, and education. We support the combined use of the ABA model and the sensory model for emotional regulation and behavior management.
TR Program Culture:
- We will offer tools for those who are sensory-seeking and sensory-avoidant to foster internal regulation.
- We focus on supporting individuals to use their language and self-expression to share how they are feeling.
- We train staff and volunteers/guests on specific ways to present themselves so as not to seem intimidating or scary to participants, such as encouraging them to sit on the floor or dress in casual clothing
- We provide visual cues, simple instructions, modeling, extended time, and flexibility in programming to ensure everyone can participate at their level. We scale activities to meet the abilities and needs of our participants.
- We give two choices and allow time to think through and respond.
- We give eye contact as much as is feasible to participants to acknowledge their person/needs.
- We will utilize social stories when feasible to foster positive engagement and appropriate responses.
- We promote behaviors that are healthy and inclusive. We look at behaviors to communicate a want or a need. We look for this need and provide an alternative, more appropriate way for the individual to obtain what they are looking for.
- We use positive reinforcement to reinforce actions that we want to continue. We use reinforcers to reward positive behaviors, such as time with a favorite toy or a break from the program.
- We use de-escalation techniques – a calm voice, neutral body language, moving to a quiet space if possible – to communicate when times get stressful. If someone has a behavior that is increasing, we will look to call parents for support or for early release from the activity.
Contact:
Elizabeth Kaufman
334-501-2939
ekaufman@auburnalabama.org
Therapeutic Programs follow the same participation guidelines as Special Olympics International. In order to qualify for Therapeutic Programs, participants must have a medically diagnosed cognitive impairment. When you register for programs, please list all medical conditions your participant has been diagnosed with as this will help us best support them to be successful while participating in our activities.