Community Awareness & Integration

Community Awareness & Integration

Individuals with a disability sometimes struggle with trying to feel as if they have a place they belong. The Empowerment Center encourages the socialization of those with disabilities in the community. The Empowerment Center wants to ensure that those within the disability community  have access to a valued social settings and activities. We desire for all individuals to feel that they can contribute meaningfully to those activities and develop functional capabilities that enable them to participate fully in society. This improves their knowledge and skills in problem solving. Our participants learn about the issues in-depth.

Greater knowledge allows them to see multiple sides of the problem and they can begin to practice communication and positive decision-making skills.

The Community engagement group strives to enhance the development of personal judgment and reasoning regarding appropriate and safe behavior in the public community.  This is accomplished by exposing participants to various community resources including but not limited to public libraries, grocery stores, parks, shopping malls, movies, bowling, plays and festivals. This allows participants to learn and implement skills in the community with the assistance of The Empowerment Center’s Staff who understand the needs of everyone.

Community Awareness and Integration skills include self-awareness, behavioral management, coping skills, respecting personal boundaries, following directions, money management, and socialization with peers in different environments. Community Integration outings occur on a weekly basis to allow participants a consistent opportunity to have new experiences and increase their level of comfort in public settings while displaying appropriate behavior. The Empowerment Center Staff are responsible for encouraging, prompting and redirecting the participants to be aware of their clinical goals, barriers to treatment as well as skills learned in additional training already provided at the Empowerment center. These additional training include Social Skills, Independent living, Health & Wellness, Vocational Skills Training are required before participating in community integration outings.  Participants also agree to follow The Empowerment Center’s rules & regulations while in the community for their safety and the wellbeing of others.