Name: Seedling Program

Number of Students:  Maximum of 20

Diagnoses: Multiple Handicaps (Mental Retardation, Down Syndrome, Autism spectrum, Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, etc.)

Program Description: The program is located in a modern facility with two state of the art greenhouses and studio space. It consists of four components:  Greenhouse Plant Production and Sale, Community Integration,  Arts and Crafts Studio, and Life Skills Enrichment. The program staff consists of a Greenhouse Director, Team Leader, and two support staff. All program staff are Direct Support Professional (DSP) certified. Consumers are paid biweekly on a consignment basis for their work in the Greenhouse and Arts and Crafts Studio.

The Seedling program focuses on social, emotional, and physical development in order to promote self maintenance and awareness, and participants contribute to activity planning in each of the four components during weekly group meetings.

In the Greenhouse, consumers receive instruction and supervision in all aspects of basic horticultural techniques. Consume4rs interact with the general public in selecting and purchasing plants. The greenhouse is open year round to the public, Monday through Friday, 8:30am-3:30pm.

The Arts and Crafts Studio offers program participants creative expression through group and individual art and craft projects. Consumers create saleable items using a wide variety of mediums.

The Life Skills Enrichment component focuses on promoting independence and increasing self maintenance with activities of daily living (ADLs) and functional living skills (FSL) including cooking, budgeting and money skills, communication, household maintenance and personal leisure time activities.

The Community Integration component of the program provides opportunities for personal growth through volunteerism, life skill development, recreation, exploration of and safety in the community and the world at large.  An emphasis is placed on creating and experiencing meaningful interactions with community members.

 

Strengths:

• Consumer independence is encouraged by low staff to consumer ratio

• Community integration occurs on site with daily and seasonal sales

• Consumers are offered a wide variety of tasks

• Specialized vocational skills training

• Consistency of program

• Exceptional communication and involvement with consumers and staff/guardians/families

• Peer integration and integration with other programs at the center, especially the School

• Age Program

• Safe and fun environment

• Opportunity for consumers to earn a paycheck

Special Points:

• We provide a one-of-a-kind program in Maine. The unique combination of our work for pay program plus the day habilitation experiences we offer provide an environment for growth and self esteem building.
• All goals and objectives are tailored for individual growth and needs.
• The consumers in our program benefit from the peer support provided and the greenhouse setting is a significant benefit for all involved.

Contact Person: Darryl Johnson, Program Director, 883-6680, EMAIL

Return to: Our Programs