FOCUS EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

A Job Readiness and Support Program for Adults with FAS/pFAS

Prepared by

Tracie Hodge

College of New Caledonia Lakes District Campus

PO Box 5000

Burns Lake, BC V0J 1E0

Tel: (250) 692-1700

Fax: (250) 692-1750

FOCUS Employment Program

FAS Objectives for Community Understanding & Support

I.GENERAL DESCRIPTION

FAS Objectives for Community Understanding and Support (FOCUS) Employment Program has been developed for adults affected by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS/pFAS) who are interested in gaining employment. The program stresses employer and community awareness while developing comprehensive entry-level employment skills which utilize alternative learning strategies designed specifically for adults with this birth disorder.

The program’s individualized strategies and supported employment training are guided by a set of goals and objectives that are based on the needs and abilities of each student. The program emphasizes job readiness skills such as stress, anger, and time management as well as helps individuals to improve their self-concept. Students learn ways to maximize their literacy skills and verbal and nonverbal communication abilities in preparation for specific job related training and supported work placements.

As students progress through the developmental steps and are ready for supported employment, positions within the business community are sought to provide valuable work experience. Alternative training strategies developed specifically for affected adults and ongoing job support help to provide a valuable educational experience and stepping-stone to permanent employment. A work-site coordinator provides the tools necessary for both the employer and student trainee to maintain a successful workplace relationship.

Acknowledging the importance of each individual and offering positive reinforcement for appropriate behaviours allows students to feel accepted and safe during their job preparation. Because many FAS/pFAS adults have experienced negative reactions and remarks throughout their lives, receiving positive affirmations and respect on a daily basis prove to be a significant factor in establishing commitment, building positive relationships, and improving individual self-esteem. Throughout the program, the students are designated the main priority. The program staff listens to the students, acknowledges their feelings and ideas, and offers “student ownership” of the program.

  1. TRAINING NEED

The research to determine a regional need for the program has been done to the best of our ability at the local level. However, it is almost impossible to acquire hard data on the number of adults affected. Locally we have accessed information from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry for Children & Families, School District 91, physicians, psychologists, First Nations bands, provincial FAS experts, and national research materials. In spite of this, much of the information comes down to well-educated guesses. To determine the actual numbers would require a great deal of time and money. If those resources could be made available, the resulting information could and would be used, not only to identify the local and regional need for the college, but also to provide very valuable data to all agencies and community groups involved.

Locally we have been able to gather the following information from various agencies and population studies which demonstrates the need for such a program in our region:

  • Up to 30 percent of the population in northern BC communities and the Yukon are affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol (source: Ministry of Health).
  • Anecdotal information from the Ministry for Children & Families and School District 91 indicates high numbers of children who exhibit characteristics associated with FAS/pFAS. The School District has twice the number of children in special needs programs than it is funded for.
  • Local First Nations bands estimate their affected numbers range from 50-75 percent. Data from Lake Babine Nation lends support to these estimates. They state that 40 percent of native students are three to four years behind in school by Grades 6 and 7 and only half go beyond Grade 8.
  • The Lakes District community is 35-40 percent First Nations.
  • The amount of money spent on alcohol is high - $727 per capita per year (source: Liquor Distribution Branch 1996).
  • The Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse reports that our region of BC has one of the highest alcohol consumption rates in all of Canada.
  • Infant mortality rate is 70 percent higher than the provincial average for the Bulkley Nechako Regional District (source: Lakes District Timber Supply Analysis [TSA]).
  • High school incompletion rates are high – 67 percent higher than the provincial average (source: Lakes District Timber Supply Analysis [TSA]).
  • Professionals (psychologists and physicians) conducting assessments in northern First Nations villages estimate 80-90 percent of the population is FAS/pFAS.

More information which speaks to the need for programs like FOCUS is noted below:

  • Most FAS/pFAS adults are unemployed and on social assistance (currently 54 percent of FOCUS students are on Provincial SA and the remainder are on Band Assistance). The cost to the system for a lifetime of Social Assistance is approximately $275,000.
  • As a result of the FOCUS program, six students have had employment over the last year – four were regular part-time (up to six months), two were seasonal part-time, and three students continue to work part-time while attending the program.
  • Estimates indicate that up to 50 percent of inmates are FAS/pFAS. The costs for incarceration are up to $127,000 per person for one year and this figure does not include court expenses.
  • Approximately 67 percent of the FOCUS students were involved in the court system when they entered the program. Two have been able to remain in the community due to their improved behaviour, which was directly credited by court officials to the FOCUS program. No students have committed any additional offences while in the program. In light of this information, it takes only one FOCUS student to remain out of prison or to secure employment to save our government more than the annual cost of program funding.

A.First Nations Inclusion

First Nations cultural inclusion is critical to the success of the program. The FOCUS program has utilized a “generative instructional model” where students and First Nations cultural experts like Elders contribute their knowledge and opinions to the design and development of the program. In addition, First Nations community representatives, administrators and health practitioners take part in the local FAS Community Advisory Committee which gives monthly input, makes recommendations to the FOCUS program coordinators and provides constant interaction among various community members.

Lake Babine Nation (LBN) is the third largest band in BC with their major reserve site located next to the Village of Burns Lake. The College’s close contact with the Lake Babine Nation Education Coordinator and other First Nations representatives is what initiated the development of the FOCUS program. LBN sees this program as essential to the health of its membership and is very insistent that the provincial government make the financial commitments necessary to maintain this program.

LBN has indicated that many of their youth and adults display characteristics consistent with FAS/pFAS. This, combined with the general population, translates into a significant number of adults in communities like Burns Lake who require appropriate training to take advantage of the labour market. Based on the conservative estimate of 30 percent affected, this translates into 750 individuals suspected of having FAS/pFAS in our community.

As most of the participants in the FOCUS program are First Nations, Lake Babine Nation Chief Betty Patrick has acknowledged the program’s many benefits for the participants and has provided strong endorsement for the program. (See Appendix A - Presentation to Premier Ujjal Dosanjh.)

  1. LABOUR MARKET DEMAND

When adequate training and appropriate support is provided to persons with special needs, the College has found that employers in all sectors have responded by hiring those individuals for a wide variety of jobs. Real opportunities for entry level employment exist in food services; catering; building custodial and maintenance; sawmills; silviculture; logging; construction; maintenance and renovations (excavation, framing, site labour and cleanup, dry walling, painting); landscaping; gardening and snow removal.

According to the HRDC Labour Market Consultants for our area, employment in these occupations account for 78 percent of the six major vacancy classifications.

  1. Marketing and Recruitment

The marketing strategy for the program includes community and employer FAS/pFAS educational components, and utilization of advisory committee members and the media.

Student recruitment activities include a listing in the CNC calendar, a brochure, media advertising for family and self-referrals, and direct contact with social services/health providers, the School District, and First Nations bands for agency referrals.

  1. PRIORITY OF THE FOCUS PROGRAM

The FOCUS program holds the highest priority for new programming at the Lakes District Campus. The most compelling reason for this program being the priority is many people with FAS/pFAS experience hellish lives with very few supports. Most suffer from severe depression and many attempt and/or commit suicide. They are often abused and become abusers, finding themselves entangled within a justice system they are mentally incapable of comprehending on their own. They are terribly poor and increasingly have no place in our knowledge-based economy. The FOCUS program has provided the very first opportunity for these individuals to understand what has happened to them and to recognize their strengths while helping them cope with their disabilities.

  1. Understanding FAS

A clear understanding of the characteristics and behaviours associated with FAS/pFAS is essential in understanding the strategies used and the program outcomes. The following information has been gathered from the works of FAS specialists such as Diane Malbin, Debra Evensen, and Jan Lutke and further illustrates cognitive and personal difficulties experienced by adults with the birth disorder.

Difficulty translating information from one sense into appropriate behaviour

  • Difficulty linking what is heard with appropriate behaviour
  • Able to “talk the talk” but not “walk the walk”
  • Inconsistent mastery
  • Spotty memory

Difficulty generalizing information

  • Difficulty seeing the whole picture – learn information in isolated pieces
  • Inflexibility of thought
  • Difficulty predicting outcomes, seeing patterns, sequencing information, distinguishing cause/effect, and seeing the whole picture
Difficulty perceiving similarities and differences
  • Difficulty distinguishing fantasy from reality
  • Difficulty distinguishing between friends and strangers
  • Trouble evaluating differences in environments
  • Difficulty making associations and integrating behaviours
  • Difficulty with abstraction: math, money, and time
  • Difficulty recognizing behaviour that is socially inappropriate and intrusive

Potential “Secondary Disabilities”

  • Early school drop-out
  • Alcohol and drug abuse problems
  • Having children they cannot care for
  • Joblessness
  • Homelessness
  • Trouble with the law
  • Mental health problems

Clinical implications

 Poor judgment (Easily victimized)
 Attention deficit (Unfocused and easily distracted)
 Arithmetic disability (Cannot handle money)
  • Memory problems (Does not learn from experience)
  • Difficulty abstracting (Does not understand consequences)
  • Disoriented in time/space (Fails to perceive social cues)
  • Poor frustration tolerance (Quick to anger)
  • Prone to confabulate (Cannot distinguish fantasy from reality)
  1. program Objectives
  • To help students develop personal management skills:

Anger management

Stress management

Time management
  • To help maximize individual literacy skills
  • To improve verbal and nonverbal communication abilities
  • To provide specific job related training
  • To provide supported work placement and practical job experience
  • To provide support in employment situations
  1. Learner Centred Approach

The Lakes District campus’s learner and community centred philosophy means each program is designed to meet the specific needs of its students and the target area of the community. As with other programs, the FOCUS program’s learner-centred approach is unique. A significant portion of the program is dedicated to students learning about FAS/pFAS and its impact on their lives. Individual student assessments are conducted to determine specific strengths and talents as well as to determine the challenges faced by students in their daily lives. Individual student plans are developed to identify a student’s goals and objectives and to document progresses made in behaviour, academics, and job-related skills.

The classroom design is unique in that a consistent class schedule is devised with methods and strategies specific to FAS/pFAS learners. Pre-employment skills such as punctuality and regular attendance are emphasized and new approaches to living with FAS/pFAS are practiced (talking watches and day planners are successfully used by students to keep track of time and appointments). Guest speakers address the group regularly and create a work-related theme for the rest of the week (job expectations, workplace safety, budgeting, etc.). Student self-management and communication skills are developed and improved through group ‘Check In’. This classroom strategy utilizes a Talking Stick to promote class discussions and practice listening skills.

VII.PROGRAM components

Through specific activities and memory strategies, the students are able to practice the employability skills necessary for job placement. These activities include involvement in a student run catering business which enables students to learn planning and organizational skills, finances and budgeting, time management, and hygiene as well as providing community interaction and awareness through fund raising events.

A. Program Guidelines

The following guidelines are recommended for program staff to evaluate student suitability and progression. These guidelines must be emphasized during the initial intake and reviewed periodically during the school year in order to ensure student understanding and acceptance. The skills that are required during the Two-Month Probationary Period reflect the students employability level and their capacity to benefit from the program.

Two-Month Probationary Period

Attendance

  • No more than 5 unexcused absences per month.

Attitude

  • Respectful to other students and instructors
  • Willing to participate in class activities

Interpersonal Communication Skills

  • Ability to work with a group

Behaviour

  • Individual must not require excessive attention from the instructors to the detriment of the group

Duration of the Program

As with the above required behaviours/actions, the following will also be expected of the students through the duration of the program:

  • A noticeable improvement in attention span (i.e. ability to sit and listen during check-in, guest speakers, etc.)
  • Adherence to CNC rules and regulations (e.g. no alcohol or drug use during school hours or while on school trips, no violence, etc.)

A Behavioural Check List is to be used with the Program Guidelines to evaluate student performance and suitability for the program as well as record particulars throughout the school year. The Behavioural Check List should be used to help the student evaluate which areas require further attention and/or which areas have seen improvement.

Due to the individualized nature of the services provided, the program will allow continuous intake with a maximum of 14 active students at any given time.
B.Student Screening and Assessments

Student screening mechanisms consist of the following:

  • Accessing medical records to determine if there is an existing diagnosis or if there is a medical record of the mother’s drinking patterns.
  • Discussing with family members the prenatal drinking habits of a student’s mother to determine whether alcohol abuse/misuse was a factor.
  • Analyzing school records to determine past learning difficulties and behavioural problems.
  • Sending young adult students to Vancouver for medical and psychological assessments. (This is extremely difficult to achieve as there are only two physicians in BC who assess young adults and the costs are excessive.)
  • Using assessment or screening tools designed by other professionals to determine the probability of FAS/pFAS. Current assessment forms include the FASNET Assessment Tool, the FOCUS Intake Forms and Diane Malbin’s assessment procedures.

Once eligibility has been determined, all students receive comprehensive assessments of their training and personal development needs. These assessments result in an individual plan that reflects the specific employment related needs and interests of each student.

Reaching career/employment objectives will entail individual and group work in the following areas:

  • Personal skill development (life skills)
  • Personal supports

  • Specific skills training
  • Job search strategies
  • Job readiness skills
  • Employment exploration

The specific application of the above components and length of intervention is determined by the initial and ongoing assessment of each student’s needs.

C.Program Staff

The brain damage associated with prenatal exposure to alcohol causes significant behavioural problems and learning disabilities which require extensive intervention strategies. To meet these complex and time consuming needs, the staff will be comprised of one full-time program instructor, one full-time administrative/work-site coordinator, and one part-time literacy instructor.

Because FAS/pFAS is associated with many secondary disabilities (i.e. drug and alcohol abuse, low-level education, poverty, etc.), career training and personal counselling sessions are also required services for all students. The specific counselling needs of each student are identified during the intake and assessment process and outlined in the student’s individualized plan.