Skill Building

Many of our members struggle with executive functioning weaknesses. In order to help members build strategies and awareness we focus on topics such as time management, managing distractions, planning/organization and task initiation during our daily coaching groups.

In addition to Executive Functioning skills, we also coach our members

in these and many other areas:

  • Developing study habits, managing deadlines, and communicating with professors or managers.

  • Developing healthy routines such as:

    • cooking balanced meals

    • creating systems to organize their apartments

    • improving sleep hygiene

    • getting their bodies to move

  • Exploring work styles and interests (WOWI)

  • Securing and maintaining employment

  • Setting daily goals

  • Strengthening their time management skills

  • Creating and maintaining a budget

  • Identifying and living according to their values

  • Enrolling in college courses or personal enrichment courses

  • Dating

  • How to create friendships

Health & Wellness

We believe that mental health is not an isolated experience in a person but is part of achieving overall wellness. By approaching the body and mind as integrated systems, we treat the person holistically, that the body and mind are interconnected; therefore, we encourage each member to exercise, eat nutrient-rich diets, and work towards their goals for mental health. Exercise gets the blood flowing through the body and to the brain, which stimulates the release of dopamine, “the feel-good” hormone.

Nutrition is not about what we look like but how we optimize our diets to aid our bodies and minds with the necessary nutrients to work optimally. All these aspects sound great, but often, these foundational pieces can be hard to do alone, and that is where staff coaches, models, and emphasizes the importance of routine and habits around base wellness and creating balance in life.

Onward Transitions Pine House Autumn Luncheon

Education

Education is a primary goal for many of our members. However, they may face challenges such as uncertainty about which classes to take and where to start or struggle with forming effective study habits. It's common for our members to feel anxious about their education. To help, our staff first assesses each member's strengths and needs. This assessment may vary depending on the member's interest, whether a degree program, a single college course, or personal enrichment. Once we establish a course of action, our staff assists members in registering, ordering materials, and understanding the syllabus.

While enrolled in their courses, we help members develop effective study habits, stay on top of deadlines, and advocate for their educational needs. Many members struggle with executive functioning deficits. As such, we help them learn strategies to address these issues, such as time management, managing distractions, and breaking down assignments into smaller, more manageable pieces.

 

There are various educational institutions in Southern Maine, including Southern Maine Community College, the University of Southern Maine, Maine College of Art, Husson College, and the University of New England, that offer classes to students.

 

Work

Most members are eager to begin the process of securing employment. As a program, we encourage most members to work part-time. This layer of complexity challenges our members in areas of financial independence, time management, the Our program aims to support our members in finding employment opportunities, and we believe that part-time work is a good starting point. As our members navigate through the complexities of financial independence, time management, soft skill development, and work-life balance, we provide assistance at every step.

To help our members find the right job, we start by exploring their career interests, work styles, and prior experience. We then help them create resumes and cover letters, identify job openings, and practice interviewing. Once they are employed, we continue to support them by assisting with self-advocacy, time management, and building positive relationships with colleagues and employers.

We do not have any direct relationships with employers, which allows for more natural networking, a wider variety of opportunities, and more autonomy.

Budgeting

Budgeting is a crucial skill for any independent adult. We believe that it is important to start by discussing their relationship with money and any patterns they have experienced. Some common issues around budgeting tend to be overspending, lack of accountability, failure to plan for discretionary spending, and the realities of the cost of independent living. The course of action depends on the goals and values of each individual, but we have found that keeping a record of their transactions is a great step towards developing mindfulness. Throughout their stay in Portland, we work with them to plan their monthly spending and create systems that enable them to become financially independent.