Transition Planning Insights

After high school, young adults explore their passions and interests and make decisions about what they want to do and the kind of community they wish to be a part of. Young adults with disabilities are no different. They want to find opportunities where they can pursue meaningful work, develop their skills, and find acceptance and acknowledgement for what they contribute to their communities.  Transition planning was about both Marcelo finding fulfilling work, as well as finding a community where he would be an integral participant. In thinking about transition plans for Marcelo, we were attentive to the ways he’d spend his days, the kind of work that he’d liked to do, and where he was given opportunities to discover and develop his interests and strengths. For him, this was making art. We had observed that often the social interactions and sense of belonging to a wider community were diminished after high school for many young adults. We wanted Marcelo to have a place where he could hone his art-making skills, be given a lot of opportunities for growth, acknowledged for his talents and strengths, and valued as a vital member of his community with much to contribute. He has found this at The Arts of Life. We were so grateful to find the Arts of Life. The Arts of Life truly recognizes Marcelo as an artist, giving him space and encouragement to develop his skills, pursue work that he finds very fulfilling, and belong to a supportive and accepting community of fellow artists. By: Cecelia Wallin (Parent of North Shore Studio artist Marcelo Anon)