Participants in Dungarvin California’s Behavioral Day Programs are now able to choose from a variety of courses that teach them new skills, including photography, gardening, cooking, health and wellness, and more.
Serving individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, Dungarvin has Behavioral Day Programs in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Fairfield, Vacaville, Long Beach, Norwalk and Signal Hill.
Recently, the team introduced a new course-style approach that allows participants to make meaningful choices about how they spend their day, aligning with Dungarvin’s core mission of “respecting and responding to the choices of people in need of supports.” In addition, this new model allows individuals to explore their personal interests and develop new skills.
Candle-making in Spa Class.
The transition to offering curriculum-focused classes on a quarterly cycle required careful planning, research and a willingness to shift our mindset, but we knew it was worth pursuing. We wanted to make the Day Program more meaningful, person-centered and creative for the people we support.
The team invested time in developing curricula, learning new teaching strategies and creating engaging experiences. We also learned to integrate current technologies, such as the AI assistant Copilot, to support the development of productive and meaningful lesson plans.
Input from the individuals we support was critical to building out course schedules that ensure every person has the opportunity to enjoy classes and succeed. Participants were excited about the new approach, though some were understandably skeptical about what this “new normal” would look like.
While the individuals were enjoying the new classes, they had given up some recreational and community outings in order to participate. We reinforced the importance of having informed decision-making conversations and finding a balanced approach for each individual. We also found a way to incorporate community outings into some of our classes, preserving an element of the program that means a great deal to the people we serve.
Staff also experienced some uncertainty as they adjusted to the instructor responsibilities. Many of our team members had never hosted a multi-week class in this way before. Through training, side-by-side mentoring and open communication, we worked to instill confidence. Despite all the preparation, not every class went as planned. Flexibility and ingenuity were critical to success.
At the end of each semester, we hold a celebration to showcase participants’ culminating projects. Family members, friends and Service Coordinators are invited to join. During the celebration, participants receive completion certificates, share their work, talk about their experiences and take photos with their loved ones. This recognition instills confidence, both in the individuals served and our staff.
Showing projects at the end of the course.
Perhaps most importantly, our participants now have greater choice. They can select classes that reflect their interests, discover new passions and take ownership of their personal growth journey. As our classes continued to grow through the summer, we noted positive outcomes for our participants:
- Stronger communication skills
- Increasing independence
- Development of vocational skills
- Improved health and wellness
- Better community integration
The success we have seen this spring and summer reminds us that every person deserves opportunities to learn, contribute and continue growing throughout life. We are proud of how far we have come and excited to keep expanding these opportunities in the future.
If you or a loved one is interested in receiving services from Dungarvin California or our operations in another state, please visit www.Dungarvin.com.