The I.L.S. provides individual training in the following areas; cooking/nutrition, household organization, basic and checkbook/budgeting money management, and mobility training. Social skills training is offered in a peer mentoring environment, group activities included an art and games group, and group field trips.
Cooking/Nutrition Skills Training
Good eating habits are important for everyone, develop your skills to create simple nutritious meals for yourself from recipes that you prefer. This one-to-one training instructs consumers to properly and safely use the stove, oven and microwave oven to cook your own meals. Consumers will learn to use basic appliances and utensils. The class is two hours long and incorporates basic nutrition education into each lesson. The consumer is responsible for bringing the required ingredients for a given recipe that they choose.
Basic Money Management
Just going to the corner store, wonder if your getting the correct change back? This class prepares consumers to correctly identify and count coins and/or currency. Consumers will also learn to give and receive the correct change and will have an understanding of basic addition and subtraction skills.
Checkbook/Budgeting Money Management
This is class is for consumers with more advanced money management skills but who are having difficulty meeting financial goals. The course focuses on developing and following a monthly budget, obtaining and maintaining a checking account. Consumers are instructed on how to: open a checking account using basic banking language, demonstrate ability to write numbers, dates, and money amounts, write personal checks and/or money orders, read and understand monthly bills, record banking transactions and balance a check book against a monthly statement.
Household Organization
Ever feel that your space is out of control This class prepares consumers in basic home management skills. The class covers how to properly use cleaning supplies and appliances, operate a washer and dryer and to organize the your living space.
Travel Training
Consumers will learn to utilize the city transportation system by going out into the community with the travel trainer to various locations in the city. The individual and the trainer will plan together the route the consumer chooses to learn. Places of either interest or necessity are included in the training in order to teach the overall transit system, enabling the consumer to be more independent in our community.
SUNTRAN
The Art/Games Social Group
This group meets at DIRECT's on Wednesday afternoon from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. This is a more structured environment for person's who are having difficulties learning suitable social skills. The participants play card and board games or work on simple art projects while learning to interact positively with others.
Friday Social Group Field Trips
This class is for people with more advanced social skills who want to experience more that our community has to offer but may require guidance in accessing those activities. The group meets at different local locations around Tucson. Activities include; going to various restaurants, movies, bowling, visiting the area malls, zoo, going to the Casino, visiting local museums.
Youth Advisory Board
The Youth Advisory Board is a peer mentoring/community education program by youth 14 to 25 years of age to develop leadership skills. This group meets the last Tuesday of the month at DIRECT to conduct business meetings. The members have compiled a 'Transitional Manual' that includes information on local resources to help students leave high school and interact in our community. The manuals have been used extensively in the high school outreach efforts of our members. The YAB members have made numerous presentations to most of the local high schools in Tucson providing information on services available to young people while they are still in school. The goals is to get student to begin thinking, planning and preparing for life after high school. The Youth Advisory Board also proudly staffs a booth at the annual Transition Fair.
Transition Fair
DIRECT is a sponsor of the yearly Transition Fair. Last year it was held at Mountain View High School.
