These skills include developing friendships and relationships, developing self- awareness and learning to say what you want to say. Blossom Gateway and Blossom Explore focuses on exploring interests, social skills for everyday interactions and learning coping skills for various situations that may arise while out in the community and in the workplace.
The life skills are taught out in the community in natural contexts such as cafes, shops and public transport. The highly evidence based method of video modelling enables others such as parents to continue the teaching outside of the programme hours. As the student progresses from Blossom Explore to Blossom Gateway budgeting, time keeping and independent daily planning are incorporated into the programme.
Participants will work on visual interest boards that they use as a reference point for communication. At Blossom Explore level the participants will work on time keeping skills and organisational skills. At Blossom Gateway level the students will complete a number of work sampling days across a variety of different workplaces. In the second year of Blossom Gateway students will have the opportunity and be supported to complete a block of work experience in a choice of settings.
