Empowering Young Adults with Down Syndrome through the EPIC Work Readiness Group

By: Julia Andrews, Marissa Iacullo, Jessie Jarosz, Leah Schneider

This past fall, we have had the pleasure of leading an EPIC: Work Readiness Group at GiGi’s Playhouse, as a part of our Group Dynamics course at Rush University. Over the course of 6 weeks, we aimed to increase participant’s work readiness skills and self-determination in preparation for future employment. Self-determination is having the ability and confidence to take charge of your own life. In order to increase work readiness skills and self-determination, the participants engaged in a variety of group activities and discussions that focused on identifying job-related strengths, building computer skills, providing constructive feedback, and showing professional presentation.  By the end of the 6 weeks, the participants were able to both create and present their own visual resume. At the last session, the participants dressed professionally, presented their resume to the group, and provided fellow group-members with constructive feedback. We were extremely excited to celebrate this huge accomplishment by rewarding each participant a certificate of completion. When participants were asked what their favorite part of the Work Readiness Group was, they were eager to share their responses. Quincy, 23, shared that she enjoyed learning about professional dress and her favorite activity was participating in Kahoot. Natalia, 23, loved having the opportunity to spend time with her friends, and enjoyed presenting her final visual resume. The following picture highlights our final group session during the resume presentations.

“Self-determination is having the ability and confidence to take charge of your own life.”

We had a great time working with this group and look forward to hearing all of the participant’s future work accomplishments! Here are some of our EPIC: Work Readiness Group favorites that families can continue to practice as a way to build upon work-readiness skills.

1. Work on power poses at home! Strike a pose that makes you feel powerful and confident.
2. Use a compliment sandwich when giving someone feedback! Start with a compliment, then tell them something to change, and end with another compliment.
3. Work on a vision board on Google Docs or Google Slides.

Additionally, the participants were able to put their skills to use at the Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club coffee chat by sharing their experience within the group.