Name: Katherine Smith Date of Birth: 1/2/1990
Dreams and Goals
Katherine’s dreams involve opening her own business that would be accessible to people with disabilities, specifically people who experience physical disabilities. Katherine has outlined this dream in a paper document that she had staff assist her with. It includes what activities would be offered at her business, the type of location (wide open green space).
Her dream is to be employed in a career that gives her purpose and money. Her family is incredibly supportive of her vocational desires. / Talents
Katherine is incredibly skilled with people. She has the ability to make people feel important. This was witnessed by watching her at church - she knew everyone and called them by name, asked about how they were doing. Katherine would tell each person to have a good day, asking about their kids, family, friends, etc. Everyone responded warmly to her and stopped what they were doing to engage in the conversation.
Katherine has the ability to memorize fine details such as people’s name, she often will remember the color of carpet or wall colors or places she has frequented or unique things about a person. This allows her to connect with people quickly.
Skills and Knowledge
Katherine is skilled in working with basic electronics. She often will self-teach herself how to use electronics such as DVD players, TV’s and her I-phone. She also is knowledgeable about movies, but only those in her collection. She often will re-watch the same part of a movie. It is unknown if this is an interest to pursue or an interest as any other young adult. Katherine can also use computer independently and craft an email. The time it takes her to put together an email is extended as she will often ask someone to draft the email on paper and then she will transcribe it on the computer.
Katherine completes daily chores within her own home. Staff observed Katherine complete her daily chores in her home that included laundry, doing the dishes and picking up her DVD’s. Katherine needed support sorting her laundry. After it was sorted she completed the laundry independently.
Katherine is very empathetic. She often takes on the emotion of others. This reiterates why it is important for her to be in a positive environment. Her empathetic abilities are shown through her experience when she was reading to children, she noticed they were cold so she made individual blankets for all of the kids. Her desire to own her own business to support other people. / Learning Styles
To identify learning styles we conducted interviews with three people who know Katherine well and set up activities to help confirm the information learned. Katherine’s mom, grandma and sister said that she learns best when taught by someone who is positive and learns best by doing. Katherine does not learn well in a classroom setting and retains information through repetition and learning about things she is interested in.
We observed Katherine baking with her Grandmother on a Saturday afternoon. Katherine often spends the weekends with her Grandma and they bake items together. This time they baked something they had never made before and made it from scratch. Katherine’s Grandmother was very encouraging and patient with Katherine as she read the directions and then completed the task. This was a familiar setting and activity, but a new task learned.
Katherine’s mother shared Katherine always learns best when she is hands on. For example, her mom states in high school Katherine often paid more attention to what others around her were doing instead of verbal instruction. She says, “it was clear to me and her teachers that she was not at her best sitting in a desk in the classroom.” However, Katherine was great at building relationships with others in school and would often say hello to everyone on her way to class in the morning. It was noted that she was very social in high school.
When observing Katherine making cookies (she was hands on during the process) Katherine was engaged throughout the task. She would reference back to the recipe, used the correct measurements and preset the oven. Her grandmother would provide occasional reminders for her to look back at the recipe and scoop off excess flour and sugar when measuring. She would select the correct measuring cup when her grandma would say, “we need a ½ cup of flour.” When adding the fractions together her grandmother would say we need 3 – ½ scoops/cups of flour to make 1.5 cups. It is important that when Katherine is taught somethingshe is part of the process and doing vs. listening. Katherine’s grandmother said that she thought she would be able to memorize a recipe if she made it often enough.
Interests
Katherine is an active member of her family and often spends weekends with her parents and siblings at the lake. She enjoys watching movies (particularly comedies, musicals and Disney animated films). She also enjoys shopping and spending time with her family. / Positive Personality Traits
Katherine is a very charismatic young woman. She has a true talent for connecting with others and is not shy when approaching a conversation. She is confident when introducing herself or asking whom someone is. She is warm and generous – this is seen through how she talks about the people she cares about and identifies things she wants to buy for people.
Temperament
Katherine is a person with commitment and passion. She cares deeply for others and has the ability to empathize with others. Particularly people who she can care for – she has a strong desire to help or assist others. This can be shown by her ability to jump into any situation (not shy) and offer to help, even if she doesn’t know how to help. She is always willing.
Katherine can become anxious when she doesn’t know where her family members are. In particular if she doesn’t know where her parents are she may start to cry, call frequently and lose focus on other things at hand until she can identify where they are.
Katherine is a morning person and naturally wakes up between 5:00/6:00 a.m. She goes to bed early around 8:00 p.m. / Values
Katherine values family, being around positive people and her faith. This was evidenced by how she talks about her family, chooses to spend her time and how she decorates her space. She talks about her family, particularly her siblings often. She shares about their next plans together, when she will see them and when she last spoke to them. When you see her room there are photos of her and her family adorning the walls. Pictures from vacations, family get-togethers, etc. Her and her family vacation once a year and there are also photos from each vacation.
Katherine also values her church family. She attends church regularly on Sundays. She attends a bible study on Wednesday nights and also participates in the church choir. When asked she talks about how her faith is an important part of her life.
Lastly, Katherine is really at her best when surrounded by positive people and people who are optimistic. Katherine will shut down in a negative environment. This was not witnessed, but Katherine and her family stated that being with people who are not encouraging really brings her down emotionally.
Environmental Preferences
Katherine is at her best in a small environment where she can get to know her surroundings. Katherine’s family identified that a small environment where Katherine is working with the same people every day would help her is at her best. The larger the environment the more distracted and over stimulated Katherine becomes. She may feel lost and get anxious or lose track of what she is doing as she socializes with people along the way. / Dislikes/Quirks/Idiosyncrasies
Katherine tends to disengage when faced with an environment that involves yelling, negative or standoff approaches and thrives in a positive and uplifting environment. When talking with others Katherine will often lead the conversation and talk about things she is comfortable with such as her family, friends, pets and weekend activities. Katherine’s movies collection and television is very important to her. If someone is watching her television or asks to borrow a movie she may become anxious not knowing when she will get it back. This is shown through her response to the request to borrow as she will ignore the question and then eventually tell the person no.
Work Experiences
Katherine has had no paid employment experiences to date. Upon graduation from high school she spent 2.5 years at a facility based setting make piece rate wages based on number of clothing items she would hang out. This was not the best environment for Katherine.
She has prior experience in working with kids and volunteering at the nursing home through the school EBCE program.
Katherine has also completed Project SEARCH completing all three internships. She worked in laundry, supplies and the laboratory. This was not a paid experience. / Support System
Katherine has a strong support system that is made up of her mom, dad and siblings and grandmother. She is very close to her mom and sister and often will call them frequently throughout the day to check in. Katherine’s family is confident that Katherine will be a successful working adult in the community. They are open and willing to help Katherine in any way possible to see this success. When providing services updates should be provided to the family so that they can support Katherine with the task at hand and help with the job development process. Katherine spends the afternoons with her grandmother on Monday/Wednesday and Friday. They often will pick up her yard collecting sticks, bake or watch television together. Katherine always uses this time to rest and relax.
Specific Challenges
Conditions for employment include adjusted break times to ensure Katherine has ample time to use the restroom and eat a snack or lunch if the position permits. Katherine utilizes a wheelchair and would need the support of a CDAC provider or aid to support her with break time, restroom transfers and lunch. / Solutions and Accommodations
Adjusted break times, talking to her family and others she is comfortable with to ensure that she talks about how she is feeling and not bottling up potential frustrations.
Career Ideas and Possibilities to Explore:
Career paths that involve working with people, interacting with community frequently, customer service, opportunity to help others, possibility in culinary (need to explore more),
Name:Katherine SmithDate:2/1/16
- My long-term career dreams are:
To be employed full time
- Other life dreams are:
Living an independent life, having a spouse, living a life that is meaningful to me.
- My talents and skills are:
Working with people, connecting with others
- My hobbies and interests are:
Baking, spending time with friends and family, vacationing, spending time with siblings
- My positive attributes are:
Empathetic, people person, ability to remember names and make others feel important,
- Things that are challenges for me:
Accessibility, abbreviated break times, having support for eating and restroom transfers. Communicating my needs clearly.
- Ideas to help me handle these challenges are:
Talk to those I’m comfortable with to share my concerns early on and not bottle them up, have a support system or CDAC provider come in to provide restroom transfer and support during breaks.
Completed by: ______
Title/Agency: ______
Service provided: Discovery
Date(s) of service and hours worked each date:
- January 12, 2016 6:00-8:00 (home visit) - 2 hours
- January 16, 2016 12:00-4:00 (conversations with parents, grandma and siblings) – 4 hours
- January 20, 2016 4:00 – 6:00 (observations at home to complete chores) – 2-3 hours
- January 24, 2016 10:00-12:00 (observation at church) – 2-3 hours
Total number of hours worked: 12 Hours
CRP Signature: Stacey J. Johnson, Job Developer, ABC Development Services
CRP staff submit this form to IVRS with any narrative needed to document the provision of this service.