What is the Adult Resources Program?

The Adult Resources Program at The Arc Mercer provides individuals with disabilities the opportunity to gain exposure to a variety of social, recreational, volunteer and work opportunities in the community. These opportunities reinforce the skills learned within the day program through hands-on experience.

The Adult Resource Program is made up of three sections – The Adult Resource Center, the Community Resource Program and the Skills Training Program. As individuals progress through the programs, they receive personal and work training that provide continual growth and help maximize their potential.

What does The Adult Resource Center offer?

The Adult Resource Center provides a structured setting in which individuals learn basic skills and are exposed to activities and programs that help them develop new interests, such as horticulture, arts and crafts, personal awareness/life skills, and sensory and vocational maintentance. Speech, occupational and physical therapy is also available depending on individual needs. Pet therapy is offered once a week.

What is the Community Resource Program?

This program focuses on volunteer and work opportunities for groups. Training is initially provided at one of the agency’s sites or within the local community. Once work skills have been learned, the group may participate in supervised paid employment. The Community Resource Program offers additional training to reinforce skills learned on the job including career interests, personal awareness, office management, job awareness and community skills.

What is the Skills Training Program?

This program expands upon work skills introduced in the Community Resource Program. Participants in this component have completed some work training and have acquired work skills that support their success in a community-based group work setting. They have the opportunity for paid work training in the community – at the Employment Center, Touch of Taste Catering, Step Ahead Childcare Center or alternate paid contracts – but they can continue to use The Arc Mercer’s facilities for supplemental training as needed. Community based, on-site training helps emphasize the development of specific job skills, work attitudes, decision-making abilities and overall independence in a work environment.

How flexible is the overall Adult Resource Program to accommodate individual needs?

The Adult Resource Program is designed to provide individuals the opportunity to benefit from all areas offered. For example, if a participant is only be capable of working in the community program on a part-time basis, he or she can do so, but will also have the security of receiving the full benefit of that portion of the program when necessary. The same applies to those in the Resource Center: they can take advantage of community opportunities as they arise or as they develop a new interest.

Please contact us today for information on Adult Services!