About Us

Project Active Citizen (PAC) is a community-based program designed to bridge the gap between high school and adulthood. We help young adults with special needs apply their education in real-world settings to achieve independence in the home, community, and workplace.  Enrollment in the program is an IEP team decision.

Core objectives: 

• Self-Advocacy: Developing self-determination, confidence, and the ability to speak up for oneself.
• Employment: Gaining competitive work experience through both paid and volunteer opportunities.
• Resource Coordination: Helping individuals and families to understand adult support systems and agencies (such as ADRC and DVR) to build a long-term safety net.
• Community Access: Applying learned skills during weekly outings to navigate essential services (banks, stores) and access local recreational opportunities.
• Independent Living: Mastering daily skills, including cooking, cleaning, home maintenance, and personal finance skills.
• Communication: Strengthening interpersonal skills, including proper etiquette for phones, email, and text messaging.
• Collaboration: Solving problems through teamwork and peer interaction.

Prerequisites for Enrollment
To enter Project Active Citizen, a student must:

• Be between the ages of 18 and 21.
• Have an active IEP with identified transition needs-- social, emotional, vocational, communication, and independent living skills that require specially designed instruction and opportunities for practice in real-world settings (not able to be adequately addressed in the high school setting).
• Have completed the necessary academic credits for high school graduation.
• Demonstrate a level of safety awareness appropriate for community-based learning.
• Willingness by the student, and support from their family, to carry over learned skills within their daily life.

Is PAC the right fit?
This program is designed for students who:

• Demonstrate a desire to work and live as independently as possible.
• Can navigate the community with fading supervision (does not require 1-on-1 monitoring at all times).
• Can manage personal self-care needs independently.
• Display safe behaviors appropriate for public and workplace settings.
• This may not be the right fit for individuals who require constant 1-on-1 supervision for behavioral safety, act aggressively toward self or others, pose a risk in workplace environments, or have significant medical needs requiring nursing intervention during the day.