Monarch Independent Living Services
Welcome to Monarch!
- Community and home safety
- Community and social involvement skills
- Volunteer Work
- Relationship and peer development
- Budgeting and bill paying
- Shopping
- Accessing day classes at the community college
- Transportation training
- Hygiene
- Obtaining generic resources
- Self-advocacy and decision making
- Medical support
In addition to our 1:1 ILS training, Monarch offers group-based learning opportunities through our 1:2 and 1:3 ILS services, where individuals can learn about specific topics in a staff-guided, peer-supported environment. The presence of one’s peers creates opportunities for conversations that would not otherwise occur, and positive role-modeling by peers can effectively lead to the internalization of knowledge that may be resisted were it to come from someone an individual did not relate to on a peer level. We believe that group learning, guided by educated and trained staff, is a highly effective means of instruction on certain topics.
Monarch Tailored Day Service (TDS) offers specialized support services outside of traditional day program hours/structures. Monarch TDS seeks to support individuals with intellectual and other disabilities to successfully participate in a variety of integrated community settings, actively and successfully engaging in the activities that matter most to them. Monarch’s TDS program is ideal for individuals seeking focused or specific supports, as the service hours are limited to six hours a week*. TDS provides highly individualized support, as each TDS program structure will be developed around the goals, needs, and preferences of the individual being served.
Monarch provides a variety of academic and independent living supports to students with learning differences. We offer customized academic support programs for students attending either community college or a four-year university.
Attaining meaningful employment is a key step toward independence. We support individuals to work toward, secure, and maintain employment that is both fitting and engaging. Whether through resume development, learning job skills such as register usage, applying and interviewing for open positions, or on-the-job training, we seek to provide the relevant support for individuals to find and succeed in paid employment.
With time, encouragement, and individualized support, many individuals with developmental disabilities can learn to perform a variety of job duties correctly and efficiently with full independence. Monarch job coaches provide one-on-one training specific to the needs and learning style of each individual; our person-centered approach to vocational support seeks to set each individual up for success in reaching their employment goals.
In addition to training individuals to complete required job duties, job coaches can also provide support with:
- Completing paperwork and necessary orientation steps
- General problem-solving strategies
- Brainstorming helpful job adaptations
- Advocating with employers or supervisors (requesting accommodations)
- Navigating self-disclosure issues
- Providing social support and teaching appropriate workplace social skills
- Developing natural supports on the job
Classes + Workshops
Monarch’s classes and workshops aim to teach individuals with developmental disabilities to become safe and empowered adults, and to help their family members learn how to best support them in that process. Training Topics Include:
Healthy RelationshipsThis class explores the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships, safe dating and online dating practices, effective communication strategies, relationship red flags and how to handle unsafe situations, and supports attendees to practice the skills needed to maintain a healthy relationship.
Sexuality
This class seeks to create a safe space for learning about and discussing sexuality, with the goal of empowering attendees to become informed and safety-conscious adults. This class includes instruction about safe sex practices, so that individuals can learn how to engage safely in the practices they choose to engage in, and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and seeking help when something has occurred that they did not choose.
Social skills/Social safety
This class draws upon several curricula for developing “social thinking” skills and encourage attendees to think critically and carefully about social safety. It also supports attendees to develop their pragmatic language abilities, non-verbal cue and boundary awareness, and other important social skills.
Self Advocacy and Consumer Rights
This class starts by guiding participants through a process of increasing their self-knowledge and self-confidence, which then becomes the foundation from which they will learn to effectively communicate and advocate for their own wants, needs, and rights.
Transition to Adulthood (Workshop only)
Our transition workshops have been designed to support transition-age individuals and their family members in navigating the transition process and creating a successful entry into adulthood. Information and preparation can turn potential stresses into opportunities for taking proactive action in a positive direction. The client version of this workshop can be offered at the same time as the workshop tailored to family members (in separate rooms).
Workshops for family members are available on the following topics:
Sexuality, Social Skills/Social Safety, and Transition to Adulthood
Classes and workshops are scheduled based on interest level. Contact your regional center service coordinator if you are interested in participating in a class or workshop listed above.
Wings of Success, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) a charitable corporation established in 2015 by the Directors of Monarch Independent Living Services. The purpose of Wings of Success is to assist low-income people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities. One hundred percent of donations made to Wings of Success go directly towards assisting community members in need. All donations are tax deductible.
Watsonville Office
734 E. Lake Ave. Suite 18
Watsonville, CA 95076
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