Community Participation

Community Participation is a service that allows the individuals we support to access their community. Through integrated community settings, the people we support can be engaged and positive members of their community and are able to explore preferred activities/experiences, learn skills, and build meaningful relationships.

The individuals we support enjoy a wide range of activities that relate to their own needs, skills, and interests such as volunteering, shopping, going to the library, visiting museums, eating at restaurants, going to the movies, enjoying farmers’ markets, horseback riding, and much more.

Supervision, monitoring, training, education, demonstration, or support is provided to assist with the acquisition of skills in the following areas:

Leisure activities and community/public events

ACT participates in Rejoicing Spirits monthly, Shriner’s events, going on vacations, enjoying bowling, movies, shopping, and helping plan parties and events including the Christmas parades.

Utilizing community resources (e.g., public transportation)

ACT utilizes local libraries, Parks and Recreation, DHS, school events, and supports locally-owned businesses.

Acquiring and maintaining employment

Our staff assists individuals that want to work by exploring options in the community. We have individuals employed at Food City, JTEKT, Morgan Olson, Ingles, AMC Theater, and Walmart just to name a few. We place individuals at several other locations in the surrounding areas.

Educational activities, hobbies, unpaid work experiences (e.g., volunteer opportunities)

Individuals we support enjoy visiting museums, historical sites, and exploring sites for possible job placements.

Maintaining contact with family and friends

Individuals we support in our residential program love to maintain contact with friends and family. A few people we support enjoy going to visit their families for the holidays and going on vacation. Several individuals at ACT have great natural support in the community.

Residents helped with these programs.

Meet Corey Williams

Corey joined the Day Program in the Spring of 2022. He came to us from another agency and presented as a quiet, reserved, and somewhat anxious individual. In the short period of time he has been at ACT, he has evolved into an outgoing, talkative jokester, who enjoys laughing, spending time making memories, and having new adventures with his friends at the Day Program. Corey’s dad has shared with us that he has never seen Corey so comfortable and looking forward to each new day he spends in the community with his peers and staff. Corey’s dad has expressed that he “wishes he would have contacted ACT many years ago” in regards to supporting Corey, and that the change in him is remarkable.

Corey tells us his favorite community activities are visiting local bait and tackle shops and “Eat Out Friday’s” and that he is especially fond of his DSP, Jenny, whom he says is “his favorite staff!”