Occupational Life Skills Program

Occupational Life Skills (OLS)

At Partners For Progress, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to feel capable, connected, and celebrated. The Occupational Life Skills Program is where our participants begin to see themselves not just as clients, but as contributing members of a team, a community, and a greater purpose. Through responsibility, reflection, and positive reinforcement, OLS members build self-worth and resilience that stays with them for life.

The Occupational Life Skills (OLS) Program at Partners For Progress is a year-round, goal-based experience for individuals (13+) with varying abilities who are ready to take the next step toward independence.

The program blends hands-on work with therapeutic strategies, creating a unique environment where participants are not only supported but challenged to grow. Participants take part in the day-to-day responsibilities to learn what it means to be independent and practice important life skills.

Long-term goals encourage hard work year-round, with projects that are cyclical, rewarding, and measurable of progress. For example, our OLS members will take care of our grounds, tend to the gardens, harvest the produce, which is then sold by them at our fundraising events!

Progress is continuously monitored and discussed through reflection sessions that include input from the participant, family, and staff. This reinforces accountability while celebrating growth.

More Than Barn Work

This isn’t just barn work, it’s purposeful development that fosters a deep sense of responsibility, belonging, and capability.

Key Focus Areas Include:

Job exploration and work experience
Life skill development and reflection
Social-emotional growth through teamwork
Inclusion in meaningful, real-world environments

The experience Occupational Life Skills members gain:

A full-circle understanding of work and reward
The opportunity to practice planning, teamwork, and time management
The confidence that comes from seeing a project through from start to finish
Real engagement with our community during events, building communication, and social skills in public settings.

Each project is designed to be meaningful, empowering, and reflective of the skills our participants are building. Whether they’re weeding, watering, organizing produce, or greeting event guests at the market table, OLS members are learning what it means to contribute with purpose, and to take pride in their progress.

Interested in the Occupational Life Skills Program?

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