TIL Program Open House
Vicky Waugh presents info on the TIL Program
Taft College Transition to Independent Living Program representatives offered tours of their facilities on Friday, October 24. The tours started with general information given to the attendees in one of the classrooms by Susan Wells and John Dodson who explained the components of the program and details such as eligibility and procedures to apply.
John Dodson
The TIL Program is for adults that have developmental or intellectual disabilities. The students receive instruction in many areas including functional, social, and career skills they will need to live on their own. The program’s freshmen live in the dorms on campus and then transition to off campus housing their sophomore year.
After completing the program, students are helped to find their own living accommodations and employment to be as self-supporting as possible. Some may be fully self-supporting while others may need more help. The students have classes that cover everything from how to manage finances to how to cook to how to take public transportation with the goal being lifelong independence.
Participants in the tour included educational professionals who attended to understand if some of their students or clients might be a good fit in the TC program. Vicky Waugh took the participants on a tour of the TIL facilities that included a visit to a typical dorm room, the laundry room, day room, and cooking area all the while answering questions from the attendees.
Ricardo Cornejo, Vicky Waugh, Mark Schweer, and Michelle Mills on the tour
Two attendees, Michelle Mills, program specialist, and Mark Schweer, psychologist, both from Stockdale High, were very impressed with the facility. Schweer stated, “I could live in this dorm room,” commenting on the livability of the housing.
San Andreas Regional Center Service Coordinator Ricardo Cornejo said, “This might be the right next step for some of my clients.” Cornejo was also pleasantly surprised with winning one of the welcome raffle prizes.
Ricardo Cornejo accepting his prize from Vicky Waugh
Anyone interested in finding out more information on the program, can find it online on the TC website or simply contact TIL.