S.T.E.P. Foundations Program

At Community Living Kirkland Lake, our S.T.E.P. Program (Foundations) is a comprehensive transitional initiative designed to help individuals plan, prepare, and build confidence for their futures. We believe that smooth transitions lay the groundwork for long term independence. By working closely with participants as they progress from youth into adulthood, we help bridge the gap between the school environment and active, responsible community participation.

Who This Program Is For

This program supports young people and adults starting at age 12 and continuing throughout adulthood. It is specifically built for individuals who want to take an active role in planning their future milestones, whether that involves:

Navigating the secondary school system and preparing for graduation.
Transitioning into post secondary education, apprenticeships, or specialized training certificate programs.
Exploring workforce entry through employment, cooperative education placements, or community volunteering.

S.T.E.P. Classroom Learning

We offer targeted, personal classes that can take place directly within the individual’s school or at our main office. These sessions are tailored to the pacing of each participant, typically lasting between 30 minutes to an hour.

Our specialized curriculum focuses on real world skill acquisition and personal development across several key topics:

Core Development: Life Skills Curriculum, Transitions Curriculum, and practical training for Budgets and Ledgers.
Social and Emotional Growth: Healthy Relationships, Conflict Resolution, Anger Management, and constructive strategies for Dealing with Bullies.

Summer Program and Specialized Training

During the summer months, our focus shifts to intensive, one on one training intervals designed to keep students moving forward with their goals. Our summer programming emphasizes:

Community and Independence: Dedicated life skills development, community safety awareness, and specialized independent transit or driver education preparation.
Workplace Preparedness: Assistance with summer employment searches, structured volunteer placements, and gaining vital job specific certifications, including Safe Food Handling and connections to obtain Smart Serve certification.

Comprehensive Transitional Support Services

S.T.E.P. staff act as dedicated advocates and facilitators. We work collaboratively with families, schools, and partner agencies to provide complete structural support:

Educational Advocacy: We assist students to integrate naturally into the school system and can directly attend Individual Education Plan (IEP) meetings to ensure educational accommodations line up with the student’s long term goals.
Graduation and Placements: We assist students in finding and successfully completing cooperative education (Co-op) placements, as well as fulfilling the mandatory 40 hours of community service required by the Ministry of Education to earn a secondary school diploma.
Individualized Support Plans: We lead the development of formal Person Centered Plans (Essential Lifestyle Plans) to ensure every goal is driven by the unique desires and choices of the individual.
Agency and System Linkages: We provide direct referrals to internal agency programs, such as our Supported Independent Living, Residential Care, Volunteer Services, and Special Olympics Ontario networks. We also connect families smoothly to vital external systems including Developmental Services Ontario (DSO), the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), and local Community Employment Options.

Request Information About the S.T.E.P. Program

Preparing for the future is a collaborative journey, and our instructors are ready to help you take the next step. If you would like to learn more about class availability, school integration support, or summer programming, please reach out to us today.

Please visit our contact page to request information about the S.T.E.P. Foundations Program.

You can also connect directly with our program team members using the contact details below:

Lauri Lambert, Director of Community Development: 705-567-9331, ext. 229
Lise Rozich, Supervisor: 705-567-9331, ext. 232
Star Bolger, S.T.E.P. Instructor: 705-567-9331, ext. 235
Karen Armstrong, Director of Supports and Services: 705-567-9331, ext. 223 | karen.armstrong@clkl.org
Sherry Fraser, Supervisor: 705-567-9331, ext. 222 | sherry.fraser@clkl.org

S.T.E.P. Foundations Program