Laura Collins was diagnosed with multiple disabilities at birth. She received special education services from birth until she was 21. At 21 she successfully transitioned from receiving services to getting a job working with kids. At 29, she is able to live independently with minimal supports and has had a job as a teaching assistant for 8 years. She shares her inspirational story and her advice for parents on how to help their children make the transition.
Photo: Morguefile
Sound effect: Incomputek
Intro: Graeme Kan
Video Production: Highlander Productions
Disclaimer:
This video is intended for information purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The text, graphics, images, flash movies, and audio segments are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
The information contained in this segment is generalized. It may not be applicable in every situation. Before applying specific interventions, consult a behaviorist. Any behavior intervention can result in an undesired change in behavior if not implemented correctly. No client relationship is established as a result of watching these videos. Jessica Leichtweisz and Hope Education cannot be held responsible for any misuse of the information contained in these videos. <br> <h3>Auto Generated Captions</h3>
[Music]
hi my name is Jessica likewise CEO of
education services if you’ve been
following my YouTube channel you know
that every week I post a video about
autism and ABA and I help families that
are affected by autism or any other
child with special needs so tonight I
have a special guest my friend Laura
Collins with me and if we’d made a video
in the past or we talked about her story
of how she transitioned from a child
with special needs with multiple
diagnoses to an adult who’s living
independently and working so I asked her
to come back because one of the most
common questions I get like parents is
what to expect and how to help my older
child transition from going to school
and receiving services until 21 the
vending out to be independent and really
get a job and to work and to be a
productive member of society like
everyone all their parents might want
their children to be so I asked Laura to
come back and make a video with me to
help talk about her story and gives an
advice to parents who are helping their
child make that transition right now so
Lauren thank you so much for coming back
onto our show thank you it’s great to be
here
awesome so again so we’re gonna talk a
little bit about how you went from being
a student and I know you receive
services until 21 and then becoming a
teacher yourself and really an assistant
teacher so my first question for you is
how did you figure out what she wanted
to do what was that process like for you
um well for me that process was
different than most because I knew I
always wanted to work with kids since I
was like maybe 12 years old I remember
it was back in elementary school when I
was like a junior lunch aide watching
little first graders and then as time
progressed during my senior year in high
school I got an internship working with
a special-needs preschool where I was an
intern and they would teach me all the
different things about like working with
preschool children and things like that
and that’s also where I got the gig
doing the
a horticultural therapy program for
physically and mentally disabled
children at first in high school you’re
assigned a job coach who is sort of like
your mentor to a certain degree who will
help you find the job and then once you
have the job basically be like your
lookout be your confidant if you have
any questions they’re willing to help
you if your boss does have anything that
they need help with understanding about
your disability or if they need you to
improve on things they can explain it to
your job coach and they can in turn reel
it back to you to help you to understand
what the buses are looking for so they
stay with they don’t necessarily stay
with you on the job site but they check
in on you at least once a week or so and
I had that from when I was 18 until I
turned 21 when I aged out of the system
and when I had first said that I wanted
to work with children because in the
beginning they always do an assessment
of what kind of job are you looking for
what things interest you the first thing
I said was that I wanted to work with
children and as soon as I said that they
looked at me like I was crazy
because they’re like you do no it takes
more time and effort to actually work
with children because you have to be
fingerprinted in certain states you have
to do a background check you have to go
through all of these multiple things I’m
like that doesn’t matter to me I will
make this happen because working with
children has been the one thing that’s
ever made sense in my life that’s always
been a part of who I am and honestly
even today I can’t see myself doing
anything else except for except working
with children so then once I aged out of
the special education system at 21 I was
in a job for one year and then I found
the job where I’m working now I actually
found it on a job searching website and
I’ve been in the same job for six years
and I think one of the main reasons why
I’ve stayed in the same job where I have
now which is the longest I’ve ever
stayed anywhere is because I have such a
compassionate boss that’s well
to learn and accepts and cares about me
for who I am and accepts the challenges
that I bring with making sure I
understand everything that’s happening
or just being there for me when whenever
I need her she’s always been there and
having that support is the biggest thing
that a job coach or even an employer can
give you knowing that they have your
support and that they accept you for who
you are and not for what they think you
should be and taking in everything that
goes along with your disability or
taking the time to listen to what your
disability is so they can better
understand how to help you because one
of the tips I’ve learned from going in
the various different jobs that I have
is that when you first do the initial
interview there’s an easy way to say
that you have a disability without
blaring it out to the world like saying
hey I’m disabled an easy way to say it
whenever anybody would look at my resume
they would say oh we noticed that you’ve
worked with special-needs children I
always say yes in a way I understand
that world better than most growing up
in the system myself I’m able to connect
into that world which is a simple way to
say it but not blaring it that way they
have somewhat of an idea of what to
expect and if they’re willing to know
more it’s okay to explain what exactly
your disabilities are cause like I know
like when most people look at me they
can’t really tell um like most of it
with me is like learning disabled and
hearing impaired and where it’s like
there isn’t one word that covers them
all but if people are willing to learn
like I know in this video I’m willing to
answer any and all questions that
everybody has because I know at the end
of the day it’s gonna be helping more
people and making a difference for the
students and for the people that are out
there looking for these jobs and easier
process for everyone because of my help
which I’m hoping will happen I know
Laurie your story is so inspirational
and you’ve done with a lot of people
both with a disability without a
disability
to do which is really to find that thing
that they’re really passionate about and
to do it with their life and for me as
well you know I often tell the story
about how I decided I was pre-law when I
was in college and I decided instead to
work with children with autism and for
me that was after being the children’s
director in my church and just finding
that I really connected with this one
child with autism so you know to a
parent who is wondering is it possible
for my child’s dreams to come true you
know or their discipline gonna get in
their ways they’re gonna be
discrimination in the workplace what
would you say to that parent to give
them that encouragement that their child
can also do what you did okay one of the
best advice I can give you is number one
never give up hope number two there’s no
such thing as the word impossible
because we put the word of the the word
impossible out there into space I am
space possible I’m possible so there’s
no such thing as impossible except the
word impossible itself that’s always
been a theory of mine that I carry with
me and also if your child is passionate
enough about what they do there is
always a way around helping to make
their dreams come true you just have to
find like their interest what they want
to study for what they want to do with
the rest of their life and it may not
always be an easy road to get there but
once they get there it’ll be the best
feeling in the world because they’ll see
how far they’ve come from where they
were in the beginning to where they are
now I mean I know it wasn’t an easy
journey beginning my career working in
childcare from like I had said a lot of
people told me I couldn’t do it because
I needed like fingerprints and
background check but it was
determination to work with children that
had always made sense in my life that I
was determined to make my dream come
true because it was one thing that I
always knew about myself that I wanted
to do and I wouldn’t have it any other
way now awesome well thank you so much
for sharing your story and coming back
onto our show so I really hope this
video and you found this helpful if
you’re a parent watching
video you’re wondering you know is my
child gonna be able to do what they want
to do or they gonna be able to really
live fulfilled lives and then really
doesn’t make a difference in the world
that Laura is living proof that it is
possible so thank you so much for tuning
in tonight we love to make videos for
you almost all the videos that we make
they’re based upon questions that we got
in email so if you have any questions
please email me my emails Jessica and
Jessica likewise comm and also check out
our other videos if you like this video
please let us know let Lauren know that
you were inspired by her story share it
and subscribe to our page if this is
your first time finding our video you
can find our youtube channel at parent
training videos calm
thank you again Laura it was a pleasure
to have you back thank you so much for
being here yeah absolutely and we
encourage you again to connect with you
next week
[Music]
you
Learn How Your Child Can Transition from Receiving IEP Services to the Work Force HOP_pkkUKOI
[Music]
hi my name is Jessica likewise CEO of
education services if you’ve been
following my YouTube channel you know
that every week I post a video about
autism and ABA and I help families that
are affected by autism or any other
child with special needs so tonight I
have a special guest my friend Laura
Collins with me and if we’d made a video
in the past or we talked about her story
of how she transitioned from a child
with special needs with multiple
diagnoses to an adult who’s living
independently and working so I asked her
to come back because one of the most
common questions I get like parents is
what to expect and how to help my older
child transition from going to school
and receiving services until 21 the
vending out to be independent and really
get a job and to work and to be a
productive member of society like
everyone all their parents might want
their children to be so I asked Laura to
come back and make a video with me to
help talk about her story and gives an
advice to parents who are helping their
child make that transition right now so
Lauren thank you so much for coming back
onto our show thank you it’s great to be
here
awesome so again so we’re gonna talk a
little bit about how you went from being
a student and I know you receive
services until 21 and then becoming a
teacher yourself and really an assistant
teacher so my first question for you is
how did you figure out what she wanted
to do what was that process like for you
um well for me that process was
different than most because I knew I
always wanted to work with kids since I
was like maybe 12 years old I remember
it was back in elementary school when I
was like a junior lunch aide watching
little first graders and then as time
progressed during my senior year in high
school I got an internship working with
a special-needs preschool where I was an
intern and they would teach me all the
different things about like working with
preschool children and things like that
and that’s also where I got the gig
doing the
a horticultural therapy program for
physically and mentally disabled
children at first in high school you’re
assigned a job coach who is sort of like
your mentor to a certain degree who will
help you find the job and then once you
have the job basically be like your
lookout be your confidant if you have
any questions they’re willing to help
you if your boss does have anything that
they need help with understanding about
your disability or if they need you to
improve on things they can explain it to
your job coach and they can in turn reel
it back to you to help you to understand
what the buses are looking for so they
stay with they don’t necessarily stay
with you on the job site but they check
in on you at least once a week or so and
I had that from when I was 18 until I
turned 21 when I aged out of the system
and when I had first said that I wanted
to work with children because in the
beginning they always do an assessment
of what kind of job are you looking for
what things interest you the first thing
I said was that I wanted to work with
children and as soon as I said that they
looked at me like I was crazy
because they’re like you do no it takes
more time and effort to actually work
with children because you have to be
fingerprinted in certain states you have
to do a background check you have to go
through all of these multiple things I’m
like that doesn’t matter to me I will
make this happen because working with
children has been the one thing that’s
ever made sense in my life that’s always
been a part of who I am and honestly
even today I can’t see myself doing
anything else except for except working
with children so then once I aged out of
the special education system at 21 I was
in a job for one year and then I found
the job where I’m working now I actually
found it on a job searching website and
I’ve been in the same job for six years
and I think one of the main reasons why
I’ve stayed in the same job where I have
now which is the longest I’ve ever
stayed anywhere is because I have such a
compassionate boss that’s well
to learn and accepts and cares about me
for who I am and accepts the challenges
that I bring with making sure I
understand everything that’s happening
or just being there for me when whenever
I need her she’s always been there and
having that support is the biggest thing
that a job coach or even an employer can
give you knowing that they have your
support and that they accept you for who
you are and not for what they think you
should be and taking in everything that
goes along with your disability or
taking the time to listen to what your
disability is so they can better
understand how to help you because one
of the tips I’ve learned from going in
the various different jobs that I have
is that when you first do the initial
interview there’s an easy way to say
that you have a disability without
blaring it out to the world like saying
hey I’m disabled an easy way to say it
whenever anybody would look at my resume
they would say oh we noticed that you’ve
worked with special-needs children I
always say yes in a way I understand
that world better than most growing up
in the system myself I’m able to connect
into that world which is a simple way to
say it but not blaring it that way they
have somewhat of an idea of what to
expect and if they’re willing to know
more it’s okay to explain what exactly
your disabilities are cause like I know
like when most people look at me they
can’t really tell um like most of it
with me is like learning disabled and
hearing impaired and where it’s like
there isn’t one word that covers them
all but if people are willing to learn
like I know in this video I’m willing to
answer any and all questions that
everybody has because I know at the end
of the day it’s gonna be helping more
people and making a difference for the
students and for the people that are out
there looking for these jobs and easier
process for everyone because of my help
which I’m hoping will happen I know
Laurie your story is so inspirational
and you’ve done with a lot of people
both with a disability without a
disability
to do which is really to find that thing
that they’re really passionate about and
to do it with their life and for me as
well you know I often tell the story
about how I decided I was pre-law when I
was in college and I decided instead to
work with children with autism and for
me that was after being the children’s
director in my church and just finding
that I really connected with this one
child with autism so you know to a
parent who is wondering is it possible
for my child’s dreams to come true you
know or their discipline gonna get in
their ways they’re gonna be
discrimination in the workplace what
would you say to that parent to give
them that encouragement that their child
can also do what you did okay one of the
best advice I can give you is number one
never give up hope number two there’s no
such thing as the word impossible
because we put the word of the the word
impossible out there into space I am
space possible I’m possible so there’s
no such thing as impossible except the
word impossible itself that’s always
been a theory of mine that I carry with
me and also if your child is passionate
enough about what they do there is
always a way around helping to make
their dreams come true you just have to
find like their interest what they want
to study for what they want to do with
the rest of their life and it may not
always be an easy road to get there but
once they get there it’ll be the best
feeling in the world because they’ll see
how far they’ve come from where they
were in the beginning to where they are
now I mean I know it wasn’t an easy
journey beginning my career working in
childcare from like I had said a lot of
people told me I couldn’t do it because
I needed like fingerprints and
background check but it was
determination to work with children that
had always made sense in my life that I
was determined to make my dream come
true because it was one thing that I
always knew about myself that I wanted
to do and I wouldn’t have it any other
way now awesome well thank you so much
for sharing your story and coming back
onto our show so I really hope this
video and you found this helpful if
you’re a parent watching
video you’re wondering you know is my
child gonna be able to do what they want
to do or they gonna be able to really
live fulfilled lives and then really
doesn’t make a difference in the world
that Laura is living proof that it is
possible so thank you so much for tuning
in tonight we love to make videos for
you almost all the videos that we make
they’re based upon questions that we got
in email so if you have any questions
please email me my emails Jessica and
Jessica likewise comm and also check out
our other videos if you like this video
please let us know let Lauren know that
you were inspired by her story share it
and subscribe to our page if this is
your first time finding our video you
can find our youtube channel at parent
training videos calm
thank you again Laura it was a pleasure
to have you back thank you so much for
being here yeah absolutely and we
encourage you again to connect with you
next week
[Music]
you
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HOP_pkkUKOI/hqdefault.jpg special education,laura collins,jessica leichtweisz,hope education services,iep,transition services,workplace,autism,aba Laura Collins was diagnosed with multiple disabilities at birth. She received special education services from birth until she was 21. At 21 she successfully transitioned from receiving services to getting a job working with kids. At 29, she is able to live independently with minimal supports and has had a job as a teaching assistant for 8 years. She shares her inspirational story and her advice for parents on how to help their children make the transition.
Photo: Morguefile
Sound effect: Incomputek
Intro: Graeme Kan
Video Production: Highlander Productions
Disclaimer:
This video is intended for information purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The text, graphics, images, flash movies, and audio segments are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
The information contained in this segment is generalized. It may not be applicable in every situation. Before applying specific interventions, consult a behaviorist. Any behavior intervention can result in an undesired change in behavior if not implemented correctly. No client relationship is established as a result of watching these videos. Jessica Leichtweisz and Hope Education cannot be held responsible for any misuse of the information contained in these videos.
