Due largely to communication barriers, Deaf adults with cognitive/intellectual disabilities are often excluded from mentorship opportunities and job training programs. I plan to change this by establishing a mentorship program designed by and for Deaf adults. Through this program, entitled DeafCan, I will partner Deaf mentors with DeafDisabled mentees. Mentors will work 1:1 with their clients, teaching them daily living skills, leisure skills, job readiness and more.

This program is split into three parts, with programs designed to match individual needs. Some of participants prefer working on specific job skills–our practice coffee shop is particularly popular!–while others prefer to hone their daily living skills and others prefer community practice.

Over the past 6-months, we've run a pilot version of this program and have been met with great success! Our mentors and mentees have developed strong bonds with one another and the skills gained have surpassed our expectations. We're excited at the opportunity to grow this program and serve even more members of our community!

What our grantee is saying: “ Receiving this grant means so much to me. It means we can help more people, give them more quality time and provide more activities. I’m so excited to watch this program grow!”