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Presidents Service Award
Life Development Institute
Phoenix , AZ
1992 Honoree
Life Development Institute (LDI) is a nonprofit organization that serves
older
adolescents and young adults with special needs, primarily those with
learning
disabilities or related disorders. Founded ten years ago, the 44-unit
residential facility
now serves from 150 to 175 individuals a year. It has grown from a paid
staff of two and
five volunteers to a staff of 24 and a corps of volunteers who contributed
over 7,000
hours during the past year. LDI is the only facility of its kind in the
country.
The LDI program includes several components. Life Skills is an intensive
16-week
program that focuses on functional, competency-based survival skills such
as money
management, planning and preparing meals, building self-esteem and work
ethics. The
last four weeks of the program are dedicated to finding employment that
matches the
trainee's skills and abilities. The one- to two-year SMILE (Successful
Moves to
Independence, Literacy and Employment) program is available for individuals
who have
a desire and the capabilities to benefit from transitional educational
services that
prepare them for college or post-secondary job training.
In addition to the organization's board, volunteers are involved in enrichment
activities
and guidance for LDI clients. They include retired executives through
the Small
Business Administration, service clubs such as Kiwanis, Literacy Volunteers
of America,
and business people who conduct mock interviews and present programs on
the legal
system. Recording for the Blind volunteers prepare tapes for students
who are unable to
read. LDI staff volunteer after regular working hours in social and recreational
activities
such as field trips and out-of-town trips.
In addition to volunteers who assist the LDI clients, there is a client
volunteer program to
help prepare them for community life. Although optional, approximately
35 to 40 clients
each year participate in these activities, which include serving meals
in a homeless
shelter and community clean-up activities.
Funding for LDI is provided through private contributions and contracts
with the
Department of Economic Security, Rehabilitation Services Administration
and the
Administration of Children, Youth and Families. LDI's strong training
program and
intensive involvement of volunteers has resulted in a job placement rate
of 98 percent,
placing 962 clients in nine years.
For information on the Points of Light Foundation visit pointsoflight.org
