Life skills for young adults are the building blocks of independence, confidence, and a fulfilling future. At Easterseals Arkansas, we've spent over 80 years empowering young adults to live, learn, work, and play in their communities. Our Phase 2 Program and ACCE (Academics, Community, Career Development, and Employment) Program are specifically designed to teach life skills for young adults in supportive, engaging environments that prepare them for what comes next.
If you're raising or supporting a young adult with disabilities, you understand that the journey from high school to adulthood requires more than just classroom learning. It takes personalized support, real-world experiences, and a community that believes in their potential. Learn what options you have to help your loved one thrive today.
Key Takeaways:
- Young adults with disabilities require structured support. Learning in environments designed for success leads to greater independence, confidence, and real-world application.
- Phase 2 builds independence through community connection. Young adults ages 18 to 25 develop daily living, social, and career skills through personalized instruction and hands-on experiences.
- ACCE is a two-semester program on the UA Little Rock campus that combines academics, career development, and social engagement for young adults with intellectual disabilities.
- Supported environments create safe spaces to learn and fail. Mistakes become teaching moments, repetition builds mastery, and peer connections reduce isolation.
- Essential life skills include financial literacy, daily living, social communication, career readiness, self-advocacy, and community participation.
- Independence is built through small successes over time. From grocery shopping to job interviews, each skill mastered builds confidence for the next challenge.
What Are Life Skills for Young Adults?
Life skills for young adults encompass the practical abilities needed to navigate daily life independently. These include:
- Daily living skills: Cooking, cleaning, personal hygiene, and home management
- Financial literacy: Budgeting, understanding money, and making smart spending choices
- Social and communication skills: Building friendships, setting boundaries, and advocating for yourself
- Career readiness: Writing résumés, interviewing, and developing workplace skills
- Community participation: Using public transportation, volunteering, and engaging in civic life
For young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, learning these skills in a structured, supportive setting makes all the difference.
Why Do Life Skills for Young Adults Matter?
The transition from high school to adulthood can feel overwhelming, especially for young adults with disabilities. Without the right support, the gap between high school services and adult independence can feel impossible to bridge. Many families watch their young adults lose skills, confidence, and social connections after graduation because there aren't enough structured opportunities to practice and grow.
This is where life skills programs for young adults, like those offered at Easterseals Arkansas, become not just helpful, but transformative.
What Are The Benefits of Structured Support?
Teaching life skills for young adults in a structured, supportive environment helps them feel confident in their own capabilities.
When young adults learn to budget their money, prepare their meals, advocate for themselves, and engage in their communities, they gain more than skills; they gain dignity, purpose, and hope for the future.
Research consistently shows that young adults with disabilities who participate in structured life skills programs experience:
- Greater independence in daily living activities
- Higher employment rates and better job retention
- Stronger social connections and reduced isolation
- Improved self-esteem and mental health outcomes
- Better quality of life overall
When you practice ordering food at a restaurant with support and succeed, you're more likely to try it independently next time. When you learn to navigate bus routes with an instructor beside you, you gain the confidence to explore your community on your own.
Programs Teaching Life Skills for Young Adults with Disabilities in Arkansas
Traditional classroom settings or trying to learn these skills alone at home often don't provide the repetition, patience, and individualized support that young adults with disabilities need. In programs at Easterseals Arkansas, life skills for young adults are taught through a combination of direct instruction, modeling, hands-on practice, and real-world application, all within a community of peers and experienced instructors who understand their unique learning styles.
When young adults feel supported rather than pressured, they're more willing to try new things, take healthy risks, and persist when tasks feel difficult. That's the foundation of true independence.
Multiple programs for adults are available at Easterseals Arkansas, but these two stand out in supporting young adults’ independence.
| Feature | Phase 2 | ACCE |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Independent living and community participation | College experience and career readiness |
| Program Setting | Community-based learning environment | University campus (UA Little Rock) |
| Life Skills Training | Grocery shopping, budgeting, meal prep, volunteering, transportation | Time management, self-advocacy, workplace skills, social engagement |
| Group Structure | Small group instruction | Inclusive campus-based cohort |
| Career Preparation | Community volunteering and skill-building | Career exploration and employment pathways |
| Social Opportunities | Local events, outings, peer community | Campus activities and peer connections |
Phase 2: Building Life Skills Through Community Connection
The Phase 2 Program is a community-based learning environment designed for young adults ages 18 to 25 who are ready to transition from high school to independence. More than just a day program, Phase 2 creates a space where young adults develop confidence through hands-on experiences and meaningful relationships.
What Makes Phase 2 Unique?
Phase 2 focuses on teaching life skills for young adults through real-world application. Participants don't just learn about grocery shopping; they go to the store, make lists, compare prices, and prepare meals together. Young adults do more than talk about volunteering; they serve their community and experience the pride that comes with making a difference.
Key features of Phase 2 include:
- Personalized skill development tailored to each participant's goals and needs
- Community integration through frequent local events, activities, and outings
- Small group instruction that allows for individual attention and support
- Experienced instructors who understand the unique needs of young adults with disabilities
- Occupational and speech therapy are available for participants who need additional support
- Non-emergency Medicaid transportation to ensure accessibility
ACCE: A Collegiate Experience That Opens Doors
For young adults seeking a college experience alongside career preparation, the ACCE Program offers something truly special. Created through a partnership between Easterseals Arkansas and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, ACCE brings the Think College model to Arkansas.
What Is the ACCE Program?
ACCE provides young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities a two-semester program on the UA Little Rock campus. It's not just about academics; it's about experiencing college life, building social connections, and exploring career possibilities in an inclusive environment.
What participants gain from ACCE:
- Academic coursework integrated with real-world learning experiences
- Career exploration and development to identify interests and build job-readiness skills
- Social support and community building through campus engagement and peer connections
- A true collegiate experience that fosters independence and confidence
- Pathways to employment through hands-on career preparation
ACCE is currently accepting applications for young adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Who Can Participate in These Programs for Young Adults?
Phase 2 is designed for young adults who:
- Are ages 18 to 25
- Receive Waiver Services from Easterseals
- Qualify for ADDT services
- Are ready to learn new life skills in a supportive environment
ACCE is ideal for young adults who:
- Have intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism
- Are seeking a collegiate experience with career preparation
- Want to engage with the UA Little Rock campus community
- Are motivated to explore academic and career pathways
Why Young Adults with Disabilities Thrive in Programs Like Phase 2 and ACCE
At Easterseals Arkansas, we've watched young adults who were nervous about simple tasks grow into confident community members who volunteer, work, and thrive. For young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, learning life skills isn't just about mastering tasks; it's about building confidence, self-worth, and a sense of belonging.
The difference isn't just what they learn; it's how they learn it. Life skills for young adults with disabilities require:
- Repetition and consistency: Skills need to be practiced multiple times in various settings before they become automatic. A supported program provides those repeated opportunities.
- Individualized pacing: Every young adult learns differently. Some may master cooking skills quickly, but need more time with money management. Programs like Phase 2 adapt to each person's unique timeline.
- Safe spaces to fail: Mistakes are essential to learning, but they can be discouraging without the right support. When an instructor can turn a burnt dinner into a teaching moment rather than a failure, young adults stay motivated to keep trying.
- Peer connections: Learning alongside others who understand their challenges reduces isolation and builds community. Many participants in our programs form friendships that extend beyond program hours.
- Real-world application: Reading about how to do laundry is different from actually sorting clothes, measuring detergent, and troubleshooting when something goes wrong. Our programs prioritize hands-on, real-world experiences.
The evidence is clear. When young adults with disabilities learn life skills in environments designed for their success, they don't just learn tasks, they build lives worth living.
Take the Next Step Towards Independence
Life skills for young adults are the foundation of independence. With the right support, personalized attention, and a community that believes in their potential, young adults can build lives filled with purpose, connection, and pride. That's what we do at Easterseals Arkansas, and we'd be honored to walk this journey with you.
If you're ready to support a young adult in building the life skills they need for independence, Easterseals Arkansas is here to help. Submit an inquiry for the Phase 2 Program or apply to the ACCE Program on the Easterseals Arkansas website today.
You can also explore more Easterseals resources on life skills for young adults:
- Visit our blog for more articles on supporting young adults with disabilities.
- Learn about our other adult programs, including supported employment services.
- Contact Easterseals Arkansas to discuss which program is the best fit.
