P.R.O.V.E. Program

One of the main goals of the mission is to help special needs families. The PROVE Program is one of the ways we do this. PROVE, Practicing Real Opportunities (that are) Vital Every day, allows the Mission to provide counseling, special training, educational, and social skills to those families with children and young adults with special needs.

The PROVE Program provides a unique service to these families that are often left with nowhere to turn. This life-changing program facilitates and nurtures cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral development. As a result, they learn to read, write, work with money, tell time, verbalize, problem solve, interact socially, and most importantly, develop employability skills. Our students have a wide variety of disabilities and diagnoses including, but not limited to, Down’s Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Migrational Defect, and Developmental Delays.

When a family has a child with special needs, the financial responsibilities can be overwhelming and often last a lifetime, leaving families wondering what will happen to their children when the parents or guardians are no longer able to help. These high costs can prevent families from pursuing assistance with specialized training. This is especially true for low-income and minority families. It is very important to us to bring awareness of our PROVE Program to all families with children and young adults with special needs, and to invite others to be a part of this special opportunity.

When families come to us for help we:

• Listen to their stories

• Assess needs that are specific to what the PROVE Program offers

• Determine how much assistance is needed

• Find ways that the family can take ownership in the Program (finances, volunteer hours, fundraising, etc.)

• Create a specialized plan for the child or young adult and determine group placement

• Enroll them in the PROVE Program

Some of our past students have volunteered and worked at Cheers Horse Ranch, The Jacksonville Zoo, Chick-fil-A, and Breakthroughs of North Florida. Our recent graduates are now well on their way to a life of purpose and independence. If you would like to hear the stories of some of our graduates and their families, they would be happy to share, and we can gladly connect you with them.

All donations designated to the PROVE Program go specifically to the Program. The average annual cost for a student is $9,720.00 and the monies are used for the following:

• Teacher salary

• Supplies

• Travel for job hunting and training

• Social and educational interactions within the community

Every donation, of ANY amount, helps our students realize their potential, and helps them become active and productive members of our society and of our great County.

Mission Statement:

The mission of the P.R.O.V.E. Program at Breakthroughs of North Florida is to educate and support our special needs students as they develop and learn to be lifelong learners, by providing a curriculum that fosters independence where academics and hands-on activities will lead to personal excellence. In working together in a safe and open learning environment that encourages involvement and independent responsibilities and personal growth the students will be able to reach for the stars.

We help empower our students to reach their full educational and personal potential while nurturing their self-confidence so that they will be productive participating members of their community.

**Why are social skills so important?

Social skills are important because they are the foundation for having positive relationships with others with your partners, friends, and for your career. Social skills allow you to connect with other people on a level that is important in life so you can have more in-depth relationships with others.

**What are Life Skills and WHY are they important?

In everyday life, the development of life skills helps students to: Find new ways of thinking and problem-solving. Recognize the impact of their actions and teaches them to take responsibility for what they do rather than blame others. Build confidence both in spoken skills and for group collaboration and cooperation.

We provide an open learning environment that focuses on individual needs that will allow the child to experience success in learning and in life.

Our Objectives Are:

• To educate and build upon daily living experiences while promoting responsibilities

• To prepare our students for independent participation in life skills and life events

• To provide hands-on opportunities to learn important skills and increase self-confidence

• To provide activities both in the classroom and community to enrich the child’s quality of life.