Vocational Skills Program
Teens and adults with disabilities are often underestimated and undervalued in society.The Brady Vocational Skills Program provides them with a rare opportunity to experience a sense of purpose and develop confidence in their abilities to make valuable contributions to their communities.
Individuals tackle a variety of tasks for the care of the horses, their equipment, and the facility. These teens and adults gain independence, and acquire many transferable skills for employment and a wide variety of other settings.
Participants are supported and empowered to explore and develop their abilities, such as:
Communication skills: listening, communicating clearly, following directions
Teamwork: working in teams with both neurodiverse and neurotypical teens and adults
Productivity skills: initiating tasks, focus, completing tasks, timeliness
Problem solving skills: anticipating needs, asking for help, making decisions
Social skills: reading body language of animals and people
Personal appearance: hygiene, grooming, wearing appropriate work garments
Punctuality: arriving on time, adhering to time commitments
Navigation skills: spatial awareness and navigation through a variety of environments,
Adaptability: adapting to changing needs in real time, working on different tasks, with different people in a variety of settings
Vocational Program participants acquire basic horsemanship skills such as horse leading, grooming, feeding, cleaning, tack care, and interpreting equine behaviors. Through these skills and interactions with staff and other volunteers, teens and adults gain the sense of purpose and the confidence required for success in the workplace and beyond.
