In 2017, Day Spring launched the College for Living program tailored to adults with disabilities who have the drive and the capacity to live independently someday. College for Living is a privately paid educational program for young adults designed to mirror the college experience that many of their peers experience after leaving high school. Students live on or off campus with individualized education and care plans designed to promote skill-building and foster independence.
Support is provided to students in a variety of ways, including mentorship, weekly classes, and unique resources.
Classes
At the College for Living, each residential student participates in a structured weekly schedule that combines individualized mentorship with small-group instruction across our core life-skills domains. Every student receives one hour of one-to-one mentor-led coaching each week, focused on personal goals, daily living habits, and building independence.
Students also attend five one-hour classes each week, each dedicated to one of our life-skills domains. These classes rotate through areas such as culinary skills, home economics, communication and social skills, financial literacy, time management, health and hygiene, emergency preparedness, and safe community living. One of the weekly classes is typically centered on an educational or recreational experience, giving students the opportunity to practice skills in real-world settings.
Life Skills Mentors lead all classes and provide person-centered support grounded in the strengths, needs, and interests of each student. Their diverse backgrounds create a well-rounded, practical approach to learning that helps students build confidence and independence in meaningful, everyday ways.
Contact Information
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Phone502-636-5990 (office)
Community
An essential part of what we do at College for Living is help our students and their families cultivate relationships that will last them long after they have graduated.
We ingrain that the students are a unit, a family, and we practice this within our building and outside in the community. One of the appealing aspects about the program is our students are never really alone. We encourage our students to lean on each other for support when a staff member is not around. Students are taught to identify strengths and skills within themselves and others to assist one another.
We recognize that our families should not be an island. Everyone needs support and solidarity to help transition their student into independent living. CFL conducts quarterly friends and family events so our students and their loved ones can build bonds with one another and our mentors. We aim to create an environment that is open, authentic and reinforces connections.
