Independent Living
Our Independent Living (IL) Program houses young men and women from 18-24 years old in single-sex apartments throughout the Metro, Boston, Central, Northeast and Southeast DCF regions (not including the Cape and the Islands). Rediscovery IL youth put into practice the life skills they have learned in our, or other, group homes, or other residential placements, by living in their own apartment, taking responsibility for cleaning and basic maintenance, and budgeting their time and money.
Rediscovery has Outreach Workers who support the youth as they learn to live on their own. Outreach Workers meet with the youth for several hours weekly to discuss their successes and help with all aspects of their life including budgeting, time management, job searching, and attaining educational goals.
Youth in the program are required to further their education. Some complete high school or get their GED, others attend community college or a four year university, and yet others choose to attend vocational training programs.
Independent Living Program youth are also required to work and attend therapy regularly. Rediscovery provides the youth with ongoing life skills training to reinforce the skills they are using in their everyday life. When youth leave the Independent Living Program, they will have learned how to live within their fiscal means, manage their time wisely, navigate in and around their communities, access critical resources, succeed in the workplace and mastered many other important life skills necessary for a successful adult life.
To be eligible for the program, youth need to be close to or over 18 years of age and able to be relatively self-sufficient and safe for day-to-day tasks. Youth are housed either in their own apartment or with one roommate of the same gender. To help IL youth meet their treatment plan goals, Rediscovery offers a $50/week savings incentive for progress toward those goals. All youth must be able to be safe in the community, have demonstrated basic independent living skills and be willing to obtain employment, follow an educational/vocational plan, work with an Outreach Worker weekly and attend therapy.
