Path to Academics, Community and Employment (PACE)
Founded in 1986, P.A.C.E. at National Louis University is a post-secondary certificate program designed to meet the transitional needs for young adults with multiple intellectual, learning and developmental disabilities. The P.A.C.E. program comprises three certificates: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. Each certificate requires the completion of 45 quarter credits over a one-year period.
P.A.C.E., one of the leading post-secondary programs in the country, integrates employment preparation, independent living skills coaching, functional academic courses and social development into a curriculum that prepares students for independent living through experiential learning.
The program commits to educating the whole person, preparing young adults for independent living by integrating instruction in four areas:
- Functional academics
- Employment preparation
- Independent living skills
- Social Development
The instructional approach at P.A.C.E. integrates both group and individual teaching across all areas of the students’ lives. Instruction is based on the observation that students learn best when actively involved in the process and when teaching is linked directly to events and activities.
Functional Academics
P.A.C.E. students attend classes two days a week in an undergraduate university environment. Teaching and learning in a formal classroom are designed to present content and promote critical thinking skills in a structured environment. With guidance from P.A.C.E. instructors, students apply the concepts learned in the classroom to their personal situations, relationships, and routines outside of the classroom. P.A.C.E. classes serve as a space where students can discuss, role-play, and reflect upon their life-experiences, and practice their skills in new concepts. Problem-solving instruction across all areas of the program, facilitates P.A.C.E. students in becoming successful and independent problem-solvers in all aspects of their lives.
Course Sequences
Basic Certificate
PAC 102 (F,W,S) Employment Introduction
PAC 103 (F.W, S) Basic Life Skills and Learning
PAC 104 (F,W,S) Basic Problem Solving, Goal Setting and Money Management
PAC 106 (F,W,S) Basic Health and Wellness Learning Lab
Intermediate Certificate
PAC 111 (F, W,S) Employment Development
PAC 112 (F, W, S) Intermediate Life Skills and Learning
PAC 113 (F,W,S) Intermediate Problem Solving, Goal Setting and Money Management
PAC 114 (F, W, S) Intermediate Health and Wellness Learning Lab
Advanced Certificate
PAC 121 (F,W,S) Employment Focus
PAC 122 (F,W,S) Career Launch
PAC 123 (F,W,S) Independent Living
Employment Preparation
P.A.C.E. students complete three internships to accumulate over 1000 hours of actual work experience. They prepare for employment in fields such as child care, elder care, food service, office administration, health care, retail operations, and animal care. Employment skill development includes classroom instruction, workshops/trainings, as well as on-the-job coaching from supervisors and job coaches. All aspects of instruction are designed to help P.A.C.E. students find employment interests and skills to succeed in the world of work. The program operates from a base of more than 50 veteran career partners and continually recruits new contacts.
Independent Living Skills Instruction
Through one-on-one and small group instruction, students work towards the development and maintenance of core executive functioning skill sets. These skills include, money management, time management, hygiene management, medication management, meal planning and preparation, as well as cleaning skills. For this instruction, P.A.C.E. utilizes modern apartments as a classroom, which allows students to directly apply these skills where they live.
Socialization
Successful adults are socially responsible. At P.A.C.E. we hold our students to high standards to be successful at work, in the community and in their relationships. Students apply these skills in real-life situations in all P.A.C.E. learning environments, interacting with peers in the dorm, with coworkers and with the P.A.C.E. team on a daily basis. Planned activities that encourage social interaction and community engagement are an important part of P.A.C.E. at NLU. Students receive direct and guided instruction in improving their social skills and P.A.C.E. provides a unique real world arena for our students to put theory into practice every day. In addition, students learn to navigate means of public transportation to travel throughout their community.
Extended Programming
P.A.C.E. Ahead
P.A.C.E. Ahead is an apartment-style living experience designed to meet the transitional needs of P.A.C.E. NLU graduates. Young adults with multiple intellectual, learning and developmental disabilities can increase independence with support in personal and social development, employment, and independent living life skills.
P.A.C.E. Ahead provides apartment living for students who want to continue to increase independence, but are not ready to move into an apartment or return home.