The Wyoming Girls School Independent Living Program is committed to empowering students by assisting them to gain life skills as well as the knowledge necessary to be a responsible and successful member of their community.  The program assesses, instructs, facilitates, trains, and provides students with access to valued resources in the community.  Each student completes a Casey Life Skills Assessment to assist with the goal setting process.  This assessment is completed at intake as well as discharge. Students in the Independent Living Program will be involved in learning many important life skills including:

Career Planning – Students 14 and older have the opportunity to complete a career portfolio. This portfolio includes a résumé, self-assessments, career choices, post-secondary information, financial aid and scholarships and what they learned through the process of creating the portfolio. Students also create a résumé that is included in their portfolio. 

College Planning - Students planning to attend college upon their discharge begin their college planning by applying to their desired colleges, apply for FAFSA, and other various scholarships. Junior and senior students have the opportunity to attend College Planning Day at Sheridan College as well as college tours, meeting with college advisors and registering for classes. 

Educational Training Voucher (ETV) – Youth that have been in foster care or foster care placements for at least (12) months are eligible to receive up to $5000.00 per academic year to cover various related expenses. Youth must meet eligibility requirements and apply for the ETV funds yearly through an Independent Living Coordinator.

Daily Living Skills – This includes Cent$ible Nutrition, Safe Sitter’s course, Parenting Classes, Alive at 25, CPR/First Aid and Social Skills

Cent$ible Nutrition Program – Students learn the nutritional value of foods, menu planning, food preparation, grocery lists, shopping, food labels, and hands-on cooking experiences. (See UW article on Media page)

Safe Sitter Course – This course provides students with information on topics related to child care, safety, first aid, health, and problem solving while caring for children.

Parenting Classes – This course is provided to parenting youth through various community resources.

CPR/First Aid – All students at WGS are given the opportunity to be trained and certified in CPR and First Aid.

Alive at 25 - This class is taught by the Wyoming Highway Patrol and teaches students the dangers and consequences of distracted and impaired driving.

Money Management - Students learn about credit, banking, savings, loans, credit and debt, payroll, taxes, budgeting, managing a checking account.and being a wise consumer,

Housing – Students learn how to look for a place to live. They learn the skills to place needs before wants, read and interpret housing ads, calculate startup costs, paying utilities, as well as learn how to read and interpret lease and rental agreements. In addition, students learn the important questions to ask a prospective property owner.

Relationships – The program uses a curriculum titled Relationships SMARTS that is evidence based for adolescents. It addresses positive youth development, life skills, healthy relationships, dating violence, sexual delay, and sexual risk avoidance. The acitivies are desgined to build and strenghen protective factors, skills to form and maintain healthy relationships, make wise sexual choices, and work toward future goals. 

Work Life – Students learn how to seek employment by filling out applications and practicing interview skills. They learn skills in teamwork work, conflict resolution on the job, and workplace integrity. Students have the opportunity to participate in our on-campus employment program with positions as janitors, kitchen aides, and maintenance assistants. Students also have the opportunity to obtain off-campus employment if they have completed their high school education.

Aftercare, Self-Advocacy, and Transition - Students learn how to set short and long-term goals, identify personal strengths, identify mentors and allies, and develop a plan to accomplish their goals. Students apply this to their own personal transition to the community. Students learn how to make connections in their own community, and to work with the independent living coordinator as well as other viable resources.