- Nonprofit serves ages 11–25 with programs focused on social skills, daily living and career readiness.
- New Florence headquarters includes a sensory room, demo apartment, kitchen, game room and more.
- Works closely with NKCES and regional school districts to support students and families.
Gaining independence is an integral part of becoming an adult, with young people often seeking autonomy by achieving milestones such as obtaining a driver’s license, securing their first job, attending college and moving into their own residence.
However, for people with autism, Down syndrome, ADHD or other developmental differences, achieving these milestones is not always a given. That’s why Perspectives: Skills for Life, a nonprofit based in Florence, provides educational services to help individuals with developmental differences reach benchmarks that others might take for granted.
Perspectives primarily serves individuals aged 11 to 25, offering services that help individuals build social skills, learn money management, and become accustomed to doing daily chores such as folding laundry, going grocery shopping or cooking. The organization works closely with the Northern Kentucky Cooperative for Educational Services, which connects it with students in Boone County Schools and other regional districts. As of now, Perspectives serves 54 students.
Last October, Perspectives opened at its new headquarters at 45 Cavalier Dr. in Florence, which had previously been a pediatrician’s office. Perspectives Executive Director Deb Geers told LINK nky that the organization completely renovated the interior, enabling it to expand its service offerings.
“We did a lot of research into what, what was needed for these teens and young adults to be able to simulate real-world experiences and prepare them to be out in the real world,” she said.
Regarding curriculum, Perspectives offers several core programs, including the PEERS Social Skills Group, Surviving and Thriving in the Real World, and L.A.U.N.C.H., which focuses on career readiness and exploration. The organization also offers a Perspectives Membership, providing participants with access to weekly social events that support socialization and reinforce life skills.
“I think if we can take some of that stress off the parents, a lot of these families are just struggling to get through life, like they’ve been doing that for years, just doing the best they can, making it day by day,” said Mary Erickson, program coordinator at Perspectives. “If we can bring the kids here and give them very focused training in areas that a lot of typical kids just pick up on, then they can go home and practice things that they’ve learned.”
The new headquarters includes diverse rooms designed for different curriculum components, such as a sensory room for students to unwind or decompress; a dining room where students practice proper dinner etiquette, serving food and hosting guests; a game room equipped with a Nintendo Switch 2 and air hockey table; a movie theater; an art room; a computer lab; and a classroom.
Perhaps the most unique room is a replica of an apartment, complete with a bedroom and a living room.
“It was essential to me, especially that we have the apartment, because independent living is a goal for everyone, and what that independence looks like is so individual,” Geers said.
Instructor Jenny Guin emphasized that it’s important to help students feel comfortable while they’re at Perspectives, giving them the freedom to feel accepted and understood as they learn the curriculum.
“We are offering support to the whole family, not just the kids, and I think they feel relieved once they do realize, ‘oh, this is a place where I’m totally accepted and understood, maybe for the first time in an educational setting,’” Guin said.
