PEERS®
for Teens & Young Adults
Social Skills Group for Teens & Young Adults
presented by Hope 4 Autism
WHAT MAKES PEERS UNIQUE?
PEERS® stresses the importance of developing and maintaining friendships for teens and young adults with autism. PEERS® teaches concrete behavioral cues to motivated teens and young adults who are looking for tools to help them develop friendships.
The benefits of healthy, meaningful friendships include:
• Buffering the impact of stressful life events
• Building self-esteem
• Increasing independence and learning self- advocacy
• Reducing the incidence of depression
and anxiety
TEENS & YOUNG ADULTS WILL LEARN ABOUT:
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- Using social media and online platforms to develop and maintain friendships
- Conversations skills
- How to enter and exit conversations
- Electronic communication
- Using humor appropriately
- Organizing get-togethers
- Being a good sport
- Dating Etiquette (young adults only)
- Handling disagreements
- Changing a bad reputation
- Handling teasing and bullying
Participation Requirements
- Autism Spectrum Disorder or similar diagnosis with an IQ of 70 and above
- Have friendship problems
- Young adults ages 18-35 years old
- Young adults must be interested in attending the program
- Young adults must consistently attend the program
- Young adults must voluntarily agree to participate in the program
- Young adults must have a consistent social coach willing to attend the program each week
- Young adults need to be able to sit through 90 minutes of instruction
How Can I Apply to Participate?
• Call our office at 573-664-1711 or email Luann@hope4autism.org to complete a brief screening with a member of our staff and subsequently receive an enrollment packet.
• Complete and return the enrollment packet.
• Schedule an intake appointment with our director to determine if our program is appropriate for you and your young adult.
———————
• You can review The PEERS Program at www.semel.ucla.edu/peers/young-adults
- Duration: 16 weeks
- Planned Days: Monday
- Planned Terms: August – December 2023 and January – May 2024
- Planned Frequency: Monday sessions: 5 pm – 6:30 and 6:30 – 8 pm
Groups will meet online / in-person @ Dress 2 Impress Farmington, MO
How much does it cost?
- $50 deposit to reserve seat
- Balance of $50 due prior to first class meeting
- For questions about eligibility or to begin the enrollment process, please call 573-664-1711
TEEN Participation Requirements
- Autism Spectrum Disorder or similar diagnosis with an IQ of 70 and above
- Have friendship problems
- Teens ages 13-18 years old
- Teen must be interested in attending the program
- Teen must consistently attend the program
- Teen must voluntarily agree to participate in the program
- Teen must have a consistent social coach willing to attend the program each week
- Teen need to be able to sit through 90 minutes of instruction without distracting
How Can I Apply to Participate?
• Call our office at 573-664-1711 or email Luann@hope4autism.org to complete a brief screening with a member of our staff and subsequently receive an enrollment packet.
• Complete and return the enrollment packet.
• Schedule an intake appointment with our director to determine if our program is appropriate for you and your young adult.
———————
• You can review The PEERS Program at www.semel.ucla.edu/peers/young-adults
When / Where do groups meet?
- Duration: 16 weeks
- Planned Days: Monday
- Planned Terms: August – December 2023 and August – December 2024
- Planned Frequency: Monday sessions: 5 – 6:30 and 6:30 – 8 pm
- Groups will meet online / in-person @ Dress 2 Impress Farmington, MO
How much does it cost?
- $50 deposit to reserve seat
- Balance of $50 due prior to first class meeting
For questions about eligibility or to begin the enrollment process, please call 573-664-1711
Social Coach Testimonials
“I could never imagine the difference 16 weeks have made in the life of our son! He’s learned so many valuable life skills in this program – taught in a way to encourage application to everyday situations. His doctor recommended a Cognitive Behavior Therapy program for him, and the PEERS program helped fit that need in so many ways. He’s learned and put into practice how to handle his frustrations with easy-to-apply strategies; learned to recognize important social cues in conversation and interactions, as well as applied positive behavior approaches when certain situations may arise. I would fully recommend the PEERS program to any family with a young adult on the autism spectrum.”
“We are so thankful to have found the PEERS program. Anyone on the spectrum, or just struggling socially will benefit from PEERS. Luann truly has a gift, all the students trust and respect her and all she has to teach them. My adult son is applying all he has learned thus far to every aspect of his life. He is more confident when talking to people now, so he does it way more often. This has been a game-changer for our family.It has also been great to get to know the other parents/coaches and share our experiences, worries, and triumphs. We both have learned so much and with the materials and support, we have all we need to continue.”
“This 16-week PEERS course that we were privileged to be part of was not only extremely worthwhile for our son’s benefit, but my wife and I were given the opportunity to see a glimpse of the challenges that those with autism deal with on a daily basis. As our sons’ “coaches” we witnessed, in a short period of time, him addressing issues head-on instead of deflecting the topic and reverting back into his old ways of dealing with the issues at hand. The materials/topics covered were very relevant to today’s world; things that are all too often taken for granted. The staff teaching this course were very caring, always willing to listen and help find solutions in a professional manner. We’re very thankful for this opportunity to attend this class, and as a family, we feel empowered to move forward into the next wonderful chapter of our lives armed with our new understanding and skills learned from the PEERS for Young Adults course.”
“The growth in my teenage son who is on the autism spectrum has been phenomenal over these past 16 weeks! Even his teachers are emailing me bragging about how his communication and level of responsibility have grown exponentially. PEERS has been such a blessing in our lives and in those families that are a part of our PEERS classes. Thank you for this opportunity to learn more intimately about developing and maintaining relationships, it is something we will continue to use and develop further throughout our lifetimes.”
Young Adult Testimonial
“During the PEERS program, I learned how to have more get-togethers and I have learned how to move out of my comfort zone. Not having had a group of friends before, it was nice becoming friends with the young adults in the group.”
“I feel like the PEERS program is really important. It has helped me to learn about different relationships and how to communicate better in conversations. I would definitely recommend this class for others to help grow in their social skills. Mrs. Honerkamp is a great teacher.”
“The PEERS program not only helped me learn socialization skills but also helped me build a better relationship with my parents (who were my social coaches). After the program, I feel like I am more equipped to handle life in the workforce and make friends more easily.”
Being a part of the PEERS program helped me learn how to get along with others, meet new people and how to have conversations. I am thankful for how PEERS helped me learn how to stay calm and confident as I speak.