Tip 6 - Get organised
- Help young people find ways of managing time and staying organised that work for them. Emphasise that organisation and time management skills are vital in post-secondary settings. How well do your students manage their time and keep track of their activities? Provide opportunities for students to practice these skills. Some things they might like to try include:
- using checklists or to-do lists to record tasks - it can be very satisfying to cross them off when they are done!
- prioritising tasks in relation to when they are due
- having a designated place for work or study where there are few distractions
- establishing a regular schedule
- keeping an up to date record of activities and tasks in a calendar
- having a place to store files and records – so that things are easy to find in future
- Offer young people suggestions about ways to stay organised that have worked for you and for other students in the past.
- Many post-school settings, including universities, also offer workshops on employability skills like organisation and time management. Suggest that young people explore whether the counselling or careers services at their institution, or prospective institutions, offer this type of training.
- Encourage students to practice taking responsibility for making and keeping appointments and following up requests – while parents may often help with these things it is important that young people learn to be accountable to others and to take responsibility.
- Reinforce the importance of maintaining good records – remind students and families to keep copies of all documentation about their disability because they are likely to be asked to supply the same paperwork often. It will be much easier and less stressful if they have easy access to these documents and details.
- Encourage students to keep copies of any forms or paperwork they complete during their planning for post-school pathways.
