Collaborate/ Advocate/ Navigate (CAN) is an umbrella for three programs that are designed to provide education and training opportunities, resource coordination, and support to individuals with disabilities, their families, educators, therapists, and the community at large.
Our mission is to ensure individuals with disabilities have access to education, recreation, employment and community integration in the least restrictive environment possible.
This wrap-around approach increases the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to achieve self-determination, integration and inclusion in all areas of community life through access to information, training and support for all stake holders.
Our CAN website offers users an opportunity to focus on the information that best fits their needs.
The focus of our Parents CAN (Collaborate/Advocate/Navigate) program is special education advocacy for students and mentoring parents.
We support families who have children who require special education and disability services by helping them navigate the special education system through education, consultation and representation. It is our goal to empower parents, helping them to become equal members of their child’s individualized education program (IEP) team and part of the decision making process.
Our special education advocate/parent mentor helps parents to develop a collaborative team that will support their child so that they can access the services and supports necessary for them to develop to their fullest potential.
Special education workshops are offered to parents and professionals on a wide-variety of topics; including Parents As Partners, the IEP process, Goal Writing, Accommodations, Transition to Early Childhood, Adult Services and Legal Rights.
Specialties: IEP Consultation and Support, Resource Coordination, Parent Mentorship and Education, Workshop Facilitation.
Our We CAN program focuses on educators and those that serve students with disabilities.
We offer information and resources that will assist educators and those that service individuals with an IEP by helping develop a thorough understanding of the special education process and requirements.
Workshops are held virtually and in person on topics that may not be accessible through their districts. Insight and strategies are offered by professionals who have first-hand experience with including students in the general education curriculum by providing access to learning and bridging educational gaps for students at all levels. Behavior strategies and supports are explored and pros of cons discussed based on student need. We are eager to address issues and concerns of educators in a collaborative forum, and are willing to build what may be needed by those that serve students within and outside of the public school system.
Educators and service providers will also benefit from the We CAN Forum, designed to allow a confidential opportunity for educators to share experiences, concerns and successes. We also offer an Ask the Expert opportunity to ask specific questions.
Our I CAN (Collaborate/Advocate/Navigate) program was developed to provide resource coordination and navigation to adult individuals with disabilities when they have encountered a barrier to access.
We will help trouble shoot and identify the resources that can help the individual gain access and engagement in a variety community activities. We also organize Meet Up opportunities within the community to provide adults the opportunity to connect.
You CAN (Collaborate/Advocate/Navigate) is our newest program. Through a grant funded by the Regional Center of Orange County’s Self Determination Program Local Advisory Committee, we have created teams trained to facilitate Person Centered Planning (PCP) meetings for regional center consumers and to assist individuals and their families access Self Determination.
Our Independent Facilitator teams consist of a unique combination of mentors and self advocates eager to identify the possibilities available to regional center consumers. Our teams facilitate PCP meetings with individuals, their families and friends in order to help identify and make a plan to help individuals reach their dreams. One of our self advocate’s mottos is “Dream Big and Sparkle” – as a member of our PCP teams she helps individuals and their families and friends get beyond seeing the disability to seeing the possibility.