A Holistic Approach to Improving Student Quality of Life

When planning for transition to adulthood for students, it’s easy to focus on services and checklists—but what truly matters is supporting and expanding the quality of life a young person envisions for themselves.

Supporting a multidimensional model across various wellness domains is a good start to help students begin their vision. Review the article by News at IU to learn more about the 8 Dimensions of Wellness and refer to the diagram. Experts emphasize the importance of focusing on each dimension individually, as well as recognizing how they collectively contribute to our overall health.

A colorful circular diagram titled "8 Dimensions of Wellness." The wheel is divided into eight segments, each representing a dimension with an icon: Emotional (heart), Intellectual (lightbulb), Occupational (hands), Social (people), Financial (dollar sign), Physical (runner), Spiritual (sun/star), and Environmental (earth). A white figure in a meditative pose sits in the center

Students should pursue wellness activities based on their preferences, interests, and needs. With your guidance, students can prioritize skill development, pursue individual goals, and live a fulfilling life. The Center on Community Living and Careers has developed resources you can share with students and families.

The Charting the LifeCourse (CtLC) framework has specific tools to support transition teams as they shift from a systems-first mindset to a person-centered approach. Explore CtLC resources and tools with students and families. We highly recommend the tools listed below.

  • Life Vision worksheet can help students think specifically about their daily life, community living, safety, and personal relationships.
  • Trajectory for Planning worksheet can help students articulate what a good life looks like—and what they want to avoid.
  • Integrated Supports Star is another strategy that helps teams identify supports across five areas: personal strengths, relationships, technology, community resources, and eligibility-based services.

These simple tools can spark powerful conversations, reveal priorities beyond school and work, and broaden professionals’ lens to help students and families focus on the quality of life that is most important for them.

Bonus Tips:

Virtual Indiana Family Employment Awareness (FEAT) continues tonight! Learn about local, state, and federal resources supporting young adults with disabilities who want to work in their communities. Family members, transition-age students and young adults with disabilities, and the professionals who support them, are welcome to attend. All sessions are free and will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 PM ET.

Training Dates and Session Topics:

  • Tuesday, October 7: Benefits
  • Wednesday, October 8: Local and State Agency Presenters

All sessions are free. Register for this week’s sessions.