Careful attention to the environmental stresses of a specific setting is necessary. Consider the student’s responses to the Environmental Assessment and also consider the student’s behavior that you see in classroom and school environments as well. Your evaluation of these factors can often enhance the success of a volunteer experience, a summer or part-time job or a job training placement.
- Heavy lifting and physical activity can be beneficial in reducing anxiety and frustration. Will movement and activity improve the well-being of this individual?
- While nurseries can be quiet, landscape crews and animal kennels can be among the noisiest of settings. Will the student be able to tolerate the sounds of machinery on a landscape crew? Can the student benefit from the use of ear protection? Note that the predictability of the sound may prove acceptable to some students even if they have difficulty with noise in other settings.
- Does the open space make the individual feel more comfortable?For many, working in open air environments can become a preference once they experience such settings on a routine basis.
- Will the student develop acceptance of odors, noise, and dirt as a result of repeated performance, or are these sensory factors intolerable? Odors in animal and plant care settings can often be intense yet you may find the student tolerant of smells in these settings because of his motivation and interest.
- How does the student react to wearing loose farm clothing and to potentially getting very dirty and sweaty?
- In a retail nursery setting, how much interaction with customers will be required? If necessary, how might you support or narrow customer interactions for individuals who might have some difficulty with the related social-communication skills.
Self-Assessment – Career Planning – Environmental Assessment