- Most Transformative Provider
- Service Category: Workplace Soft Skils
At AVI Human Services, we’re proud to highlight providers who create meaningful change; not just through curriculum, but through connection. The Transition Impact Awards recognized Preferred Employment & Living Supports (PELS) for their exceptional work supporting students in developing workplace soft skills, building confidence, encouraging participation, and preparing students for real-world success.
Blending Everyday Experience with Instruction
PELS brings a unique, relatable approach to transition work—grounding instruction in real life. As one provider noted:
“I have incorporated techniques that myself and my family use in life to help me maintain.”
By building lessons around strategies that are practical and lived, students are better able to understand and apply them in their own lives. The results have been clear in the classroom:
“Overall I could see confidence build in most students and they became engaged. It prompted others to share in class.”
That kind of engagement not only boosts individual learning—it creates a ripple effect that brings more students into the conversation.
Measuring What Matters with the TRT
To track student growth and understand where support is working, PELS uses the Transition Readiness Toolkit. The TRT provides measurable data on student understanding and progress across core areas of transition services.
“I would like to say that it is nice to have data to show that students are gaining new knowledge and understanding the material.”
This feedback loop is key, not only for ensuring services are effective, but for demonstrating to students, families, and partners that growth is happening.
Supporting Independence Through Soft Skills
Workplace soft skills like communication, emotional regulation, and teamwork are often the make-or-break element in long-term job success. PELS equips students with the self-awareness and confidence they need to thrive, not just during a job interview, but in daily interactions on the job and in life.
Their transition work reflects a broader mission of providing high-quality support and opportunities to people navigating disabilities, mental health needs, and life transitions.
We’re proud to recognize Preferred Employment & Living Supports for their thoughtful, human-centered work and for helping students grow in both confidence and competence.