Preparing Young People with Deafblindness for Adult Life

Preparing for Adult Life Cannot Wait

For young people with deafblindness, the final years of school are more than the end of formal education—they are the beginning of adult life. During this important stage, students gradually develop communication, daily living, household, vocational, and social skills that help them participate more independently in their families and communities. These abilities cannot be learned through instruction alone. They develop through regular practice in everyday life.

Schools play an essential role in creating these learning opportunities. At the same time, preparing for adulthood cannot happen at school alone. Families are equally important partners, as home provides countless opportunities for young people to practise communication, build independence, and participate in meaningful daily routines.

Many families are deeply committed to supporting their children, yet they have had limited opportunities to learn the communication approaches and practical strategies used at school. As a result, young people often experience two different learning environments. Skills introduced at school may not be practised consistently at home, making progress slower and the transition to adult life more challenging.

For two of the three young people participating in this pilot, graduation is approaching quickly. The opportunity to prepare for adult life cannot simply be postponed. Without consistent opportunities to practise communication, personal care, household responsibilities, money management, community participation, and vocational routines, the transition from school to adulthood can become a sudden step rather than a gradual journey.

To help bridge this gap, MIPI is launching the Transition House initiative. Working alongside a partner school and participating families, the Transition House provides a supportive environment where young people can practise everyday skills through real-life experiences beyond the classroom. Families also receive coaching and practical guidance so that learning can continue naturally at home. Rather than replacing the role of schools or families, the initiative strengthens the connection between them, creating more consistent opportunities for learning, participation, and independence.

A Strong Foundation Is Already in Place

This initiative is already built on a shared commitment. Individual transition plans have been completed for each participating student. Families have committed to the six-month pilot, the partner school provides the Transition House and its basic facilities, and MIPI contributes technical leadership, transition planning, coaching, mentoring, supervision, and overall program coordination.

External support is sought only for the remaining implementation components that make consistent day-to-day learning possible.

Join Us in Building the Bridge to Adult Life

Every successful transition begins with people who believe that preparation matters.

If you would like to learn more about this initiative, we would be delighted to share the full project proposal and explore how you or your organisation could become part of this partnership.

Request the Full Project Proposal – Please contact US

The full proposal includes the project design, implementation plan, partnership opportunities, budget, timeline, and monitoring framework.