As a membership advocacy organization, the Association for Community Living in Boulder County has provided information, counsel and training events for members for nearly a quarter century. With the establishment of The ACL Learning Center, the association is offering learning opportunities to members with developmental disabilities, in pursuit of the benefits and satisfaction of lifelong learning for everyone.

Publicly funded services in the adult system are increasingly oriented to maintaining the health and safety of persons being served. At the ACL Learning Center, students who have completed their public education will be able to continue to learn new practical skills or to pursue new hobbies according to their own choices. Learning may take place at the Learning Center, or it may be organized and coordinated there, while taking place in another setting or in cooperation with another organization or instructor.

The ACL does not provide residential services or services in support of the typical daily activities of our members. In fact, the association has intentionally maintained the ability to act as independent advocates by avoiding any revenue source that would potentially compromise the vigor or content of the advocacy offered on behalf of a person with a developmental disability.

As relatives and friends of people with developmental disabilities, we believe that personal growth includes being able to learn new skills and make new friends. We intend to encourage the personal growth of our loved ones, through assisting them in expanding their personal capabilities and through fostering their active participation in all aspects of community life, based upon their interests and choices.

Potential Courses

The Learning Plan created specifically for each student can include courses such as the basics of a job interview or making friends at work or learning to read and enjoy books. For fun they might want to learn the basics of painting with water colors or making decorations for the holidays, or learn how to get onto the Internet and search for information. Learning Plans will not be oriented to providing recreational outings, but rather will include activities that will lead to increased skills and abilities in some way.

The ACL Learning Center is a new approach to encourage learning after high school in a welcoming environment. A few of the benefits include:

• A nurturing environment encouraging students to become more independent while learning to be interdependent with others.

• Opportunities to form new friendships.

• An expectation of personal growth for each student based upon increased abilities and expanded knowledge.

• A demonstrated regard for the dignity of being able to actively pursue and develop one's personal interests.

• Citizenship, in the sense of enabling citizens to achieve more of their potential and to contribute even more as members of their community.

• The potential to relieve some of the pressure on current publicly funded services.

The ACL Learning Center is located in a beautiful large house, on 4.8 acres of agricultural land, in the center of Boulder County, Colorado. The grounds and house are very appealing, creating a warm and welcoming environment for everyone.

The generosity of Kirk and Jan Hendricks enabled the ACL to purchase the property at a price well below the appraised market value. The Hendricks wanted to convey the property to the ACL, and to make life more full, for a number of people, in new and exciting ways. The ACL is most appreciative of the gracious and generous donation by Jan and Kirk Hendricks and their commitment to the dreams of many others.

A Helping Hand is Welcome!

Support and encouragement from many people are fundamentally important to the success of the ACL Learning Center. The needs of the Learning Center are derived from our students' needs. Individual contributors of funds and personal time can be assured of a strong correlation between the support they offer and the learning opportunities for the students.

The ACL Learning Center has a large mortgage and expenses related to the facility and grounds, and plans for the expansion of comfort areas in the yard, with pathways, gardens and more shade trees. Donations will enable the ACL Learning Center to continue. Volunteers are needed in all areas.

Contributions for the ACL Learning Center can be addressed to the administrative offices at 5744 North Seventy First Street, Longmont, CO 80503. Please become a patron of the ACL Learning Center, and encourage others who value learning to support this new venture with you.

All contents Copyright © 2005 - 2010 ACL of Boulder. All rights reserved.  Last modified: January 23, 2010

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