Archived The special education students walking around the store w/ target-branded worksheets.

[bogart1]

Anyone know the story behind these guys? I've seen them at several stores in the Chicagoland area. I usually see one student and a chaperon walking around filling out different worksheets that actually look very official and Target branded.

I assume it's some sort of community outreach program. Anyone have any other info? I'm genuinely curious.

 

[Snook]

I'm Chicagoland and I know what you're talking about. I never saw that the papers were Target-branded, though. I figured it was some program that was put together that is distributed to a lot of places that uses Target as a reference store; I don't think it's Target sponsored.

 

[AllThingsTarget101]

My understanding, or at least what my ETL-Hr told me is that it's a program run by the school and it's suppose to help develop the skill of shopping for themselves and a step for those with disabilities living on their own and just another every day task that is harder for them than it is for us. They're all so amazing and wonderful people, I love when they come in.

 

[Rarejem]

Most high schools today have what are called "transition to work" programs in which cognitively disabled students go out into the community with a paraprofessional to learn how to do a job. Many Target stores participate with these programs. In addition to this, most communities have work programs for disabled students and adults - be it physical or cognitive. Target participates with these programs by offering jobs to these members of the community. The program participants usually have a caseworker that follows up to ensure that they are being successful in their work. If you are not talking about those that are working at Target you could be observing students with their school aids/paras for whom going into a store to shop or eat is a part of their school curriculum so that they can learn to participate in the community at a variety of levels. The "official" paper may simply be their assignment with the Target logo on it so that they recognize where they are. Or it could be something else...

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Don't stop them! Great zoners. We get community points or them too.