The Next Step for Neurodivergent Young Adults
Neurodivergent, including autistic young people, have enough challenges because of their atypical brains. Consequently, the social challenges and rejection from being different increases anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
When their social/emotional needs don’t get met, the survival brain response of “flight/fight/freeze” gets triggered. It’s no wonder they get stuck, isolate, overuse screens, or seem to self-sabotage forward momentum.
TechieForLife (TFL) is a safe and supportive place for neurodivergent, young adults, to finally belong with others like them who have similar challenges, struggles, interests, and… are all working on their next steps together.
OUR LOCATION
640 E 700 S Ste 303
St. George, UT 84770
LET’S CHAT
435.574.9393
PODCAST
Autism & Neurodiversity
With Jason & Debbie Grygla
TechieForLife is the licensed vocational school and mentors for neurodivergent, including autistic young adults, who want belonging and support with their next steps on their educational/career path.
Instead of using mental health treatment or outdated and harmful behavioral compliance approaches, TechieForLife addresses the needs of neurodivergent minds through “NeuroDevelopmental Mentoring” (NDM).
Based on current neuroscience, NDM honors autonomy while supporting long-term development, and well-being through connection and collaboration.
Educational /
Career Path
Every student has their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Our goal with every student is to support them in maximizing their strengths while minimizing their weak areas.
As part of our enrollment process, we have students take an online career interest and aptitude assessment. It gives us a better idea of how their brain works. Students are matched with best-fit careers in areas of their interests.
We then go over the results, considering their specific diagnosis or learning challenges. We use this to support our students in determining a viable educational/career path.
Because our program offers a variety of options, it allows for individualized and flexible career plans.
EDUCATIONAL / CAREER PATH OFFERINGS
IN-HOUSE COMPUTER TECH TRAINING
If students are interested in tech, they can earn industry relevant certifications in things like basic computer literacy, computer coding, software design, web development, graphic design or other tech related marketable skills. TFL is a licensed technology vocational school.
If tech isn’t their thing, we still have them covered:
TRADITIONAL COLLEGE
Comprehensive support for students taking classes at nearby Utah Tech University.
APPRENTICESHIPS
Hands on work experience with a career mentor in a specific field.
TRADE SCHOOL
Mentoring for students training at Dixie Technical College or other local programs.
JOB EXPERIENCE & INTERNSHIPS
Meaningful career opportunities and ongoing occupational support. In other words, not just fast food.
SUPPORT WHEN THEY NEED IT
NeuroDevelopmental Mentoring (NDM)
Students benefit from the support they need when they need it. Peer-aged mentors are here to walk with students while they navigate day to day life.
TFL’s caring mentors are also young adults who are going to college, working, and knee deep in adulting just like our students. They get it!
Trained in our unique NeuroDevelopmental Mentoring approach, TFL’s mentoring team meets weekly to discuss each student and how to best support them.
STUDENT LIFE
TFL Campus
Student have a comfortable place to hang out with their friends at TFL. They can enjoy snacks, comfortable couches, big screen TV’s, computers, a common area, and other rooms.
ACTIVITIES
Fun and challenging activities are an important part of life at TFL. Students start building friendships, and participating in weekly activities planned by our Student Committee. For example, some favorite ones are pizza movie night, game tournaments, lake trips, hiking, bowling, rappelling, rock climbing and laser tag.
Monthly, they get out for an adventurous overnight trip or experience. For instance, they attend the FanX convention in Salt Lake City, go river rafting in Moab, stay at a mountain cabin, horseback ride through the beautiful Southern Utah wilderness and camp in the desert.
These are just some of the rich life experiences students engage in while at TFL.
LIFE SKILLS CLASSES
In order to make an easier transition into independent living, we offer life skill classes. Here are a few of the important topics students learn about:
COLLEGE CAMPUS
We help students get involved by joining groups and the numerous activities at Utah Tech. We encourage students to take one to three classes so they can learn how to be successful at college, have a positive experience, and especially have the opportunity to develop.
Utah Tech University is a state mandated open enrollment school, so all of our students can enroll and be accepted. Their beautiful campus is also rated as one of the top 50 safest colleges in the country.
HEALTH & FITNESS
Students are supported in healthy living. They exercise at the gym or outdoors several times a week. We also like to do challenges and fun contests.
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING
Students get involved in the community. They volunteer at several places, such as the local food pantry, Habitat for Humanity, or the animal shelter.
THERAPY
If therapy would be beneficial, students are invited to see one of the highly recommended therapists TFL contracts with for services. (It’s included in our tuition.)
DRIVER’S TRAINING
Many of our students struggle with getting a driver’s license. Or even if they have a driver’s license, they still experience heightened anxiety when they get behind a wheel.
Our students need ways to build their confidence with more practice and repetition.
Our fun and safe solution is using desert trails just outside of St. George, Utah. TFL students go out on a side-by-side, a 6-person, four-wheel drive off-road vehicle. It’s the best way we’ve found to get some of our students to try driving.
Then when a student is ready, we send them to Tracy Newby, owner/instructor at TNTdriveschool.com.
CAREER COACHING
Students at TFL also receive specific help to navigate their career path. Our mentors helps students with things like polishing their resume and preparing for interviews, in addition to finding volunteer opportunities, internships, and jobs.
If they need occupational support, we work with employers to ensure a more positive experience.
ACROSS FROM UTAH TECH UNIVERSITY
Student Housing
Students live nearby, across the street from Utah Tech University in our student housing. 24-hour support is available.
Our guy’s and girl’s houses are conveniently located within close walking distance of Utah Tech and TFL’s campuses. They’re nicely furnished with two beds to a room, a spacious kitchen and living room as well as bathrooms and a washer and dryer.
To discourage isolating,
no WiFi, TVs, or computers are
allowed at the houses.
Students mostly use the houses for sleeping, meals, and down time. Additionally, TFL’s campus provides a comfortable space for hanging out and socializing. It has high speed WiFi, big screen TV’s, computers and gaming.
FINDING THEIR PATH TOGETHER
Who Our Students Are
TechieForLife students aspire to become more socially connected and independent while they find their educational/career path.
Typically, TFL students are young men and women, ages 18-30ish. They come to our program from diverse backgrounds.
Students are at various stages in their career and life development. Some students may need to finish high school, others want to start college, and some come with a college degree.
Some students may need a first job, some are ready for an internship, and others are looking at career placements.
Not All Students In TFL’S Program Have A Diagnosis But Some Common Ones Could Include:
ANXIETY | DEPRESSION | OCD | NVLD
AUTISM (WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISORDER) | ADD/ ADHD
PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER NOS, OR PDD NOS
Who We Are
As founding partners of TFL, we are first and foremost family oriented parents, some with neurodivergent teens and young adults of our own. We are also professionals. We want TFL students to experience the same quality of life that our own children enjoy. So naturally, safety and success are of utmost importance.
JASON GRYGLA, LCMHC, MA
Executive Director,
Founding Partner
DR. ERIC PEDERSON
Dean of Science, Engineering, & Technology at Utah Tech University,
Founding Partner
How we involve parent(s) financial supporters
Helping a neurodivergent young adult become more independent requires some “cutting of apron strings.” As they have new experiences and learn to do more for themselves, they develop a stronger identity. They can then learn to have adult relationships with their parents and adult supporters.
Our students are notorious for not being great at reaching out. They don’t always think about sharing the details of their life. So, we try to give parents more information about how their son or daughter is doing. Hopefully, this also helps to reduce anxiety and worry.
SCHEDULED CALLS
We schedule calls with parent(s)/supporters on a bi-weekly basis. Calls may be with our Executive Director, our Program Director or both. Occasionally, we invite a student to be in on the call if needed.
Parent(s)/supporters are also always welcome to call their student anytime, just like if they were away at college.
PARENT & FRIEND NEWSLETTERS
We send out fun newsletters each month. They’re filled with lots of pictures and student write-ups of TFL activities.
Check them out here: TechieForLife Newsletters
PARENT SUPPORT
Many parents and guardians of neurodivergent children and young adults go through things rarely described in parenting books, on TV, or in the world at large. How could others possibly understand?
Some parents/guardians appreciate more support and the best parents are mentors, too. With this in mind, we include membership in Jason & Debbie’s “developMentors” monthly membership program.
It includes video courses, live group coaching calls on Zoom, and a supportive community.
FAQ
Yes, we are co-ed and welcome LGBTQIA+ students.
TechieForLife was founded in 2016. We currently have up to 30 students in our main program, as well as, 12 in our independent condos. Furthermore, students don’t need to be a “techie” to be accepted at TFL. Not only do we offer in-house intro and more advanced certifications, but we also mentor students in a variety of individualized (including non-tech related) educational/career paths.
Students are typically in our main program about a year. However, some may need more or less time depending on their individual needs.
St. George, Utah is located in the southwest corner of Utah and closely borders Arizona and Nevada. The desert climate here has low humidity, generally clear skies, relatively mild winters, and hot summers. We’re situated near beautiful state and National parks. It’s takes about 45 minutes to get to Zion National Park, 2 hours to Bryce Canyon National Park, and 1 1/2 hours to Brianhead Ski Resort from TFL.
The nearest airport is the convenient St. George Regional Airport about 15 minutes from TechieForLife with layovers in Denver, CO or Phoenix, AZ. We’re also 2 hours from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, NV. There are shuttles that run between the airport and St. George throughout the day.
Most students move to our independent housing when they are successfully attending classes at Utah Tech and/or maintaining employment and are ready for more independence with mentoring. Some students move back home. While others are ready to move into their own apartment when they finish at TFL.
TFL’s global tuition includes:
- Housing (2 beds to a room)
- Food
- Activities, gym membership & monthly overnight adventure/trips
- Communal items all students use for example: Laundry detergent & toilet paper
- Mentoring
- Life skills classes
- Life coaching
- TFL’s in-house tech certification program
- Vocational support, job search, career planning, internships, apprenticeships, job coaching
- College & trade school support (including tutoring if needed)
- College class enrollment management
- One session of contracted therapy a week (if needed.)
- Appointment management
- Cell phone plan
We are able to offer limited scholarships from time to time. Because we are a licensed postsecondary vocational school, we qualify for 529 college savings plans. Some school districts have also funded students. This is due to the extensive support we offer their students who still need to complete a high school education.
We are not a licensed therapeutic program. However, we do include contracted therapy in our tuition. Unfortunately, we do not qualify for insurance reimbursement.
There are two beds to a room and four rooms to a floor. Each floor has a kitchen, living room, two bathrooms, and a washer/dryer in the guy’s house.
In the girl’s house there are two beds to a room and eight rooms in the house.
Students have roommates in order to practice the valuable social skills of getting along. While students may not bring a pet, they take turns caring for TFL’s emotional support dog, Roo. Mentors live on-site. They can be contacted by phone for emergencies 24/7.
Many students come to TFL with what parents would describe as screen/gaming overuse. When neurodivergent young adults have not been able to get their social/emotional needs met they often find online options to be a less threatening social environment. When students enroll at TFL, our primary focus is to help them feel safety and belonging. As they participate in our program they subsequently become less dependent and more balanced in their screen use.
In order to discourage isolating we do not allow computers, WiFi or TVs in student housing. These features are freely available in The Loft, where students are encouraged to gather together.
If a student is struggling with getting up in the morning, we mentor them through that. We connect with them to better understand their struggles. Then we collaborate with them to find long-term solutions. We may pause their phone service if it’s too distracting for them at night. As soon as they can show up on time the next morning they get it turned back on.
Our students come from all over the country. Our students come from at-home living, supported apartment living, other programs, wilderness programs, etc. We don’t endorse or proselytize a religion. However, we will support each student’s religious preferences or otherwise.
Mentors transport students to activities and on errands.
Supplemental transportation:
- If a student has a car or would like to have one, they can discuss permission and arrangements with our Executive Director.
- Many students opt for an electric scooter to easily travel between TFL’s campus “The Loft,” the student houses, and Utah Tech campus.
We do not accept students who are unwilling to come and be mentored. We do not accept students who have a severe intellectual disability. Students must be ready for a college living experience. Furthermore, safety is of upmost importance. Consequently, we don’t accept students who are violently aggressive, act out sexually, actively use illegal drugs, or would threaten the safety of our other students and mentors.
Contact us to set up a call or Zoom.
If your young adult sounds like a good fit we’ll set up a Zoom call to interview your young adult. Provided that the interview goes well, we will invite you to come tour in person. (In case of extenuating circumstances we can arrange a virtual tour.)
