Programs
Programming elements that will be used to meet these needs are:
In-House School Program
The youth in Xavier House will be given the opportunity to take courses through public school via virtual courses and in-house enrichment classes provided by educational staff.
Independent Living Skills
The staff at Xavier House will provide the residents with life skills that they may not have received because of being placed in different homes/group homes. Some life skills include cooking, cleaning, managing and understanding credit, opening and balancing a bank account, learning communication skills, driving, etc.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Chess club, reading club, civics club, foreign language clubs, art class, physical fitness program, and others based upon the interests of the residents.
Support for Family Visitations
Xavier House staff will work with the children and their families to maintain those connections that are healthy and important to the youth.
What to expect as an Xavier House Resident
When a youth becomes and Xavier House residents, they are understood for who they are and are seen through a lens of possibilities instead of deficits. The extent of the resident’s intellectual and educational needs are assessed, and a plan is developed to best meet those needs. The culture of Xavier House supports the child in feeling a sense of belonging; that they are in a place where their exceptionalities are appreciated. Our residents receive enrichment that addresses the opportunity gap so that they have the skills to successfully navigate higher education or a skilled trades. Staff are selected based on profiles that indicate they are a good match for caring for these spirited youth and then highly trained in trauma-informed care and the needs that come with caring for high-intelligence children. Each element of the program is based on decades of research on gifted and talent children that affirms that these children thrive and negative behaviors subside when they receive the right combination of care and services.
According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, in order to reach self-actualization, there are several levels of needs that should be met. Physiological, safety, love/belonging, and esteem must all be addressed before self-actualization can be achieved (McLeod, 2007). Xavier House will be a place that provides high-potential youth with the foundation they need to find success in their lives. With an emphasis on social-emotional learning, resiliency, and community with like-minded peers (in addition to academic and intellectual needs), Xavier House residents will be able to grow in ways they were not able to in other placements.
Sample Resident Housing Design
Youth from across the state of Florida will reside on our campus that was designed with positive youth development in mind. Residents will live in family-like groupings of 7 residents per house.
Youth accepted to our program can remain until their 18th birthday, at which time they will have the option of transitioning to our Young Adult program.
Sample design of our resident housing. Each grouping of 7 residents will have their own living space.