Programs for Autistic Young Adults: Real Skills, Real Independence

Build confidence, life skills, and meaningful independence through hands-on learning designed for neurodivergent young adults.

What Happens After High School?

The transition to adulthood brings both excitement and uncertainty. Young adults on the autism spectrum often face a 6-8 year gap in daily living skills—not because they can’t learn them, but because traditional teaching methods don’t work for neurodivergent learners. At Meristem, we bridge that gap through experiential learning: hands-on programs for autistic adults that build real independence, genuine confidence, and the practical skills needed for adult life.

Three Pathways to Independence

Every student at Meristem follows a personalized path based on their goals, abilities, and interests. Our programs for autistic adults fall into three core pathways.

Ready to get started? Here’s the path forward.

Essential Life Skills

Building the foundation for autonomous living

Master daily living skills, job readiness, and wellness through real-world practice—not worksheets.

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Vocational & Work Experience

Preparing for employment through real work

Contribute meaningfully while building work stamina, professional skills, and job-ready capabilities.

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Creative & Technical Trades

Developing specialized skills through craft

Build vocational skills and executive function through hands-on creation in traditional trades and creative arts.

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Essential Life Skills: Building the Foundation for Autonomous Living

The ability to manage daily life independently doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built through consistent practice in real-world settings. At Meristem, we teach the foundational skills that make autonomous living possible, from personal care and household management to budgeting and community navigation.

These aren’t theoretical lessons. Students practice managing actual budgets, shopping for real groceries, preparing meals they’ll eat, and maintaining living spaces they use every day. They learn time management by coordinating their own schedules, and decision-making by working through real choices with real consequences.

Independent Living Skills

We help students develop the practical capabilities needed for daily life:

Personal Care: Hygiene routines, grooming, clothing selection and care, health management, and medication awareness
Household Management: Cleaning and organizing living spaces, laundry, basic home maintenance, and creating functional routines
Financial Literacy: Budgeting, tracking expenses, banking basics, understanding bills, and making informed purchasing decisions
Meal Planning & Preparation: Menu planning, grocery shopping with lists and budgets, food safety, cooking techniques, and kitchen cleanup
Time Management: Using calendars and planners, setting priorities, meeting deadlines, and balancing multiple responsibilities
Community Navigation: Using public transportation, accessing community resources, understanding social norms in different settings, and staying safe

Students work through these skills at their own pace, with individualized support that meets them where they are. We recognize that everyone’s path to independence looks different, and we tailor our approach to each student’s unique strengths and challenges.

Independent Living Skills

We help students develop the practical capabilities needed for daily life:

Personal Care: Hygiene routines, grooming, clothing selection and care, health management, and medication awareness
Household Management: Cleaning and organizing living spaces, laundry, basic home maintenance, and creating functional routines
Financial Literacy: Budgeting, tracking expenses, banking basics, understanding bills, and making informed purchasing decisions
Meal Planning & Preparation: Menu planning, grocery shopping with lists and budgets, food safety, cooking techniques, and kitchen cleanup
Time Management: Using calendars and planners, setting priorities, meeting deadlines, and balancing multiple responsibilities
Community Navigation: Using public transportation, accessing community resources, understanding social norms in different settings, and staying safe

Job Readiness

Preparing for employment goes far beyond writing a resume. We help students develop the professional skills and workplace behaviors that lead to successful employment:

Career Exploration: Discovering interests, identifying strengths, researching career options, and setting realistic employment goals
Workplace Communication: Professional email etiquette, phone skills, asking questions appropriately, and giving and receiving feedback
Professional Etiquette: Understanding workplace culture, dress codes, punctuality, attendance expectations, and appropriate boundaries
Resume & Application Skills: Creating effective resumes, completing applications accurately, and presenting qualifications confidently
Interview Preparation: Practicing common interview questions, body language awareness, articulating strengths, and asking thoughtful questions
Self-Advocacy in Employment: Requesting accommodations, communicating needs to supervisors, and problem-solving workplace challenges

Our job readiness program includes mock interviews with video review, allowing students to see themselves as employers would and make adjustments. We practice real workplace scenarios, from handling conflicts with coworkers to managing unexpected schedule changes

Movement & Wellness

Physical wellness and body awareness are essential components of independence. Our movement and wellness programs help students build:

Body Awareness & Coordination: Understanding how their body moves through space, improving balance and coordination, and developing physical confidence
Physical Stamina: Building endurance for work and daily activities through regular exercise and active recreation
Nervous System Regulation: Learning techniques to manage stress, recognize physical signs of overwhelm, and return to calm
Recreation & Leisure Skills: Developing hobbies and activities that promote physical health, social connection, and stress relief

Activities include roller skating, nature walks, gym visits, pool time, and group games that make movement enjoyable while building essential physical capabilities.

Movement & Wellness

Physical wellness and body awareness are essential components of independence. Our movement and wellness programs help students build:

Body Awareness & Coordination: Understanding how their body moves through space, improving balance and coordination, and developing physical confidence
Physical Stamina: Building endurance for work and daily activities through regular exercise and active recreation
Nervous System Regulation: Learning techniques to manage stress, recognize physical signs of overwhelm, and return to calm
Recreation & Leisure Skills: Developing hobbies and activities that promote physical health, social connection, and stress relief

Activities include roller skating, nature walks, gym visits, pool time, and group games that make movement enjoyable while building essential physical capabilities.

Vocational & Work Experience: Preparing for Employment Through Real Work

There’s no substitute for authentic work experience. Reading about workplace expectations or watching videos about professional behavior can’t replicate the feeling of a full day’s work, the satisfaction of completing a meaningful project, or the challenge of working through problems with coworkers.

At Meristem, we provide real work opportunities where students contribute meaningfully to our community while building the stamina, skills, and professional identity that lead to successful employment. This isn’t simulated work or make-believe tasks—it’s genuine work that matters.

Work Experience

Our campus and grounds provide authentic work settings where students develop practical vocational skills:

Grounds-Keeping & Landscaping: Mowing, edging, weeding, mulching, pruning, and seasonal landscape maintenance using professional equipment
Facility Maintenance: Painting, minor repairs, organizing storage areas, setting up for events, and general campus upkeep
Event Support: Setting up and breaking down for campus events, food service support, and hospitality tasks
Tool Use & Safety: Learning to use and maintain hand tools, power tools, and equipment safely and effectively
Project Management: Planning projects, estimating time and materials, working through challenges, and seeing tasks through to completion

Students work alongside experienced staff who model professional behavior, provide coaching in real-time, and help students build the stamina and focus required for sustained work. They learn to follow instructions, ask clarifying questions, problem-solve when things don’t go as planned, and take pride in work well done.

Culinary Arts

Our commercial kitchen provides hands-on training in food service—one of the largest employment sectors for adults with disabilities:

Cooking Fundamentals: Knife skills, cooking techniques, recipe following, ingredient preparation, and flavor development
Food Safety: Proper food handling, temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and health code compliance
Kitchen Management: Organizing workspaces, managing time during meal preparation, coordinating with team members, and maintaining cleanliness
Menu Planning: Understanding nutrition, planning balanced meals, accommodating dietary restrictions, and scaling recipes
Commercial Food Production: Preparing meals for our community, creating products for sale, and understanding food service operations

Advanced students have opportunities to develop business skills by creating products for our farm stand and local markets. They learn about pricing, packaging, marketing, and customer service—skills that translate directly to employment or even entrepreneurship.

Culinary Arts

Our commercial kitchen provides hands-on training in food service—one of the largest employment sectors for adults with disabilities:

Cooking Fundamentals: Knife skills, cooking techniques, recipe following, ingredient preparation, and flavor development
Food Safety: Proper food handling, temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, and health code compliance
Kitchen Management: Organizing workspaces, managing time during meal preparation, coordinating with team members, and maintaining cleanliness
Menu Planning: Understanding nutrition, planning balanced meals, accommodating dietary restrictions, and scaling recipes
Commercial Food Production: Preparing meals for our community, creating products for sale, and understanding food service operations

Land Stewardship & Hospitality

Our three-acre organic farm provides a unique setting for learning sustainable agriculture and connecting food production to food preparation:

Sustainable Farming Practices: Soil health management, composting, crop rotation, companion planting, and organic pest management
Crop Management: Planting, tending, harvesting, and processing vegetables, herbs, and fruits throughout the growing season
Animal Care: Daily care of our chickens, including feeding, watering, coop maintenance, and egg collection
Farm Equipment: Using and maintaining hand tools, wheelbarrows, and small farm equipment safely
Seed-to-Plate Connection: Following food from seed to harvest to kitchen, understanding where food comes from and how it’s grown

Our hospitality program connects farm work to food preparation, helping students understand the full cycle of food production and service. Students harvest vegetables they’ll cook with later, collect eggs they’ll use in baking, and see the direct impact of their farm work on our community meals.

What Participants Gain at Meristem

Our programs aren’t just activities to fill the day. They’re carefully designed pathways to independence, built around the skills that matter most for adult life.

Independence in Daily Living

Students develop the practical skills needed to manage a household, handle personal care, budget money, and navigate daily life with confidence.

Work Readiness & Vocational Skills

Participants gain hands-on experience in real work settings—from food service to woodworking to farm management—plus the soft skills employers actually value.

Self-Advocacy & Confidence

We help students learn to articulate their needs, ask for help, set boundaries, and believe in their own capabilities—essential skills for lifelong independence.

Executive Function & Problem-Solving

Our programs develop the planning, organization, and follow-through skills that make independence possible in all areas of life.

Social Connection & Community

Students build meaningful relationships with peers and mentors in a supportive, neurodiversity-affirming environment where they belong.

Creative & Technical Trades: Developing Specialized Skills Through Craft

There’s something transformative about creating with your hands. Whether it’s shaping clay on a wheel, coaxing a piece of wood into a functional object, or forging metal in a fire, craft work demands focus, patience, and problem-solving in ways that few other activities can match.

At Meristem, our creative and technical trade programs build vocational skills while strengthening the executive function abilities that make independence possible. Students create tangible products they’re proud of while developing the planning, sustained attention, and follow-through skills that transfer to all areas of life.

Woodworking

Our woodworking program teaches traditional techniques for creating functional, beautiful objects:

Hand Tool Mastery: Learning to use chisels, hand planes, saws, and carving tools safely and effectively
Greenwood Crafting: Working with freshly cut wood to create spoons, bowls, and other functional items
Furniture Making: Building stools, benches, tables, and other furniture pieces from start to finish
Project Planning: Designing projects, selecting appropriate wood, estimating materials, and planning work sequences
Finishing Techniques: Sanding, oiling, and finishing pieces to professional standards

Woodworking teaches patience—wood has its own grain and character that must be respected. Students learn to work with resistance, adjust their approach when things don’t go as planned, and persist through the multiple steps required to complete a project. These are the same skills needed for employment, household management, and independent living.

Woodworking

Our woodworking program teaches traditional techniques for creating functional, beautiful objects:

Hand Tool Mastery: Learning to use chisels, hand planes, saws, and carving tools safely and effectively
Greenwood Crafting: Working with freshly cut wood to create spoons, bowls, and other functional items
Furniture Making: Building stools, benches, tables, and other furniture pieces from start to finish
Project Planning: Designing projects, selecting appropriate wood, estimating materials, and planning work sequences
Finishing Techniques: Sanding, oiling, and finishing pieces to professional standards

Ceramics

Our ceramics studio provides opportunities to work with clay through hand-building and wheel-throwing:

Hand-Building Techniques: Pinch pots, coil building, slab construction, and sculptural forms
Wheel-Throwing: Centering clay, pulling walls, shaping forms, and creating functional pottery
Glazing & Finishing: Understanding glaze chemistry, applying glazes, and firing techniques
Multi-Step Process Management: Planning projects that require multiple sessions, managing work in progress, and seeing pieces through to completion

Clay is honest—it shows every hesitation, every loss of focus. Students learn to maintain sustained attention, work through frustration when pieces don’t turn out as expected, and develop the kind of patience that can’t be taught through worksheets.

Metals & Iron Forge

Our metals programs introduce students to traditional metalworking:

Copper Working: Hammering, forming, and finishing copper to create bowls, bracelets, and decorative items
Iron Forge: Heating iron in an outdoor forge, hammering it into shape, and creating tools and decorative pieces
Tool Use & Safety: Understanding heat, using hammers and anvils safely, and respecting the power of metalworking
Precision Work: Measuring, marking, and working to specifications

Metalworking demands precision and respect for materials. Students learn that metal requires specific techniques, that rushing leads to mistakes, and that patience and attention to detail produce quality results.

Metals & Iron Forge

Our metals programs introduce students to traditional metalworking:

Copper Working: Hammering, forming, and finishing copper to create bowls, bracelets, and decorative items
Iron Forge: Heating iron in an outdoor forge, hammering it into shape, and creating tools and decorative pieces
Tool Use & Safety: Understanding heat, using hammers and anvils safely, and respecting the power of metalworking
Precision Work: Measuring, marking, and working to specifications

Textiles

Our textile program builds fine motor skills and executive function through fiber arts:

Hand Sewing: Basic stitches, mending, creating simple projects, and working with patterns
Felting: Wet felting and needle felting to create decorative and functional items
Crochet & Knitting: Learning basic stitches, following patterns, and creating wearable items
Embroidery: Decorative stitching, following designs, and embellishing fabric

Textile work requires sustained focus and the ability to follow multi-step processes. Students learn to track their place in patterns, correct mistakes, and persist through projects that may take weeks to complete.

Visual Arts

Our visual arts program provides tools for self-expression and communication:

Drawing Fundamentals: Line, shape, shading, perspective, and composition
Illustration Techniques: Creating images that communicate ideas and stories
Non-Verbal Communication: Using visual art to express thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to verbalize
Creative Exploration: Experimenting with different media, styles, and approaches

For many students, visual art provides a powerful alternative to verbal communication. We honor this and create space for students to express themselves through images.

Visual Arts

Our visual arts program provides tools for self-expression and communication:

Drawing Fundamentals: Line, shape, shading, perspective, and composition
Illustration Techniques: Creating images that communicate ideas and stories
Non-Verbal Communication: Using visual art to express thoughts and feelings that may be difficult to verbalize
Creative Exploration: Experimenting with different media, styles, and approaches

For many students, visual art provides a powerful alternative to verbal communication. We honor this and create space for students to express themselves through images.

Music

Our music program builds confidence, coordination, and social connection:

Vocal Training: Breath support, pitch matching, harmony, and performance skills
Instrumental Instruction: Guitar, keyboard, percussion, and other instruments based on student interest
Band Sessions: Playing music together, coordinating with others, and performing for audiences
Music Theory: Understanding rhythm, melody, harmony, and song structure

Music requires coordination between mind and body, listening to others while contributing your own part, and the courage to perform. These skills build confidence that extends far beyond the music room.

Herbal Arts

Our herbal arts program connects students to traditional plant knowledge:

Plant Identification: Learning to identify medicinal and culinary herbs by sight, smell, and touch
Harvesting Techniques: When and how to harvest herbs for maximum potency
Processing & Preservation: Drying, tincturing, and creating herbal products
Product Creation: Making teas, salves, tinctures, and seasonings for personal use or sale

Herbal arts connects students to the natural world and traditional knowledge while building practical skills that can lead to small business opportunities.

Herbal Arts

Our herbal arts program connects students to traditional plant knowledge:

Plant Identification: Learning to identify medicinal and culinary herbs by sight, smell, and touch
Harvesting Techniques: When and how to harvest herbs for maximum potency
Processing & Preservation: Drying, tincturing, and creating herbal products
Product Creation: Making teas, salves, tinctures, and seasonings for personal use or sale

Herbal arts connects students to the natural world and traditional knowledge while building practical skills that can lead to small business opportunities.

Why the Meristem Method Works

Traditional classroom learning doesn’t work for everyone. Many autistic young adults have strong intellectual abilities but struggle with the practical skills of daily life—not because they can’t learn them, but because they need different teaching approaches.

At Meristem, we’ve built our programs for autistic adults on five core principles that make experiential learning effective:

Experiential Learning – We teach through doing, not just listening. Students practice real skills in real contexts, building genuine capabilities through meaningful work. There’s a profound difference between reading about budgeting and actually managing a budget, between watching a video about woodworking and feeling wood respond to your tools.

Working Through Resistance – We don’t avoid challenges—we work through them. Resistance is part of learning, and overcoming it builds real confidence and resilience. When clay doesn’t cooperate, when a budget doesn’t balance, when a recipe doesn’t turn out as expected—these are the moments where real learning happens. We support students through these challenges, helping them discover their own capacity to persist and problem-solve.

Individualized Support – Every student has unique strengths, challenges, and goals. We meet them where they are and help them grow at their own pace with personalized guidance. Some students need more support with executive function, others with social communication, still others with physical stamina. We tailor our approach to each student’s needs while maintaining high expectations for growth.

Self-Advocacy Development – We help students learn to articulate their needs, ask for help, set boundaries, and believe in their own capabilities—essential skills for lifelong independence. Self-advocacy isn’t just about asking for accommodations; it’s about understanding yourself, communicating effectively, and believing you deserve support when you need it.

Evidence-Based Practices – Our approach integrates proven educational philosophies including Waldorf education, Montessori principles, and therapeutic methodologies that honor neurodiversity. We draw on decades of research about how people learn best, particularly neurodivergent learners who benefit from hands-on, experiential approaches.

This isn’t theory—it’s a proven approach that helps young adults build the independence, confidence, and life skills they need to thrive in the real world.

Learn More About the Meristem Method →

Finding the Right Pathway

Each pathway serves students at different stages of their independence journey. Many students participate in programs across multiple pathways, building a personalized schedule that addresses their unique goals and needs.

Essential Life Skills Pathway

This pathway serves students who are building foundational independence—those who need practical skills for managing daily life, preparing for employment, and developing self-regulation tools. It’s ideal for students who:

Are transitioning from high school and need to develop adult living skills
Have intellectual capabilities but struggle with practical daily tasks
Need structured support to build routines and executive function
Are preparing for more independent living situations
Want to develop employment readiness alongside life skills

Students in this pathway develop the confidence and capability to manage their own daily lives. They learn to handle personal care independently, maintain their living spaces, manage money responsibly, and navigate their communities safely. Many students move toward more independent living situations, take on greater responsibility at home, or successfully transition to employment.

Vocational & Work Experience Pathway

This pathway serves students who are preparing for employment and need to build work stamina, develop professional skills, and discover their capabilities in real work settings. It’s ideal for students who:

Are ready to explore employment options and develop work identity
Need to build physical stamina and endurance for full work days
Learn best through hands-on, practical experience
Want to develop marketable skills in food service, landscaping, or agriculture
Are preparing for supported or competitive employment

Students in this pathway develop genuine work identity and the professional behaviors that lead to successful employment. They build physical endurance, learn to use tools and equipment safely, practice workplace communication, and discover career interests through hands-on experience. Many students go on to employment in food service, landscaping, retail, or other hands-on fields.

Vocational & Work Experience Pathway

Are ready to explore employment options and develop work identity
Need to build physical stamina and endurance for full work days
Learn best through hands-on, practical experience
Want to develop marketable skills in food service, landscaping, or agriculture
Are preparing for supported or competitive employment

Creative & Technical Trades Pathway

This pathway serves students who are developing specialized skills and want to explore potential career paths in trades or creative fields. It’s ideal for students who:

Learn best through hands-on creation and making tangible products
Need to build executive function through multi-step projects
Have interests in traditional crafts, arts, or making things
Want to develop marketable skills that could lead to employment or entrepreneurship
Benefit from the focus and patience that craft work requires

Students in this pathway master marketable craft skills while building the executive function abilities essential for independence. They create beautiful, functional items they can use, gift, or sell—experiencing the satisfaction of mastery and the confidence that comes from completing meaningful work. Many students discover career interests through these programs, going on to pursue further training in woodworking, ceramics, metalworking, or other trades.

What Families Are Asking

How do I know if Meristem is right for my young adult?

Meristem serves young adults with autism and other neurodiversity who are seeking greater independence and life skills. If a young adult has aged out of school services but isn’t ready to navigate the world alone, our programs can help bridge that gap. We work with students across a range of abilities—from those building foundational life skills to those preparing for competitive employment. The best way to determine fit is to visit our campus, see our programs in action, and talk with our team about specific goals and needs.

What does a typical day look like?

Students participate in multiple programs throughout the day, building a personalized schedule based on their goals and interests. A typical day might include independent living skills practice in the morning, vocational work experience before lunch, and a creative or technical trade program in the afternoon. Days include hands-on learning, real work experience, social connection with peers, and individualized support from our experienced staff. We maintain small group sizes to ensure personalized attention while providing opportunities for social interaction and community building.

What outcomes can families expect?

Every student is different, but we consistently see participants gain greater independence, improved self-confidence, stronger life skills, and clearer direction for their future. Many students move toward more independent living situations, taking on greater responsibility for household management, personal care, and financial decisions. Others go on to competitive or supported employment in fields like food service, landscaping, retail, or trades. Some continue their education or training in areas they discovered at Meristem. The most important outcome is that students develop genuine confidence in their own capabilities—they discover they can do hard things, work through challenges, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.

How much does it cost, and what funding options are available?

We offer transparent pricing and work with families to explore funding options including regional center funding, scholarships, and payment plans. Many families access funding through their regional center for day program services. We’re experienced in working with regional centers and can help families navigate the funding process. For families who don’t qualify for regional center funding or who are waiting for services, we offer private pay options and work to make Meristem as accessible as possible.

Your Path Forward Starts Here

At Meristem, we help young adults build real independence through programs that meet them where they are. Not just activities to fill the day, but meaningful work that builds genuine capabilities. Whether your young adult needs foundational life skills, vocational preparation, or specialized training in creative and technical trades, we offer pathways to independence that honor neurodiversity and build on individual strengths.

Ready to Get Started?

Schedule a Campus Visit – See our programs in action and meet our team. Walk through our organic farm, visit our woodworking shop, see our commercial kitchen, and watch students engaged in meaningful work. There’s no substitute for experiencing Meristem firsthand.

Start the Enrollment Process – Learn about our enrollment process, fees, and funding options. We’ll work with you to understand your young adult’s goals and determine the best pathway forward.

Questions? Call us at (916) 963-1000 or email info@meristem.pro. We’re here to answer questions and help you determine if Meristem is the right fit.

Programs for Autistic Young Adults: Real Skills, Real Independence