Traditional social skills programs often teach communication and friendship skills in structured classroom settings. Explore So Cal provides participants with opportunities to practice and develop those same skills in real-world environments alongside community members and peers. Rather than role-playing social situations, participants engage in authentic social interactions while exploring their communities, building relationships, making decisions, and developing confidence through meaningful experiences. Because real friendships are built through shared experiences, Explore So Cal focuses on helping participants connect with others while enjoying adventures throughout Southern California.

Explore So Cal is a community-based social recreation and social skills development program that combines recreation, community integration, relationship building, communication development, and independent living skill practice through real-world experiences throughout Southern California.

Participants engage in meaningful community activities while receiving individualized support to develop and strengthen social communication skills, friendship development, community safety awareness, self-advocacy skills, decision-making skills, problem-solving skills, independent living skills, community navigation skills, self-confidence, and self-esteem.

Explore So Cal is designed to support individualized social, recreational, communication, friendship-development, community participation, self-advocacy, and independence goals. The program is appropriate for individuals who want support building real-world social skills, developing meaningful peer relationships, increasing confidence in community settings, and participating in age-appropriate recreational opportunities throughout Southern California.

For participants who receive Regional Center services or utilize Self-Determination Program funding, these individualized goals may also align with identified IPP outcomes, spending plan goals, and person-centered planning priorities.

Community integration is achieved through active participation in naturally occurring community activities where participants have opportunities to interact with peers, community members, businesses, transportation systems, recreational facilities, and cultural events in meaningful and age-appropriate ways. These experiences promote increased confidence, independence, and successful participation within the broader community.

Many individuals have limited opportunities to develop meaningful friendships and practice social skills in natural environments. While traditional social skills instruction can provide foundational knowledge, participants often require support transferring those skills into real-world situations. The program addresses barriers including social isolation, limited access to age-appropriate recreational opportunities, difficulty generalizing social skills across environments, and limited opportunities to build meaningful peer relationships. Explore So Cal focuses on the generalization of social, communication, and independent living skills across multiple community environments.

Explore So Cal is similar in purpose to other Regional Center-funded social recreation and social skills programs, including facilitated peer dining experiences, conversation-based social groups, and community-based peer interaction programs. Like these services, Explore So Cal supports communication skills, friendship-building skills, social problem-solving, self-advocacy, and community participation while expanding opportunities through real-world community experiences.

Prior to enrollment, Team Joe conducts an intake and interview process with the participant and, when appropriate, their family or support team. The purpose of the intake is to better understand interests, communication styles, support needs, social goals, and safety considerations. Team Joe carefully evaluates participant interests, communication styles, support needs, personalities, social goals, and community safety considerations when determining potential peer matches. This intentional matching process increases the likelihood of successful social interactions, meaningful friendship development, and positive community experiences. The program is intended for individuals who do not engage in behaviors that create significant health and safety concerns during community outings, including physical aggression, elopement, or other behaviors that cannot be safely supported within a community-based social recreation setting. Services may be provided individually or in small groups of up to three participants.

Explore So Cal is offered one time per month for 12 months. Each community adventure consists of an 8-hour service day. Rate: $150 per hour. Transportation costs, including Uber or Lyft rides, are billed separately. Food, admission fees, activity fees, and personal expenses are not included in the hourly rate and remain the responsibility of the participant or family in accordance with SDP guidelines.

Uber and Lyft transportation may be utilized to promote community integration and provide opportunities to practice real-world transportation skills, rideshare etiquette, community safety awareness, communication skills, and independent travel skills. Participants may practice requesting transportation, confirming driver and vehicle information, appropriate communication with drivers, and community navigation skills.

While recreation serves as the vehicle for engagement, the primary purpose of Explore So Cal is the development and practice of social, communication, self-advocacy, relationship-building, and community participation skills. Activities are selected not only for enjoyment, but also for their ability to create meaningful opportunities for skill development, social interaction, decision-making, and increased independence.

Unlike traditional social skills groups that primarily rely on classroom instruction, role-playing, or structured conversation exercises, Explore So Cal allows participants to practice and apply skills in real-world environments with real peers and community members. Participants are able to develop confidence, independence, and meaningful relationships through shared experiences while receiving individualized support and coaching from Team Joe.

The program focuses on helping participants build authentic connections and increase community participation in ways that are enjoyable, meaningful, and sustainable.

Services include participant intake and assessment, individualized activity planning, peer matching, community safety planning, transportation coordination, direct support during activities, social coaching, skill development opportunities, documentation, and progress reporting.

Team Joe's approach emphasizes individualized support and intentional community-based experiences designed to promote meaningful outcomes rather than passive participation. Every community adventure is planned with participant goals, interests, support needs, safety considerations, and opportunities for social growth in mind.

Increased community participation, increased social interaction, development of meaningful friendships, improved communication skills, increased independence, increased self-advocacy, improved community safety awareness, increased confidence in community settings, and development of leisure and recreational interests.

Progress summaries are available upon request and may include participation data, community integration activities completed, social engagement opportunities, friendship development opportunities, and observations related to participant goals.

At Team Joe, we believe meaningful friendships are built through shared experiences. We believe the most effective way to learn social skills is to practice them with real people in real community settings. Our goal is not simply to teach social skills, but to create opportunities for participants to develop authentic friendships, increase confidence, strengthen independence, and become active members of their communities.

Because the best way to learn social skills is to use them.

While recreation serves as the vehicle for engagement, the primary purpose of Explore So Cal is the development of meaningful friendships, increased community integration, and the acquisition and generalization of social, communication, and independent living skills.