Latest newsletter from KentuckyWorks to improve employment outcomes for students with developmental disabilities. No images? Click here Pictured in photo [left to right]: Erica Price, Tammy Stoneking, Trina Hewlett, Jeff White, Shelby Jones, Dale Verstegen, Johnny Collett, and Sean Roy Seamless Transition PilotEmployment outcomes for students with disabilities, in general, lag behind their non-disabled peers. For students with the most significant disabilities, employment opportunities and outcomes are even worse. In 2019, about 43%of all youth with disabilities who exited high school in the previous year were competitively employed. For youth with autism, functional mental disabilities (FMD), and multiple disabilities (MD), that number was 13.2%. and, in fact, 56%of these students were not engaged in any employment or other postsecondary education. The Kentucky Seamless Transition Pilot, a collaborative effort between HDI’s KentuckyWorks and Community Work Transition Projects, with the support of Sean Roy and Dale Verstegen from the YES!Center, is partnering with two Kentucky school districts – Simpson County and Montgomery County - to support youth an young adults with significant disabilities in finding competitive employment, by identifying participating students’ strengths, interests, and potential employment opportunities. The Pilot is working with the schools, employers, local Vocational Rehabilitation counselors, and families to create a plan that leads to meaningful work experiences for their student. In November, partners worked on-site with the two districts to engage parents in conversation about their child’s employment interests, needs, and opportunities. This process provided and opportunity for parents to: 1) Help school staff better understand student interests and strengths, 2) Suggest employers and help to connect to possible employment opportunities, and 3) Set the expectation that work is possible. The parent conversations helped to inform the ongoing development of a Student Positive Personal Profile that serves as the foundation for identifying work opportunities in the local community for each student. In December, partners worked on-site with the two districts in approaching employers in the community to learn about their businesses and employment needs. These employer interviews will assist school staff in creating Employer Proposal Letters that specifically outline how individual students, based on their interests and abilities, could benefit the employer’s business. School staff from both districts have been very positive about the initial impact of the Pilot, and how these processes can assist them in their ongoing work to support youth an young adults with significant disabilities in finding competitive employment. Staff from the Community Work Transition Program andKentuckyWorks will continue to support districts in their work to create meaningful work experiences leading to paid employment outcomes. We look forward to learning more from the Pilot and how we may best support other districts in the state.
New HDI Transportation WebsiteThis website shares many resources about transportation available to people with disabilities and also offers free online learning modules about Non-emergency medical transportation, Ride Share, and ADA Paratransit. The Transportation Initiative is a project of UK’s Human Development Institute and is funded through the support of the Commonwealth Council on Developmental Disabilities. The Transportation Initiative seeks to provide comprehensive information and education on transportation options. Register for the Transition Top 10 MeetingOn Wednesday, January 29 at 12pm ET, KentuckyWorks will be hosting a conference call to discuss the top ten things parents and youth with disabilities can do to prepare for and achieve their employment goals. We will also include tips for how to develop skills at different ages. One group will focus on the basics that parents need to know when their child is in the early childhood years from 3-5. The other group will focus on what youth and their parents need to know in the transition yearsfrom 16-18. Download the flyer with details and registration. Please share with your networks, and consider participating!
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Resource HighlightsWe have so many amazing free resources available at KentuckyWorks to help youth, families, professionals, and employers, and we also created flyers to let you know what resources might be the most helpful for you! Check out all the modules, infographics, flyers, videos and other resources on the KentuckyWorks resource page!
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