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The goal for job and life development is to help young adults become productive members of society and develop confidence for the things they can do. But it all starts with a vision. You can develop a vision statement for your child as early as elementary school to serve as a guide for how you want your child to progress. With a clear vision, it's easier to develop goals and feel more confident in evaluating whether or not therapeutic and academic goals support what needs to be accomplished.
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As a parent, you will be hearing about transition in the IEP meeting when you child approaches 14 yrs old. Your child will be encouraged to come to the meeting and participate to the best of their ability. The discussion will begin to focus on the interests of the student and what do they need to learn that supports their adult life. Updating the vision statement for adulthood will help you and your child make decisions that support that vision.
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A great place to start is PA Career Zone, a brand new website, created by the Department of Education, that helps you research and organize progress towards career development.
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Besides academic goals, it's also helpful to know how your child can develop job skills and experience to add to their resume. Here's a brief overview of what's available:
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Career Development Classes: Classes or programs at school to help you plan for school and/or work after high school.
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Career Clubs: School: School based extracurricular clubs based upon specific careers or professions to help you plan for work after high school.
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Career and Technical Education: Education and classes where you are given hands-on learning and skill building for specific trades.
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Career Exploration: Investigating different career options and their requirements to help you identify career goals.
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Discovery Progress: A personalized, long-term approach where a person helps you focus on your strengths to plan for a job that is designed just for you.
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Unpaid Work Experience: Volunteer experiences on a job where you learn job skills, employer expectations and personal preferences.
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Paid Work Experience: A paid job or internship in your community.
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OVR Services: Individual or group services provided by a vocational rehabilition state agency that helps plan for your future and keep a job.
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Job Coaching Services: Provides support by a person from an agency that helps you get and keep a job.
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Summer Employment: A paid job in the summer while still in high school.
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On-the-Job Training: Programs that provide learning opportunities at job sites to help you best develop the skills needed to succeed at a business.
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Employer Partnerships: Partnerships between employers, schools and agencies that lead to career mentoring, job shadowing and training, work experience and employment.
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University Partnerships: Ask about partnerships between universities, colleges schools and agencies to create work experience.
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Consider Developing IEP Goals
30 Task Initiation IEP Goals (Task Avoidance)
11 Sample IEP Goals for Focus and Attention
15 IEP Goals for Working Memory (and Auditory Memory)
30 Task Initiation IEP Goals (Task Avoidance)
25 Impulse Control IEP Goals
17 Work Completion IEP Accommodations (Preferred and Non-Preferred Tasks)
Executive Functioning IEP Goals: 100 Practical, Measurable Goals for Special Education
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Local Resources
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AHEDD
Employment is sole focus. AHEDD is available to any family who needs
assistance with the electronic application for OVR and also provide assistance
in: Resume development, Interview guidance, Career explore activities, Work incentives counseling, Customized Employment services, Job development, Job coaching, Identification of transportation and assistive technology needs.
Call: 1-866-902-4333_ext 63001
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Easterseals LEAP Program
4-week comprehensive employment preparation program for youth with disabilities, ages 16-21, who attend school and are eager to work and earn a paycheck. It combines workplace and independent living skills instruction with real work experience to provide participants with the skills they need to transition successfully into adulthood.
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The Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL)
Pre-Employment Transition Services for ages 16-21 for competitive employment and independent living. Helps with travel training, paid work experiences, job shadowing, IEP consultation and ESY.
Where: 713 North 13th Street, Allentown, PA 18102
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The Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL)
Live Independently for Everyone is a school based program for any age provided by the school district includes 1:1 counseling, small groups, work essential skills, person centered planning, transition
Where: 713 N 13th St, Allentown, PA 18102
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The Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL)
Skills Training for students and young adults with disabilities will learn valuable skills to prepare for competitive employment and/or post secondary success.
For ages 16-27: career exploration, soft skills training (i.e. conflict management), person centered planning.
For ages 16-21: career/training/education exploration, post secondary focused independent living skills, assistance with pursuit of post secondary training/education.
Where: 713 N 13th St, Allentown, PA 18102
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The Lehigh Valley Center for Independent Living (LVCIL)
Read World Lehigh Valley is an interactive program focusing on work experiences and is designed for young adults ages 16-21. The program developes and reinforces the following skills: independent living, self-advocacy, vocational and leadership. This program is six weeks long, three days per week and is held at Dorney Park.
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The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation
A counselor, during face-to-face interviews, assists customers in selecting their choice of vocational goals, services and service providers. An Individualized Plan for Employment (IPE) is developed, outlining a vocational objective, services, providers and responsibilities
Where: 1-45 N Fourth Street, Allentown, PA 18102
Call: 610-821-6441
Click here for a contact list in your county. Click here for their 2024 brochure.
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SPARC through ARC
It's a state-licensed adult training facility that serves adults in Lehigh and Northampton Counties. It is staffed by a Program Director, Program Specialists, and a team of Direct Care Professionals. The program includes community volunteerism, community outings, daily living skills and therapeutic services.
Call: 610-849-8076, ext.320
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SPIN Employment Services
Provides a variety of community-based support and service options for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Our team of professionals uses a person-focused, outcomes-based approach to support each individual to live a meaningful, inclusive life of their choice. Funding is provided through enrollment in Consolidated Waiver or Person/Family Directed Support (P/FDS) Waiver.
Where: 2158 Avenue C, Suite 101, Bethlehem, PA 18017
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Via of the Lehigh Valley
It is a non-profit agency that provides services for children and adults with disabilities. Via’s staff and volunteers help individuals and families from birth through retirement to gain life skills, obtain meaningful employment and develop social connections
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Through the Community Employment Program, Via provides coaching and support in the workplace so that adults with disabilities can work.​
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School to Work Transition Services strives to meet the individual needs of each student, meet the student where they are now, and evolve with the student as interests, goals, and needs change as a result of this exploration.
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​Taxes
​​Did you know that the IRS offers free tax preparation help in the following programs?
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The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who make $54K or less including people with disabilities. Find the nearest one near you, click here.
- ​Tax Help for People with Disabilities provides tax relief for disabled individual tax payers. Click here to see if you or your loved one qualifies.
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The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program offers free tax help for people who are 60yrs or older, specializing in taxes that involve pensions, etc. that are unique to retired individuals. Many of the IRS-certified volunteers who provide tax counseling are retired as well and work through grant funded non-profit programs. Click here to find one near you or call 800-906-9887.
HIRE AN AMAZING WORKFORCE
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What are the benefits of hiring someone with a disability?
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There are many benefits including federal tax incentives and lower turnover rates. Some companies are struggling with employing certain areas of their business and in turn it hurts their business by burning out current employees and straining productivity. With the rise in Autism, this group represents the 3rd largest segment of potential employees. This is an untapped workforce so employers can be missing an important opportunity to add dedicated potential employees to their staff.
As a society, we have to shed the antiquated mentality of what the word disability means. It's not like it used to be when people with disabilities were segregated from society and never developed relevant skills and education. With more access to education and IEP's, we are developing a new type of workforce with unique strengths that neurotypical people lack like excellent memory skills, superior focus on task, and a natural inclination towards repetition.
Once given the chance to prove their abilities, many people become loyal employees dedicated to their work. Meaningful employment gives people a purpose in life, a place to belong to and create a more productive society.
LESSONS LEARNED: What I learned about hiring people with disabilities.
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According to findings, published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, People with autism make more consistent choices than neurotypical population. Read the article to understand how.
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Workforce Inclusion Is A Strength For Any Company. This Forbes article explains how.
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Do you have more examples of successful hires who happen to have Autism?
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Here's a local example: Watch ABC27 Feature Hershey Country Club's Successful Hires
Read about this unique business model who creates meaningful employment for people with disabilities. http://www.prospectortheater.org/story
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The Law:
Americans with Disabilities Act
The U.S. Department of Justice provides information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) through a toll-free ADA Information Line. This service permits businesses, State and local governments, or others to call and ask questions about general or specific ADA requirements including questions about the ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
Call: (800) 514-0301
Website: http://www.ada.gov
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National Resources
Best Buddies Employment Consultants help business hire workforce that meets their needs and also provides working opportunities for people with disabilities.
​1. Cost-effective solution to address business needs
​2. Improves customer satisfaction results
​3.Reduces the recruitment and training costs associated with routinely filling high turnover positions
4. Lower absenteeism and sick leave than other employees
5. Promotes a more diverse and inclusive workplace and enhances employee morale
6. Fosters a culture of corporate responsibility
7. Federal tax incentives available
Participating Companies: https://bestbuddies.org/what-we-do/jobs-program/participating-employers/
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Job Accommodation Network
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues that is beneficial the business and employee. JAN’s services assist private employers of all sizes, government agencies, employee representatives, and service providers, as well as people with disabilities and their families.
Call: (800)526-7234 (Voice)
Employers Submit a Question to Jan on Demand: https://askjan.org/JANonDemand.htm
Job Seeker Resources: https://askjan.org/indiv/index.htm
Website:https://askjan.org/index.html
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