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This clip describes the nation’s largest Reverse Job Fair for people with disabilities.  Job seekers create booths, with posters highlighting their strengths and skills and prepare their resumes to hand out.  Employers come to the event to find people who can meet the needs of their business.  This clip includes people with disabilities of all ages, but the concept can be adapted to focus on youth with disabilities.  This is an example of career awareness, because it brings employers to people with disabilities and by talking with employers they can discover more variety in jobs and careers.  According to the New Ways to Work Continuum, reverse job fairs meet the following criteria listed under career awareness: guest speakers, college/career/job fairs, informational interviews, adult interaction, and community awareness.

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SLATE's Reverse Job Fair 2017 For People with Disabilities

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This clip describes a Career Center’s Career Exploration program for 10th graders.  Although it is tailored to the career center’s offerings, it is a good demonstration of what a classroom simulation program could look like to promote career exploration.  It allows the students hands-on experiences in a variety of fields to be able to narrow down their post-secondary goals.  This meet’s the New Ways to Work Continuum criteria of career development: classroom simulation, career pathways and courses, career focused projects and assignments, and role playing.

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Sophomore Only Program: Students rotate through the career tech labs in four week cycles to learn about different career opportunities while also focusing on earning the academic credits they need. This program promotes active learner engagement by relating subject matter to life and work, as well as increased positive social interaction and improved classroom achievement.

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This clip demonstrates independent work skills for students with disabilities.  The clip talks about teaching prerequisites (such as job safety, job responsibilities, following directions, taking initiative, etc.) , communication, and work skills needed for any job.  The video provides strategies for how to scaffold these skills. These strategies can be done through a work skills class or as ways to guide and check on progress in the workplace work experience, internship, or apprenticeship.  Based on the New Ways to Work Continuum, this video aligns with the career preparation, because it is building skills, giving more responsibility to the student, and providing a framework for either a work skills class or work experience.

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Teaching students with disabilities employment skills and to work independently Transition Tuesday

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This video describes the opportunities students with disabilities experience while attending a Career Exploration Camp.  For five days individuals participate in the discovery of different types of jobs, by experiencing real-world skills and on the job education.  The camp allows them to explore, research, and plan for the future.  The students learn job seeking skills, pre-employment skills, and employment skills.  For example, once they have a job how do they keep it, what to do once you get a paycheck, how to spend wisely, and do they understand their disability.  Not only does the camp provide real experiences, but it also allows them to meet and make new friends that have a common interest, it also shows others what an individual with a disability can achieve and do.

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People with Developmental Disabilities WORK

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People with Developmental Disabilities WORK

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This documentary highlighting several people with developmental disabilities, their bosses and the types of careers they work.  This video shows how people who have developmental disabilities are given a fair chance to work and pursue a career of their desires.  It provides an informational interview of the excitement, opportunities, and descriptions of each individuals job and encouragement from their employer.  Individuals can learn about a vast variety of roles and careers they may like to follow by watching some of their peers talk about their accomplishments and employment.

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People with Developmental Disabilities WORK

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Tim's Place: Where breakfast, lunch and HUGS are served!

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Tim's Place: Where breakfast, lunch and HUGS are served!

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This video is an inspiration; it shows how a young man with Down Syndrome, with the help, and support of his family, allowed him to started a small business and achieved his dream.  The footage also illustrates career awareness by giving a workplace tour of how Tim operates his restaurant on a daily basis as well as showing community awareness by an informational interview of the family, Tim, and individuals who eat at the restaurant.  Tim has opened up the door and has given his community a higher awareness of how people with special needs can also achieve their greatest dreams with hard work and help from others.  The clip allows individuals with a disability the encouragement, support, and self-confidence that they can do anything if they set their mind to it, no matter who you are or what your challenges are.

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Tim's Place: Where breakfast, lunch and HUGS are served!

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The RCIL (Regional Center for Independent Living) Departments of Youth Leadership and Employment present "Get the Job . . . Keep the Job!", This video shows a youth work readiness video using individuals with disabilities by illustrating and explaining the proper and improper ways to apply for a job, as well as showing what to do to have a successful interview.  Students gain work experience, instruction, and training to develop these skills. It also encourages and instructs self-advocacy, showing individuals with disabilities how to request accommodations, work out a problem at work, how to work with your co-workers, and how to keep a job.

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This Special Ed Teacher's Real-World Lessons will Inspire You | Class Act

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This Special Ed Teacher's Real-World Lessons will Inspire You | Class Act

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This video describes a teacher's coffee cart job simulation created for her classroom.  The teacher explains that the simulation is geared to teach students skills in the areas of jobs, independence, being part of a community, and many more functional skills.  The teacher thought about long range career goals for her special education population and created a simulation that is appropriate for their needs.  In addition, the students practice a very important skill related to careers, transportation.  The students take a public bus to go to a bakery to receive donated baked goods.  This is a simulation that can be easily transferred to multiple different schools, environments, and functional levels.  As well, these skills can be generalization to other work and career experiences in the future.

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This Special Ed Teacher's Real-World Lessons will Inspire You | Class Act

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Project Search: New Pathways for Young Adults with Disabilities

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Project Search: New Pathways for Young Adults with Disabilities

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This video shows information about Project Search, an internship program for students with disabilities.  Multiple students in my county participate in this program and have gained a large amount of career preparation skills.  In this video, the students work in a hospital to complete internships in multiple different departments.  This work supports doctors and professionals at the hospital.  Students also participate in coursework with teachers to learn more “soft” work skills.  This experience helps students to feel important, learn new skills, and independence.

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Project Search: New Pathways for Young Adults with Disabilities

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This video shows middle school students dressing up, role-playing, and giving basic information about the main career clusters that exist in our society. For example: The student assigned Government and Public Administration dresses up like a judge and provides a brief explanation of what people in this cluster do in general. This looks like a really fun activity that a teacher of younger students could do to help students become aware of all the possibilities for employment. We learned in our Module 1 presentation that Career Awareness involves helping children understand that there are a wide variety of career options and this project/video does exactly that.

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Work Early, Work Often:  Young Adults with Disabilities

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Work Early, Work Often:  Young Adults with Disabilities

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“Work Early, Work Often” was created and developed by the Youth Transitions Collaborative.  It contains a three-part series that places focus on young adults with disabilities, employers of

Adults with disabilities, and parents/caregivers of young adults with disabilities.  The video stresses the significance of work, effort, and work-based opportunities and knowledge for individuals with disabilities transitioning into adulthood.  This clip provides individuals the chance to listen to Meredith Raymond’s story on work experiences that have helped her become independent, successful in her career, and a self-advocate for herself.

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Work Early, Work Often: Young Adults with Disabilities

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‘’Transition Program” Young Adults With Disabilities Are Beating The Odds

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‘’Transition Program” Young Adults With Disabilities Are Beating The Odds

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‘’Transition Program”, Young Adults With Disabilities, Are Beating The Odds is a clip that shows the experiences of what a day and life is to be an adult.  It provides skills training and opportunities that allow individuals with disabilities to take part in vocational training, functional academic, community relationships, community outings, daily living, health awareness, and personal hygiene. With classroom simulations, the students work on skills to learn how to live independently, how to make a budget, how to take medication, etc.  They are job shadowing, and career mentoring which allows them to develop skills of confidence, what makes a good citizen, self-advocacy, and much more.  The transition program goal is to help individuals with disabilities develop into young adults successful achieving their personal, social and professional goals and dreams in life.

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"Transition Program" Young Adults With Disabilities Are Beating The Odds

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This is a video of a career day at Twin Towers Middle School. Students from grades 6, 7, and 8 move around the gym and interact with the participants. There are a diverse number of participants including law enforcement, various entrepreneurs, a veterinarian, the Red Cross, and a local bank. This is a wonderful way to expose young students to career options. This format lets students interact with professionals in their fields allowing them to ask questions about what they do and how to get started. We learned that Career Awareness involves students learning about the world of work and career fairs for young students allow them to do this.

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10 Job Interview Tips For (and By) Young People with Disabilities

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10 Job Interview Tips For (and By) Young People with Disabilities

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10 Job Interview Tips For (and By) Young People with Disabilities is a straightforward and simple clip that guides individuals with disabilities on the job interview tip.  The young lady provides her peers with an overview of what she did to prepare for her job interview.

1.  Prepare: study the questions ahead of time

2.  Plan Ahead:  know how to get there

3.  Ask Questions:  Communication is important

4.  Dress Professionally

5.  No Distractions

6.  Don’t Be Late

7.  Bring Copies of all Paperwork

8.  Be Friendly

9.  Follow Up After the Interview:  send a thank you email

10.  Don’t Give-up Keep Trying

This clip is a great tool to use a reminder for individuals what they need to do to have a successful job interview.

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10 Job Interview Tips For (and By) Young People with Disabilities

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Transitioning To College with a Disability

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Transitioning To College with a Disability

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This video clip shows and provides instruction for individuals with disabilities the step they need to take to plan for attending college or university.  In this clip, a young man believes that college is impossible because of his reading disability.  He is unaware of the services and steps he can take to achieve his college goals and dreams.  He feels that his disability is a hindrance that will not allow him to attend college and is not aware of all the resources or accommodation that can be proved by the Disability Services Office.  The five-minute video shows the process of a young college student with a disability takes to attend college.  He explains how accommodations can be different in college than what students receive in high school.  He tells the significance of understanding and knowing what your disability is and providing to the college or university the proper paperwork needed to obtain the accommodations.  It puts focus on the need for preparing for the future, doing research online, and visiting the campus and the DSO, as well as stressing the importance of exploring other schools that can provide services you may need.

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Transitioning To College with a Disability

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This clip provides do's and don'ts for teens when interviewing. It also shows pre-interview tips to be prepared for the interview. The interview process is very important and must be taught in order to help students be successful in their career path.

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This clip is a great example of a school providing exploration of careers. The students are learning hard and soft skills, have classroom work experience and opportunities for internships in the community.

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Special Education Students Run Coffee Shops at ISD High Schools

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This clip illustrates the importance of career awareness at an early age and a means to help students become aware of many career clusters.

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Elementary Kids See Career Paths Up Close at Career Day

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Project Discovery is a curriculum program that enables students to have access to various jobs as well as the skills necessary for various jobs. Project Discovery gives students information about job skills for different jobs that are accessible to students. They have different levels from beginning to intermediate with information up to 177 specific careers. The program works with students to understand the careers and the job tasks associated with them. They seek to line these up with students strengths, needs and preferences.

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Introducing Project Discovery by Education Associates

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This is my friend Matthew. He recently completed an internship with the NC General Assembly. Matthew was able to use this internship as a time to explore what a career in politics would be like. He worked directly with a Representative from Mecklenberg County in North Carolina. Matthew was able to use this time to speak with constituents, send mail and sit in assembly meetings. Through this internship he explored what a day in a life of a legislative employee may entail. Matthew also had to explore and learn about the environment of a government building and the expectations set within their work place. Matthew learned very specific hard and soft skills while working at the General Assembly. As he explored the career he was able to make accommodations for himself and advocate for his needs as he saw them arise.

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- Legislative interns are integral part of how the General Assembly functions, including one intern who brings joy to many during the often stressful session.

While walking around the Legislative Building, Matthew Schwab never meets a stranger.

The 20-year-old from Holly Springs is an intern for Rep. John Bradford, R-Mecklenburg.

"Matthew's a big hit. People like to see Matthew around the building," Bradford said. "He brings a lot of smiles to this place."

Schwab has Down syndrome, but he doesn't let his differences get in the way of his goals.

"When I first got into politics with this internship program, I felt in awe," Schwab said.

In order to work as an intern, Schwab enrolled at Wake Technical Community College through the ABE TOPS program.

"Matthew is always within 20 feet of me, and he's right here whenever I need him," Bradford said.

As part of the job, he - Schwab prepares letters, sits in on committee meetings, delivers mail and makes phone calls to constituents.

"I've always felt that individuals with Down syndrome are pure happy, and they're capable," Bradford said. "This is not charity. He's here working, he's working hard."

Schwab is a paid state employee and works 12 hours a week during this session.

Bradford has advocated specifically for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities during his four years in the General Assembly.

"It's important to me that we're giving everyone an opportunity, and that's really what we're doing, and we're not just talking, we're doing." Bradford said. "You have to lead by example, and we're going to advocate to private employers to hire people with (disabilities).

He has sponsored bills and persuaded his colleagues to appropriate funding, and all three of his interns have Down syndrome.

"There is no doubt about that, this has nothing do with partisan politics. It's about doing the right thing," Bradford said."I feel like I've done a lot of great legislative work, but I don't think there's anything great that I've done than this, (being) really involved in the Down syndrome community."

Schwab also has a part-time job at Chick-Fil-A in Holly Springs but wanted to intern be a more productive citizen. He also volunteers at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and is a member on the youth advisory board of Gigi's Playhouse.

"Only knowing John for a year and doing this is a huge impact on my life," Schwab said.

He wants people to know those with Down syndrome and other intellectual or developmental disabilities can be just as loyal and passionate about their dreams and interests.

"I just want to say that everyone can be a part of society," he said.

Schwab said that, while he has completed his internship with Bradford, he isn't done with politics and hopes to run for office in the future.

Bradford already has two candidates to be his intern for next session, should he win re-election in November.

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'Huge impact:' NC General Assembly intern with Down syndrome succeeds, inspires :: WRAL.com

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Legislative interns are integral part of how the General Assembly functions, including one intern who brings joy to many during the often stressful session. While walking around the Legislative Building, Matthew Schwab never meets a stranger. The 20-year-old from Holly Springs is an intern for Rep. John Bradford, R-Mecklenburg.