Work for many people provides a sense of identity, belonging, and purpose. Most of us roll out of bed in the morning and grumble about the traffic as we head to the daily grind. Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) face more obstacles than just traffic. Adults with I/DD face issues with accessing training and vocational programs to prepare them to enter the workforce. Other hurdles include reliable and consistent transportation, education, and preconceived opinions of abilities by employers (3). Disinterest and inability are not reasons for unemployment.
Individuals with disabilities thrive in supported employment opportunities. Supported employment offers the ability for someone to have a job with a little assistance and guidance from a job coach. This dynamic pairing creates synergy and positivity for both the staff and job coach. Staff with I/DD tend to have longer tenures than staff without disabilities. Today, a little over 35% of people with I/DD have employment and the employment gap has decreased (1). The ratio of jobs to people with I/DD has increase 0.4% since 2017 (2).
Valley Educational Associates works to develop career paths for participants. We offer preparatory vocational lessons and opportunities to job shadow. Our team of the program managers, clinicians, and employment managers work directly with the program participants to hone their skills for positions in the community that match their abilities. We understand the value of working side by side in an integrated setting. Our goal is to find the perfect fit for the employer and the employee. Learn more about our programs: Supported Employment and Vocational Services.
References
1. University of New Hampshire. January 2019. 2018 Annual Report on People with Disabilities in America. Institute on Disability / UCED. Accessed via: https://disabilitycompendium.org/sites/default/files/user-uploads/Annual_Report_2018_Accessible_AdobeReaderFriendly.pdf
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics. February 2019. Persons with a Disability: Labor Force Characteristics Summary. Economic News Release. Accessed via: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/disabl.nr0.htm
3. Diament, M. June 2015. Survey Finds Most With Special Needs ‘Striving To Work’. Disability Scoop. Accessed via: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/06/09/survey-striving-work/20366/