WHO NEEDS SCHOOL TO WORK PROGRAMS?

What happens to young people with disabilities as they transition out of school and into the adult world?

It often feels as though the school bus dropped them off for the final journey and now they are lost with no direction of how to tread forward. It is a scary and real scenario many youths (and parents) face each day as they graduate or age out of the school system. To help our area youths navigate this unknown part of their life, we offer School-to-Work programming.

The Arc Big Bend proudly works with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) under the Department of Education to provide transitional services that help students with disabilities transition from a school environment to a work environment. The programs focus on career exploration, work readiness, self-advocacy, and social skills.

These services are provided, free of charge, to qualifying students who:

• are aged 14-21 and have a disability

• have a disability that is documented by an Individual Educational Plan (IEP), a 504 Plan, or some other means

• don’t need academic or physical accommodations in high school, but may need them later in life

The Arc Big Bend is equipped to offer the following VR youth programs to individuals within the communities we serve:

• pre-employment training services

• 40-hour program

• self-advocacy training

The goal of the school-to-work programs

…is to help students:

• learn the skills needed to determine a potential career path and the steps they need to take to get there (i.e., post-secondary education, technical/vocational school, entry-level position and work their way up through training and dedication)

• gain an understanding of, and work on, social skills needed in the workplace

• learn how to self-advocate, and situations where they should self-advocate

• learn how to search and apply for jobs, interview, and the importance of following employer rules and regulations

• understand what would be expected of them as an employee and how to respond to those expectations appropriately

• be more prepared for whichever career path they choose

The School-to-Work Program is one of our main focuses with VR. We believe that providing this training is an essential part of helping the youths in our community find meaningful employment and self-sufficiency. 

How to participate in the school-to-work program

The School to Work Program is a program provided by VR. The Arc Big Bend is a qualified service provider with the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to deliver the services to the communities we serve. Interested students/families should talk with their designated school employee to be referred to VR for the programs.