Disability and Employment

Summer is a great season for youth and young adults to learn new skills outside of the classroom. For youth with disabilities and their families, transitioning into adulthood requires more careful planning. These resource links support workforce professionals and others to help ensure that youth with disabilities and their families have access to services that can facilitate a seamless transition during the formative years of development. 

Youth and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

• WIOA Desk Reference: Serving Youth in an Integrated American Job Center Network - This desk reference provides an overview of potential one-stop partner programs that may be appropriate for youth, including youth with disabilities.
• Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) – Link to the Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC) site providing resources supporting the administration of Pre-ETS by State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies.
• Collaboration Opportunities: WIOA Youth and Vocational Rehabilitation Programs – This document offers resources to increase collaboration between State and local agencies under WIOA Title I and IV programs.

Work-Based Experiences for Youth

• Youth Apprenticeship - This link includes resources to help grow the apprenticeship initiative targeted towards young adult population.
• Youth Summer Jobs - ETA developed a list of technical assistance resources to help states and local workforce leaders, and youth program practitioners implement high-quality summer youth employment programs.

Employer Engagement Strategies

• Inclusive Internship Programs: A How-To Guide For Employers - This ODEP guide provides a road map for employers to effectively support students with disabilities the opportunity to expand and connect beyond the classroom.
• Partnering with Employers Program Manual - This ETA manual supporting the YouthBuild program can also be used to support the broader workforce system to develop and enrich connections to local employers.
• Preparation and Outreach Work Plan for Engaging Employers - This ETA outline supporting the YouthBuild program can also be used to support the broader workforce system in listing goals for the preparation and outreach phases of employer engagement supported by concrete action steps that could be applied.

Trauma-Informed Resources

• Strategies for Implementing Trauma-Informed Care in a YouthBuild Program - The youth we serve in the workforce system could sometimes be dealing with mental health issues in response to trauma stemming from a variety of events. This YouthBuild manual can be referenced to help cultivate an environment of growth for youth experiencing trauma.
• Our Journey Together: A Trauma-Informed Approach for Youth and the Workforce System – A May 10, 2018 WorkforceGPS webinar designed to increase awareness in support of National Children’s Mental Health Day.