Grandparent Autism Network

a vital resource for autism...and each other!

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Project Search – Job Training for Individuals with Disabilities

The Regional Center of Orange County, will be partnering with Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Integrated Resources, Coastline Community College, University of California Irvine and Grandparent Autism Network to help young adults with disabilities learn skills for employment. The new Project Search program will offer workforce development including volunteer work, work experience, internships, and health care training at CHOC’s location.

Interns build communication and problem-solving skills as well as job specific skills through work rotations. Worksites are assigned on the interns interests and previous work experiences and assessments. Job coaches are assigned to each participant and fade out as intern gains independence. These interns are working to fulfill their goals of achieving competitive employment. Worksite positions/activities could include assembly, clerical, courier, sterilization, stocking, and environmental services.

Nationally, the unemployment rate for adults with disabilities is approximately 64-95%, depending on the disability. Surveys around the country verify that the majority of these individuals want to work. Total workplace immersion facilitates a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and on-the-job training and support is a proven model. One of our goals for our clients is competitive employment somewhere in the community using the skills they have acquired in work training. A second goal for adults with disabilities is to continue preparing for careers through post-secondary education at community colleges, universities, regional occupational programs and/or adult education programs.

Linda ONeal, former Irvine Unified School District (IUSD), Career Link Director, will serve as the project consultant through RCOC.

Advocate for Jobs

Grandparents are great advocates. We typically have resided in our community for many years and have built relationships with the businesses we patronize. We may own companies or have held administrative positions in corporations. The number of teens with autism is growing and there is an urgent need to identify new job training and employment opportunities for them. Here are some suggestions of how you can help to advocate:

* Identify banks, restaurants, grocery stores, retail shops, department stores, hospitals, and the personal services you access and determine who is the best person to contact there. Repair services and, especially, businesses that require computer skills and data entry, are also good places to contact.

* Ask the managers in stores where you shop if the company trains or employs people with developmental disabilities. If they do, suggest that they provide more job training opportunities for high school students, ages 16 to 22 years, in Transition to Work programs.

* Enlist the help of family members and friends to contact the corporate headquarters of companies, online or by mail and ask if they have any referrals for you.

* See the sample letter to get some ideas about what to write, whether or not the company has training programs or already employs people with developmental disabilities. If they have both training programs and employees, encourage them to increase the opportunities.

* Be sure to contact the company within a week or two after you send the letter to ensure that they received your request. If they are interested in learning more, contact the nearest high school’s Special Education Director/Job Placement Counselor to request that they follow-up and provide additional information for the company.

Suggestions for Advocacy Letter

 

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Contact Us

Grandparent Autism Network
360 E. First Street #202
Tustin, CA 92780-3211
Tel: 714.573.1500
E: info@ganinfo.org

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About GAN

Our Mission: To promote awareness and understanding of autism and to enhance the resources essential to community responsiveness.

GAN is a registered 501(c)(3): Tax ID# 20-5230144

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