Research shows that when high school youth get the opportunity to participate in work-based learning experiences, they are more successful vocationally after they exit school. In this session, the Sonoran Center will share information about their Pre-ETS partnership with Arizona Vocational Rehabilitation, which focuses on developing community-based, work-based learning experiences for students, with an emphasis on those in underserved areas. Our model focuses on implementing many of the Predictors of Post School Success and Employment First practices, as a method of improving student outcomes. Our model emphasizes community work experiences, interagency collaboration and increasing parent involvement to raise expectations. We will share how we are promoting community engagement and collaboration with outside agencies, to ensure a smooth and seamless transition after exiting school.
Key Learning Outcomes
1. Participants will learn about various Predictors of Post-School success, that lead to improved outcomes.
2. Participants will learn the strategies the Sonoran Center utilizes to promote interagency collaboration for students, while they are in school.
3. Participants will learn some of the strategies utilized by Sonoran Center staff to support students during their work experience.
Presentation Materials
Secondary transition planning can offer students with disabilities opportunities to increase their likelihood of postsecondary success. One great way to accomplish this is by incorporating Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) as part of a student’s transition plan. Pre-ETS are specific career exploration and job readiness services that help students with disabilities prepare for future employment. The Arizona Rehabilitation Services Administration (AZRSA) Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program offers Pre-ETS to students with disabilities statewide. This presentation will include an overview of Pre-ETS and discuss how you can support your students with disabilities in accessing these services to promote student achievement and success.
Key Learning Outcomes
1. Participants will gain an understanding of Pre-ETS and how students with disabilities will benefit from these services.
2. Participants will gain an understanding of how to access Pre-ETS services.
3. Participants will gain an understanding of how to use Pre-ETS to enhance transition planning and services for students with disabilities
Presentation Materials
Transition teams for students in their journey out of K-12 education are often made up of a complex and diverse group of people. This forum will workshop roles, resources, and interventions to address barriers for students in transition to work or post-secondary education.
Key Learning Outcomes
1. Participants will walk away with practical resources for accessing and/or strengthening their local community partnerships which support students in transition. This will include specific contact information and resource information.
2. Participants will share best practices with attendant professionals who play a similar role on transition teams.
3. Participants will further explore and share knowledge of specific barriers to access that students experience, and interventions to help address them in a diverse group which will represent multiple perspectives.
Group Supported Employment is a DDD funded program providing employment training support to individuals with disabilities to give them an opportunity to become employed in the community with minimal support. This session will be in person and interactive.
Key Learning Outcomes
1. How people with disabilities can be integrated into a childcare facility.
2. How Group Supported Employment can be more than Janitorial, landscaping, or silverware rolling.
3. How to start programs with a targeted audience for individuals with disabilities.
Presentation Materials
In collaboration with tribal, state, and community partners, the Sonoran Center for Excellence in Disabilities (the Sonoran Center) has created Finds Their Way: Communities for Native Youth Transition. The project addresses unique needs and challenges experienced by Native American youth with disabilities by utilizing a multifaceted and indigenous approach. The goal is to increase access for Native students with disabilities to skill development, knowledge, services, and supports to participate in long-term competitive integrated employment careers. In it’s second program year, Finds Their Way staff discuss the building of a landscape analysis, best practices, and continuing/future efforts for upcoming years.
Key Learning Outcomes
During time at the presentation, attendees will:
1) Discover benefits of a Cross Cultural Tribal Community Collaborative approach to addressing transition outcomes for Native Youth.
2) Understand the importance of a Native American-led transition to employment framework for Tribal youth responsive to culture that focuses on improving education, post-secondary, and employment outcomes; and
3) Establish a basis for creating similar project activities in individual service areas that can be effective, seamless, and sustainable transition approaches for Native American youth with disabilities at the state and local levels.
Center for the Future of Arizona and Arizona Town Hall are leading a year-long community engagement project designed to bring visibility, spark dialogue, and motivate action to ensure more successful transitions of young people with disabilities — driven by their dreams, desires, and strengths — into postsecondary education and career pathways. Together, we are bringing trusted data to inform and prompt dialogue, engaging across sectors to understand the challenges and opportunities for action, amplifying the voices of young people with disabilities, and their families, in generating solutions, and identifying where action is needed. In this session, we invite you to join us in this journey and offer your input and perspectives as we work together to activate community-led solutions to ensure equitable access to opportunity.
Key Learning Outcomes
1) explore trusted data to inform and prompt dialogue around issues impacting the transition of young people with disabilities into postsecondary education and career success;
2) engage in reflective discussion, facilitated by CFA and documented by Arizona Town Hall, to surface key challenges facing young people with disabilities and their families, as well as opportunities for action to drive Arizona forward toward more equitable postsecondary education and career pathways;
3) inform CFA and Arizona Town Hall’s year-long community engagement project through insights offered on this critical issue.
Presentation Materials
Through this work individuals with intellectual disabilities will become creators and owners of interactive artifacts aligning with the mantra of “nothing about us without us.” The objective is to develop an understanding of how adult individuals with intellectual disabilities, who are transitioning from high school to work, can be self-advocates through development of extended reality (XR) and other multimedia presentations. Working with a team of teachers, para-professionals, practicum students (from a special education program at a nearby university), and the researchers, transitioning individuals will create presentations that are both a demonstration of their experiences and training tools for others using public transportation and engaging in job training.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Participants will be introduced to a unique way of demonstrating and promoting self-advocacy for individuals with disabilities
- Presenters will encourage participants to expand their thinking about how technologies can be used by and for individuals with disabilities
- Participants will be encouraged to brainstorm about how the use and creation of XR can support individuals with whom they are working
Presentation Materials
Assistive Technology is often over looked when looking at a students transition plan. During this session attendees will gain an understanding of the importance of AT in transition planning and ways to incorporate it for student success.
Key Learning Outcomes
1. Participants will demonstrate and understanding of transition planning and how AT can be included in this.
2. After attending the session participants will be able to apply AT to areas in transition planning.
3. Participants will use resource provided to increase their knowledge in adding AT to transition plans.
Presentation Materials
