Interlocal Association's Youth with Disabilities Project

Interlocal Association's Youth with Disabilities Project incorporated a number of activities designed to expose youth to career and occupational opportunities. Activities included classroom programs, site visits, community service projects, and work-based experiences. Classroom activities were designed to build math, science, and technology skills, build career awareness, and improve work readiness. Work-based experiences included site visits, job shadowing, internships, and paid employment opportunities to help youth transition from school to work. The project also sponsored a "Transitional Exposition and Parent Training Program," in which adult service providers, post secondary schools, and community organizations provided information relevant to the post high school years.

The purpose of the Interlocal Association's (IA) Youth with Disabilities Project was to support demonstration projects to help Workforce Investment Act (WIA)-assisted youth programs develop the capacity to serve youth with disabilities. Although youth with disabilities had been served under previous employment and training programs during the latter years of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA), with the implementation of WIA, services such as work experience, summer employment, and others decreased substantially. IA looked to expand and enhance the quality of services to youth with disabilities.

Through this project, 78 youth received career assessments, 72 participated in career exploration activities, 71 attended site visits, 70 received customer service training, and 41 received tranportation assistance referrals. Additionally, 31 youth participated in a work experience program and 22 were placed in jobs.

This project resulted in lasting system changes, including the following:

- One-Stop's Summer Jobs Clearinghouse program, the educational and work experience, and summer internships. Franklin High School students participating in an internship are able to earn up to three high school credits.
- Formation of Johnson County Transition Council.
- A Transition Exposition and Parent Training Program.
- The Circle Seven Youth Council and WIB implemented the High School/High Tech program elements as the basis for its WIA service plan for all youth
- Implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding between Special Services and local schools, Vocational Rehabilitation Services and the One-Stop system that outlined a new, aggressive and earlier delivery of transition services and allowed for sharing of relevant information about the youth.