The College Connection for Career Development of Low Income Youth with Disabilities
Project Description:
The Advocacy and Empowerment for Minorities with Disabilities program of the Institute on Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago (A & E) has been in existence for over twelve years. This program was designed to promote improved quality of life for low income ethnic minority individuals with disabilities and their families. It has met this goal by providing nine years worth of services to in-school youth transitioning to adult life. The College Connection for Career Development for Low Income Youth with Disabilities project includes an empirically tested curriculum and intervention model that has proven successful with high school youth as well as young adults with disabilities. This program is also known for its work in the area of leadership development and the emergence of self-advocacy skills for its participants and their families. The model has been implemented in several Chicago Public Schools and has been recognized by the US Department of Education as a best practice model that promotes interagency collaboration as mandated by the IDEA legislation. .
The A&E Program was a recent recipient of a federal grant to disseminate the model among a wide range of high schools in the city and the state of Illinois. The overall goal of the project is to provide 50 in-school youth with disabilities long-lasting careers. This project will develop the capacity of three organizations to better meet the needs of low income youth with disabilities graduating from high school and entering community college certificate programs in order to expand their career opportunities. Through collaboration with the Chicago Public School System (CPS), the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC), and the Illinois Department of Human Services, Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS), youth will complete short-term demand driven certificate programs. Past participants have completed certificates in the areas like Certified Nursing Assistant, Medical Billing and Coding, Pharmacy Tech Aide, Security Guard, A+ Computer Technician, Computer Office Skills, and Auto Mechanics.
Keyword(s):
transition, vocational rehabilitation
Core Function(s):
Training Trainees, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information
Area of Emphasis
Quality Assurance, Education & Early Intervention, Employment-Related Activities, Quality of Life
Target Audience:
Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Limited English, Geographic Areas, Urban
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
Mulit-County, State
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
