It’s about educating companies on how inclusion and hiring people with disabilities or special needs is good for business.
I wish we had better prepared for this phase of Gavin’s life because helping him find some form of employment would be awesome for him.
Gavin absolutely loves cleaning, is incredibly creative and is always looking to help others. He needs accommodations but he also brings things to the table that no one else could. An employer could absolutely benefit from his cleaning abilities, creativity, work ethic, willingness to help and his ability to get along with everyone. What can I say, he is awesome!
The point is, these are things much better thought about in advance and prepared for over time. My hope is that you read this and it sparks a conversation within your family because it’s never too late to plan for the future and never too early to plan for the transition into adulthood. The more time you spend planning and preparing, the better off you’ll be.
So tell me about you.
Do you have a special needs family member that is active in the workforce or would like to be? What has your experience been?
Share your comments below and let’s see if we can learn something from each other.
Okay, this is a good start to a conversation. My oldest son, the one with high-functioning autism, went to the Ohio Bureau of Rehabilitation and they took time, over months, to prepare him for adult things. I’ve been told the name has changed but this is what I’ve found online. (Links at bottom.) It’s possible that there is some kind of employment Gavin could do and a local employer who would be willing to try.
The second thing that goes along with Gavin’s development is where he lives. Hopefully things will continue to work out for you all. I read awhile back that it can be better to place special needs adults in group homes sooner than rather than later. SN adults do better if they are living outside their parental home when their parents die. (I can’t find that specific study but these links talk about staying at home vs living in a group home. AND ALSO: I seem to remember Gavin’s prognosis for his condition was not too good. So of course those things are also a factor in making choices.)
Ohio rehab services:
http://ood.ohio.gov/
https://oodworks.com/
http://ood.ohio.gov/BVR-BSVI/BVR
Special needs adults housing:
https://specialneedsanswers.com/housing-options-for-adults-with-special-needs-14975
https://www.smilefil.org/blog/housing-options-for-adults-with-special-needs
I have autism and I work three jobs at the moment but probably going to two. And I’ve had great success using Voc Rehab and my local job coach as well as Department of Labor they let me see them every month about how things are going.
That’s awesome
Do you have any advice for parents like me or for others transitioning into adulthood and seeking employment?
Yes Rob, my advice for people like you or for other people transiting into employment is to contact department of labor because they can do internships and also contact voc rehab and they’ll be able too help you out and be there for you. And if they give you a counselor that you don’t like or a provider you can switch to another person. I used to not have a counselor and provider that I didn’t get along with and I get along w way better with my current people. Both voc rehab and department of labor have helped me be where I’m at today I would defiantly recommend getting in touch with them they’ll be there for you, listen to you and help you out. My team does a great job of helping me out and usually you’re with the same people but if not they’ll find you very nice people to help you out.