October is Disability Employment Awareness month and it is a time for families to pause and ponder the eventuality of employment for our children. Regardless of additional disabilities all people should have access to employment in their communities.
Employment may come after a college degree has been obtained or for others when a supported employment position is secured. Our goal is for all children to find their place within the community and be an active participant in it. You can learn more about what you can do at home to support your child’s career education by listening to Dr. Karen Wolffe’s interviews:
- Three Things Parents Should Know About Career Education
- What Families Can Do at Home to Support Career Education
I want to point you to several other resources that can give useful information. The federal government has resources posted on their National Disability Employment Awareness Month page. The AFB AccessWorld® October issue focuses on employment, and this is a great, free publication to which you can subscribe to get interesting technology-oriented news every month.
Finally, the APH CareerConnect® program has a wealth of information designed for students and adults that can provide you with information and resources. Within CareerConnect there are many stories written by mentors about their careers, and so please take a few minutes to explore Our Stories for ideas and inspiration.
Let us all celebrate and raise the awareness of the importance of employment for those individuals who are disabled! What career is your child dreaming of?