The creation and implementation of an employment participation pathway model for youth with disabilities

Abstract

Purpose

Employment participation offers benefits including income, sense of accomplishment, social engagement, and meaningful contribution to society. Rates of competitive employment of youth with disabilities are amongst the lowest in society, despite having capacity and motivation to participate in the workplace. The marginalization of young workers with disability presents a lost opportunity for youth, potential employers, and social care systems. In order to engage young people with disabilities in employment, we present an integrated, community-based model for employment participation preparation.

Materials and methods

The employment participation pathway model is based on best available evidence and 15 years of program delivery for youth with disabilities preparing to transition out of school and into employment in the Canadian context. It was conceptualized using the Knowledge to Action framework and presented for consideration in the current paper.

Results

Starting early, taking a person-directed approach to planning, and considering the individual and our systems contribute to effective and comprehensive transition to employment.

Conclusions

The employment participation model provides evidence and examples for service providers to consider integrating into their repertoire and begin to construct similar pathways to equip their clients and families with skills, capacities, and knowledge as they journey towards workplace participation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION

• Employment for individuals with disabilities is lower than the national average, with rates being even lower for young people (ages 15–25) with disabilities.

• Low workplace participation for individuals with disabilities is particularly troubling due to the myriad social and health benefits of engagement in employment.

• Programs that start early (during high school) and provide ongoing, community-integrated support are reported to be most beneficial to the eventual job attainment and retention for young job seekers with disabilities.

• The presented employment participation pathway model that was developed using the Knowledge to Action Framework integrates evidence and best practices to support service providers in facilitating progressive workplace participation for clients and families.

Keywords:

• Employment participation
• start early
• person-directed planning
• youth
• disability
• interagency collaboration
• knowledge to action

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the clients, families, staff, administrators, community partners, and organizations who contributed to our program’s needs assessment and thus the continued growth of the Employment Participation Services. We thank Laura Howson-Strong, Nadia Niles Campbell, and Kari Renahan for their reviews and commentary on this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors acknowledge that funding for the operation of employment pathway programs in the timeframe 2018–2022 was provided by RBC Future Launch and other donors to Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation.