The Role of Supports in Successful Labor Force Entry for Youth with Disabilities

This paper first summarizes programs that provide support during the school-to-work transition period, and how they have evolved in recent years. It then presents findings from focus groups conducted with individuals who acquired a significant disability during childhood or prior to gaining significant employment experience and who subsequently achieved a measure of employment success. During these focus groups, the authors learned about the supports that, in the participants' view, contributed to their success, and about some of the challenges they faced in using them. [55 PDF pages]