Transition: Work Resources
“Accessibility and Employment: What People With Disabilities Need to Know”
The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology provides these action steps for people with disabilities to get the tools they need to be successful in the workplace.
“What You Need to Know About Your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) When You Turn 18”
This publication helps youth prepare for the transition from school to adult life. It provides information about SSI work incentives that primarily affect youth, as well as information about common programs and services that parents, guardians and youth may find helpful. Specific programs covered include the Student Earned Income Exclusion, SSI Continued Payments (Section 301), vocational rehabilitation and the Department of Education’s Parent Centers. Information on Medicaid, the importance of keeping health insurance and having a primary care provider are also included.
The U.S. Department of Education Department provides this transition guide to help students with disabilities and their families understand the years-long process and the options available to them as they prepare to leave public education.
The guide includes information on transition planning, transition services and requirements, education and employment options for students and youth with disabilities, and how to support the decisions made by students and youth with disabilities.
After 22 Transition Program for Adults With Disabilities
After 22 is Richard J. Daley College’s comprehensive transition program for adults with disabilities ages 18 and older. The After 22 Pilot Program connects adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to career training, educational opportunities and jobs. This program also teaches students life skills, provides them with coaches and mentors, and allows them to experience social and extracurricular activities.
Students who complete this program will earn a Career Advancement Certificate from the college (not an academic degree).
To enroll in After 22, students must have been ensured a free public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), have a documented intellectual disability, have a high school diploma or GED, and be 18 or older.
American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) Internship Programs
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) provides two internship programs offering professional and career development opportunities for students and recent graduates with disabilities. The programs help participants access meaningful employment, gain leadership skills and connect to the broader disability community.
Learn more about the programs and how to apply:
Apprenticeship Disability Inclusion Guides
The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has apprenticeship inclusion guides, toolkits, videos and other helpful resources for youth with disabilities, educators/service providers and businesses.
Association for Individual Development (AID)
The Association for Individual Development (AID) serves individuals with developmental, intellectual, physical and/or mental health challenges, those who have suffered a trauma and those at risk. Operating in the greater Fox Valley area and other western suburban counties, AID provides services to address the unique needs of individuals throughout every stage of their lives.
Programs include:
- Autism programs
- Permanent supportive housing and in-home support
- Developmental and vocational training
- Job placement and on-the-job coaching service
- Crisis intervention and victim services
- Mental health treatment
AID is also a sponsor of the Ride in Kane paratransit program in partnership with RTA, Pace, Kane County, and local municipalities and social service agencies.
Building a Resume: Tips for Youth with Disabilities
PACER’s National Parent Center on Transition and Employment provides these tips for young people with disabilities and their families on effective strategies for building the first resume.
C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation
C.E.F.S. Economic Opportunity Corporation (C.E.F.S.) is a non-profit that serves residents in the Illinois counties of Christian, Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Montgomery, Moultrie and Shelby.
C.E.F.S. aims to help economically and socially disadvantaged people become more self-sufficient. Its support and services include:
- Summer youth program and college scholarships
- Housing programs
- Employment and training services
- Education services
- Food and utility assistance
Visit the C.E.F.S. website for more information.
Developmental Disabilities Employment
The Illinois Department of Human Services’ Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) seeks to maximize opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to work in competitive integrated employment.
The resources on this website provide the latest information on the Division’s efforts toward employment for people with developmental disabilities. It includes a list of DDD Supported Employment providers that also provide employment services funded by the Division of Rehabilitation Services. The list aims to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities understand the option available to them when searching for an employment supports provider.