Keys to Unlocking Employment Opportunities for Adults with Disabilities

Finding employment today for anyone can be a challenge, but finding employment opportunities for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) in the Long Island area can be filled with uncertainty — especially if you don’t know where to look.

However, you don’t have to do it alone. The team at Community Mainstreaming offers decades of experience helping people with intellectual and developmental disabilities make the transition from teenage years into adulthood.

We offer a range of personalized solutions and community connections to make the transition as smooth as possible. Let’s take a look at a few helpful tips designed to simplify the search as well as some of the top resources that link to real employment opportunities for adults with IDD.

Steps for Finding Employment Opportunities for Adults with IDD

Before we jump into the different employment opportunities for adults with disabilities, it’s always important to put the best foot forward. Here are three simple tips that can unlock a world of employment opportunities.

Start Early

Students in the U.S. who have disabilities will have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). This helpful roadmap will include a transition plan — where career placement is a key focus. Many successful instances of job placement are the result of a well-planned IEP and the student having work-based education that has instilled practical on-the-job skills. In either case, it’s never too early to start planning for the transition.  

Consider Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering can be an excellent way for your loved one to try different potential career paths. You can help your loved one explore different volunteering opportunities. By doing so, you’ll be better equipped to identify their interests and strengths, while they gain experience in different employment settings. Be sure to keep track of the volunteer experiences and skills in order to boost the resume.

Consider Part-Time Employment Opportunities for People with IDD

Part-time jobs are indeed building blocks toward a successful career. In addition to providing your loved one with exposure, part-time jobs can be an excellent way for you and your loved one to build connections and establish references. This can prove to be very valuable later in the process.

Most importantly, a part time job is critical experience and can be the key to unlocking their future career. Many employers consistently say the experience gap is the most significant hurdle to hiring people with IDD.

Resources for Finding Employment Opportunities for Adults with Disabilities

Even if you’ve taken all of the right steps up to the this point, you must still know where to look. Check out a few of our top resources for finding employment opportunities for adults with IDD.

1. Schedule a consultation with Community Mainstreaming to learn more about our Working Together Program. We offer a range of different services designed to connect you and your loved one to different employment opportunities for adults with IDD.
2. You can access the Disability Resource Job Search that offers a full range of information about reaching out to state liaisons to establish connections with different opportunities for adults with disabilities.
3. Utilize Job Links via the DOL for an updated list of the employers who are looking to recruit adults with IDD.
4. Make sure to check out Career One Stop Center where you can browse different employment opportunities for adults with disabilities.
5. The National Business & Disability Council (NBDC) at the Viscardi Center is an excellent resource that serves as a liaison between large Fortune 1000 employers and job seekers who have IDD. Visit NBDC today to conduct a job search.
6. The Social Security Online site offers a versatile Ticket to Work Program. This program is unique in it’s engineered to help your loved one with disabilities become more financially independent — without negatively impacting their Medicaid or Medicare. Best of all, anyone who is aged 18-64 and receives Social Security benefits due to a disability are probably already qualified for the program. Visit the Social Security Administration’s Ticket to Work program site.

Contact Community Mainstreaming for Help Finding Employment Opportunities for Adults with IDD

As a parent or caregiver, you play a key role in helping your loved one make the transition from teenage years into adulthood. While it can be easy to get discouraged, you and your loved one can do it, and Community Mainstreaming can help.

Through our Working Together Program, participants learn a range of different skills, develop work readiness, and engage in community activities. Once we help your loved one find employment, we’ll help them grow and thrive through active job coaching and by meeting with their supervisor.

Are you an employer looking to learn more about increasing the inclusiveness of your workforce? Community Mainstreaming can help! Contact us today.