We hope you’ve enjoyed our series on employment for people who have Down syndrome! For our final post, we bring you some encouraging stories and zestful employment data that we hope will encourage those looking to support a loved one who’s looking for a job.
During our month long blogging challenge, two ends of the spectrum have stood out: sheltered workshops and self-employment. No matter where your family might fall on this spectrum, it’s helpful to have examples that can show you what the future may look like.
One of the great resources that I have used during this month has so much more information than I could possibly use for this project. I hope you’ll take some time and explore the site for yourself.
That source is The Institute for Community Inclusion:
“ICI has collected data on day andemployment services since 1988 and is recognized as an important source of disability research. These research briefs, policy papers, monographs, and case studies describe key findings asservices and outcomes change.”
You’ll find things like statistics and employment trends under the Access to Integrated Employment (AIE) Project. But if you’re looking for more down to earth examples of how other families have traveled on this “Road” before you, follow the links to the “Real People, Real Jobs: Stories from the Front Line,” part of ICI’s Access to Integrated Employment project.
You can search by topic, or region. There’s sure to be something there that will inspire you. You might even find an example to show the people in your circle of support to help them understand what you’re trying to accomplish.
One that jumped out at me falls under the category of Family Engagement/Involvement.
Brian: How Family Support Helped Start a Business
Brian’s family helped him start a business based on his interest in music. He now works part time at a music store transferring music from CD and cassettes to digital form.
The story on the site tells about how it happened and what services were available to help them.
So as we say goodbye to April, and the April A to Z Blogging Challenge, I leave you with more stories to explore on your own.
I hope you’ll stay in touch by following us on social media.
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