Located in:
- Program-Specific Requirements for Vocational Rehabilitation (Combined or General)
The Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services Portion of the Unified or Combined State Plan [13] must include the following descriptions and estimates, as required by section 101(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by title IV of WIOA:
__________
[13] Sec. 102(b)(2)(D)(iii) of WIOA
- g. Coordination with Employers
Describe how the designated State unit will work with employers to identify competitive integrated employment and career exploration opportunities in order to facilitate the provision of:
- g. Coordination with Employers
g. 2. Transition services, including pre-employment transition services, for students and youth with disabilities.
Current Narrative:
The age requirement for a student with a disability who can receive Pre-ETS for Idaho Title IV WIOA programs is 14 years old to not older than 21 (up to the individual’s 22nd birthday), effective this state plan. In prior plans, the lower age was 15.
IDVR works with employers to provide the five required Pre-Employment Transition Services and Transition services to both students and youth with disabilities in a competitive integrated setting. The Division provides a coordinated set of transition activities that are outcome oriented and promote movement from school to post-school activities; including postsecondary and vocational training, career exploration, in competitive integrated employment. Other transition services we provide include working with employers to provide job-related services, job search and placement assistance, job retention services, and follow-up and follow along services.
The Division provides transition services as “group services” or as “individualized services”. Group transition services are provided to potentially eligible students; group transition services may also be provided to eligible students and youth with disabilities. Individualized transition services are only provided to students and youth who have been determined eligible and have an IPE.
In the past, Zoo Idaho worked with students who attended Academy NexT. Academy NexT is an IDVR project where students spend one week on the Idaho State University campus to participate in job exploration, career counseling, practice interview skills in a simulated environment using an avatar, self-advocacy, independent living skills, community integration, and college life. Students learn to budget; experience college classes; learn to use technology to support note taking including the use of Livescribe pens, Chromebooks, and iPads; tour campus; and with meet disability services staff to better understand services and resources available to them. In the future, the Division will consider making this service available to youth, when appropriate.
IDVR has also coordinated with Idaho Parents Unlimited to offer the Work of Art Program. Idaho Parents Unlimited offered numerous programs to students where students work with employers to secure a job to create corporate art; Human Rights Education, Cultural Alliance, and Lineberry Orthodontics are a few examples of employers participating in this program during the last year. Students were paid minimum wage by Idaho Parents Unlimited for their work on the project. The program connected students with disabilities to employers in the community and provided them with a meaningful employment opportunity. HP provided the students, their families, and agency partners with a reception following the experience where they could display their creations. The reception was a way to thank the students for their hard work and dedication to the project. In the future, the Division will consider making this service available to youth, when appropriate.
IDVR has also worked directly with employers to provide students with 100 hours of paid work-based learning experiences. Early efforts have focused on services available to students with disabilities. In the future we will make this service available to youth, using the new RSA911 service category: Work-based learning experience.
The Division is currently developing a curriculum for employers to use with groups of students and youth to provide career exploration and to understand employment opportunities and career pathways in specific career clusters. This will promote relationships with businesses, and between business, students, and youth.
Additionally, we are working on piloting a reverse job fair followed by a work-based learning experience in northern Idaho. The program will begin during the student’s senior year of high school. Students will complete their senior project with a specific employer to prepare for the reverse job fair. Following graduation, the student or youth will then complete the work-based learning experience with the employer.