Claves del proceso de vinculación a internacional de negocios

transition to adulthood even if the natural supports did not participate in the formal special education transition process. One parent whose son had had many opportunities to build community relationships said,

We’ve gone to a lot of parents’ seminars and workshops, and one of the things that stuck with me from one of the instructors was the best way to keep your child safe is

to get them out in the community, make sure people know who they are. Isolation is dangerous for our children. You know, because if he was walking the street and nobody knew who he was, he would be ignored. But if (her son) is walking the street by himself, there’s probably half a dozen people that would pull over and go, (son), ‘hey, how you doing? Are you okay?’. They would. You know, we live on this street, everybody knows (my son). There’s a lot of love where we’re at and just in the community. There’s people everywhere we go. Like nobody knows me, but I go to Hannaford’s, and he’s hugging and high-fiving people he knows. (P8)

Many educators and parents identified community members such as neighbors and friends, local employers, or community organizations as being natural supports for transition, however, inclusion in the IEP transition planning was rare. Educators who know the

community well, often are key to making those connections. One educator expressed that her school made connections with a local farm to support students who had an interest in

agriculture, took students grocery shopping, set students up with horseback riding lessons, and encouraged students to pursue interests through vocational schools. Building these community connections, she believes are key to promoting community integration. She explained, “We really try to hit on what is going to bring this child a rich environment, expose them to different activities, and how do we, how are we going to help them hold down a job?” This teacher worked with a chef from a local restaurant to come in to the school and work with the students. When asked about including the chef in IEP transition planning for the students with whom he was working, the teacher indicated that she would

not name the individual on the IEP but instead would focus on including the opportunity of learning to cook in the transition services (E7).

One educator felt that her small rural district was very aware of the resources in the community and the related opportunities. A large local vegetable producer worked closely with the school to provide work experiences for students, including those with disabilities, with transportation provided by the school. Another student worked with a local welding business, one with significant needs worked at a thrift shop, and another with autism worked at a farming supply business. She said, “We try to get them into the community as much as we can” (E10) She then went on to talk about the employers. “They’re very good to the school district, and we have a lot of community businesses that are very willing to give our kids opportunities to learn skills. We’re very fortunate that way” (E10). In a rural area of the state with a strong farming community, an educator noted that many of these farms hired her students (E2). Another educator identified that

Local businesses and community members have been the most helpful in planning. I’ve also found parents’ connections to local businesses and community members as super helpful. We’ve had kids in businesses either doing job shadows or doing work internships with checklist and rubrics that help you know whether or not they’re gaining some of those soft skills of dependability and hygiene and social skills and those kinds of things. The way that community members and businesses have been the most helpful is just by opening their doors to us and allowing us to come in. We’ve had students in a convenience store, grocery store, a couple cafes and

grounds work at a college. All of these businesses, for the most part, if you start the conversation with, “hey, I want to help kids get the skills they need to gain

employment after high school, can you help us out with that?” I’ve never had anyone say “no.” So that kind of communal responsibility has been really key in making sure kids get these experiences. (E8)

Parents also felt the value of the community to support their child’s transition. One family identified the support of a neighbor family as “top of the list.” The couples’ children have been close and their son with developmental disabilities considers the neighbor’s son his best friend. As the mother said, “he’s their second son.” The neighbor’s son wrote his essay on his college application about their friendship. The mother noted that “there is an amazing relationship between the two of them. It’s been in existence since we moved here. We’re going over there to watch the Superbowl” (P8). For another family, it was the support and connections of a friend who helped their daughter’s transition by setting up and

underwriting a work experience with a non-profit organization in the community. [The parent’s friend] was extremely influential and dropped a few hundred on a stipend. He was on the board so she could be hired through this stipend. It was to see what she could do. Well this was the summer leading up to her junior year, and it went well, and the (organization) saw that, and (said) maybe we can work something out. So she was able to work (P7).

After a couple years of part-time work there, the father said that the organization leader told him,

We love her. She’s like family. There were a couple young women out there who have taken her under their wings, so it’s kind of like a job coach. When she

graduated, they all walked off work in their work clothes, brought beautiful flowers (P7).

This family also used other community connections to connect their daughter with social and volunteer opportunities. The mother relayed that,

I have to tell you that the community is so supportive of her and in so many different ways and having known her from school and sports. She volunteers at the thrift shop every Monday afternoon with me. She does an excellent job. So, a woman came in and she said, come down and see our community center. And so, I signed her up for a knitting meeting with this group of women. I didn’t go with her. I said, “this is something you need to do.” Well, they’re a bunch of mothers or grandmothers. She’s very comfortable with older people. They’re just mothering her. They gave her a surprise 21st birthday. They gave her gifts. They gave her money. Oh, my goodness, she’s making a sweater! It’s nothing with her own peers but that’s alright. She doesn’t want to miss it. Just like she doesn’t want to miss volunteering at the thrift shop (P6). Despite the strong support that the family has experienced, they recognized that it is not available for all young people. “We’re very fortunate that we know people. But I think of the other people who might not have the whatever it is that [we] have, the advocacy, or they get under your skin type. It’s not just about (our daughter), it’s about anybody who needs service” (P6).

One mother of an adult son with autism noted the importance of the local community in making his transition work. Using the family’s connections, and matching them with her son’s interests, they were able to set up volunteer and community-based activities and then use paid supports to provide transportation and other needs. She described the positive response of individuals “from away” when they see her son working in the wreath shop - a seasonal position that came about because the mother contacted the owners and asked if they would consider taking him on to work. In another vein, with support, he was able to pass his hunter safety class and go out moose hunting with other family members. They give back together too, regularly donating and posting pictures of them doing so on social media – something that has earned her son many Facebook “likes” (P1).

When natural supports are developed through community connections, students with disabilities have access to new opportunities to pursue interests, explore careers, and build connections leading to stronger community inclusion.

Programs for people with disabilities. Some parents found support with programs

exclusive to people with disabilities. These programs, although not integrated, may facilitate access to the community via paid supports. As one mother noted, the physical needs of her son’s friends make it impossible for her to host them in a casual get-together with her son in her home so she relies on a local program with staffing to bring the young men together for weekly bowling, “He does see them each week, which is nice and his aide sometimes sends a photo of them” (P8). Another young man benefited from access to funding to provide a direct services provider who could take him into the community and assist him in accessing college courses in the community.

Finding 2.6. Educators often act as natural supports for students and families.