Self-Determined and Directed Transition to Careers
The 1992 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act explicitly stated that to "enjoy self-determination" was something that individuals with disabilities had a right to pursue. Similarly, a key focus of the Pathways to Positive Futures RTC is to provide youth and young adults with significant mental issues the opportunity and support to be self-determined.
This webpage offers resources, information, and technical assistance specifically related to promoting self-determination in the numerous steps and phases involved in youth and young adults pursuing careers. We believe these resources will be useful to anyone interested in these issues including:
- Vocational rehabilitation counselors
- Youth and young adults
- Families and friends
- School district transition staff
- Employers and coworkers
- Postsecondary education staff
- Workforce program staff
Our Work
Three Pathways research projects specifically aim to experimentally evaluate approaches to enhance self-determination skills of youth and young adults. They are:
Our Publications & Presentations
Enhancing Career Development Engagement and Self-Determination for Young Adults with Mental Health Diagnoses
This report provides a literature review on self-determination and career development engagement for young adults with mental health diagnoses.
Supporting Self-Determination and Enhancing Career Development for Young Adults with Mental Health Diagnoses
Using current and past research, this webinar addressed how self-determination processes in career development for young adults with mental health diagnoses can enhance the capacity for effective career development activities.
Useful Tools
More Than A Job
A Self-Determined Career Development Model designed to provide people with disabilities the knowledge and skills they need to compete for jobs they want with the potential for career advancement, higher wages, and benefits.
Teaching Network Skills
This curriculum is for trainers working with transition-aged individuals with limited work experience; its goal is to help young job seekers become engaged in career and job exploration through networking.
Steps to Effective Coordinated Transition Services
Learn the three stages of steps that make for the most effective collaboration and coordination among community services.
Going to College
This website, which is a self-determination tool for students and supportive adults, contains information about succeeding in college with a disability.
For Young Adults
The National Collaborative on Workforce and DisabilityYouthMOVE National
The National Youth Leadership Network
Additional Resources
Office of Disability and Employment Policy
Institute for Community Inclusion
Find a regional Technical Assistance and Continuing Education Ctr
Independent Living Research Utilization
Other Research and Training Centers
Learning and Working During the Transition to AdulthoodTemple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion
RTC on Workplace Supports and Job Retention
The RTC at the University of Hawaii at Manoa