February 4, 2014
Good Morning.
The New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) is investigating the concept of Middle Skills and Employment for People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DD/ID). As you likely are aware, Middle Skills jobs refer to occupations that require less than a four-year degree, but more than a high school diploma. Middle Skills training and education may refer to specialized internships, etc.
DDPC is exploring what best practices, promising strategies, and models exist related to middle skills, training, and employment. An example of a program that we have funded previously includes Project Search. (http://nytransition.org/Project-SEARCH)
Project SEARCH is a transition employment model developed at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in 1996. Project SEARCH provides transition-age youth with quality internship experiences. Each day, interns report to a "host business" learning employability skills in the classroom and job skills in the workplace as they rotate through 3 − 4 internships/experiences during the program year.
DDPC is interested in obtaining feedback from members about:
1. Curriculum and /or training needs that exist for middle skills for youth with disabilities; and
2. Existing program models which are operational that address middle skills needs for youth; both with and without disabilities?
I would be grateful for any information that members can share.
Kerry A. Wiley
Program Research Specialist
NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC)
99 Washington Avenue,
12th Floor, Suite 1230
Albany, NY 12210
Phone: 518-486-7505
Fax: 518-402-3505