Working with schools: What employment providers need to know for successful collaboration1

Abstract

Background: This APSE workshop shared one state approach to interagency collaboration for transition-age youth. The purpose of the workshop was to determine value-added by working collaboratively and share preliminary results of a school-to-work project. Objective: Using a collaborative of employment providers embedded in schools to improve agency connections prior to leaving school and work experiences that lead to employment outcomes. Method: The goal of the Collaborative was to provide employment opportunities for transition-age youth by embedding employment resources into the school to focus on agency connections, employment outcomes and reduce or eliminate duplication of services. Specifically, a provider employment specialist or Career Coach is embedded in the school to serve as a single point of contact to represent a 'coalition' of providers serving on the Collaborative. The Collaborative also included Vocational Rehabilitation, schools, families and other agencies.