Resources
St. Olaf Employment Resource Guide
Link: https://wp.stolaf.edu/pipercenter/files/2013/08/Autism_Employment_Guide.pdf
This employment guide includes a list of direct links to differing services and programs that benefit individuals with autism by increasing skills to help prepare for entrance into the workforce. It also includes a few differing legal sources that are beneficial within the state of Minnesota for individuals with ASD entering the workforce and a link to a career coach service that may be utilized once the individual begins employment if they desire one.
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Blog
Link: https://sites.ed.gov/osers/category/employment/
This blog partners with the U.S. Department of Education and has ample resources within that pertain to disability and employment.
Employment Tool Kit –Autism Speaks Employment Tool Kit
Link: https://www.autismspeaks.org/tool-kit/employment-tool-kit
Autism Speaks has created a guide to help individuals with autism research, find, and keep employment. This guide covers applications and resumes, interviews, finding best-fit jobs, how to job search, and more. This toolkit includes not only includes information from neurotypical people, but a collaboration of adults with autism. You can visit their website for more information and download the toolkit for your own use.
College Autism Spectrum (CAS)
Link: https://collegeautismspectrum.com/collegeprograms/#Minnesota
This resource specializes in college counseling to help individuals with ASD find a college that has the correct services to help fit their needs. It includes a list of colleges across the United States that have programs within the universities to benefit students with ASD. Minnesota does not have any schools specified within this list.
Employment Training & Support Programs
Fraser Skill Enhancement Training Resource
Link: https://fraserltd.org/services/youth/skill-enhancement-training/
Skill Enhancement Training (SET program) is a community-based program that is operable during the summer. The main goal of this program is to work with youth and young adults, ages 12-21, to teach them life skills, as well as give them the opportunity to practice. Within the program, the participants also take part in therapy sessions that give them a space to discuss their specific disabilities. The program has overall seen a success rate of 80% or higher in skill development!
Fraser Career and Employment Planning
Link: https://www.fraser.org/services/career-planning-andemployment
For more information, email [email protected]
Fraser offers a variety of career planning and employment services. They offer help with building a professional profile, career exploration, job coaching, interview coaching, job-seeking skills, and more. Individuals can join virtual workshops to help with career planning as well as general transitioning into adulthood and the workforce.
Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institution
Link: https://account.allinahealth.org/servicelines/815#services
Courage Kenny offers ample resources to help individuals with disabilities achieve their highest levels of independence, health, and wellness. There are many differing services that are focused on physical and mental well-being, with the overall goal of the participating individual achieving their greatest level of independence. They also include driving services and assessments to help the participant achieve attaining a driver’s license, if that is desired.
University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration
Link: https://ici.umn.edu/
The overall vision of the ICI is to work with community engagement to create an inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities that allows them to thrive in the most independent way possible. The ICI utilizes four core activities to lead to this independent outcome. This includes interdisciplinary education and training, research, technical assistance, and dissemination. They have a large amount of differing education and training programs that have led to an increase in independence. Here is a direct link to their differing programs: https://ici.umn.edu/education-and-training
Autism Mentorship Program
Link: https://www.mentoring.org/blog/awareness/program-feature-autismmentorship- program-amp/
The program involves pairing individuals with autism with other adults to create meaningful relationships! The main goals of this program are to create a sense of identity and belonging, as well as create a setting based on support. The program allows for individuals with autism to serve as role models and leaders within their communities. The pilot of the program focuses on high school individuals. Here is a direct link to the entirety of the program: http://autismmentorshipprogram.org/
Spectrum Connections
Link: https://spectrum-connections.org/?page_id=28“
Programs offered by Spectrum Connections provide job search readiness services for young adults who are chronologically but not developmentally ready to look for a job actively. Services focus on helping young adults build self-advocacy, self-presentation, and self-management skills as they get ready to launch a job search.
Disability Employment Initiative
Link: https://mn.gov/deed/assets/dei-overview-fact_tcm1045-285162.pdf
Minnesota’s Round 7 Disability Employment Initiative –Partners for Youth Career Pathways began in 2016 when DEED Youth Development was awarded a 42-month, $2.5 million Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) grant to improve education, training, and employment opportunities and outcomes for youth with disabilities, ages 14-24, who were one or more of the following: out-of-school, foster youth, teen parent, homeless, at-risk of dropping out of school, or ex-offender. The project is operated in three WDAs: Rural Minnesota CEP, Inc., Central Minnesota Jobs & Training Services, and Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council. DEED Youth Services received a DEI grant in the third round of funding from the Federal Department of Labor. Resources for both rounds can be found below.
Extended Employment Program
Link: https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/disabilities/extend-employment/
If you have a significant disability or other barrier to employment, we may be able to help. By working with a community rehabilitation providerwe may be able to provide long-term support services to help you keep your job and advance in your career via our Extended Employment (EE) Program. We work closely with a statewide network of nationally accredited community rehabilitation programs to offer no-cost job supports for people who want to work and employers who need qualified employees. These service providers are certified annually and are required to achieve and maintain the highest levels of service standards and accountability to the people they serve. This program has helped link individuals with disabilities with ample employers within the area, as well as the appropriate services that are needed to help assist the individual dependent on the job.
Minnesota Independence College and Community
Link: https://www.miccommunity.org/about-us.html
The Minnesota Independence College and Community (MICC) is a nonprofit organization that utilizes a training program that is focused on building both vocational and life skills. They provide many different curriculums that also surround increasing social and emotional learning, and healthy living. They also have an integrative community program that provides lifelong support in all of the previously mentioned areas.
MGCDD
Link: https://mn.gov/mnddc/asd-employment/5-supportingminnesotans.html
This resource pertains to any individuals with autism who are looking into a career within the technology field. Within this website, it contains different information surrounding resources that people can take advantage of that best support their child with ASD in finding a career within the technology field. This includes different computer camps, information on Minnesota Colleges and the resources available to help attain a degree, and a direct link to DEED with information and statistics surrounding individuals with ASD within the field. It also includes ample Digital Literacy surrounding theresearch utilized to find the data.
Hire Autism
Link: https://hireautism.org/
Hire Autism is run by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR) and is designed to help connect employers and job seekers. Hire Autism will take you through the job application process, connect you with jobs near you, and help to build your application and profile.
UI Reach
Link: https://education.uiowa.edu/reach
UI Reach is a transition program for students with ASD that are between the ages of 18-25. Within this program, students with cognitive disabilities are able to utilize differing services to obtain a college certificate while also being fully integrated into the college community to gain the full college experience.